Narrative

The New Framework for Literacy and Mathematics has an activity for Y5 children which involves writing a narrative from a film stimulus.

Year 5 Narrative - Unit 5 - Film narrative(3 weeks)
This is a narrative unit of work based on film which can be taught at any appropriate point during the year. The unit has three phases with oral and written outcomes and assessment opportunities for teachers and children at intervals throughout each phase.

It uses a video 'The Piano' as its exemplar but other videos that contain perceptions would be equally useful here. Try 'Kiwi'.

As an extension of such activities it would be interesting to follow up with a purely visual context

The activity here is to tell a story in 5 frames :

'Tell a Story in 5 Frames has two important parts. The first part is creating and telling a story through visual means with only a title to help guide the interpretation. The second part is the response of the group to the visual story. The group response can take many forms such as, a poetic or prose rendering of the visualization, a critique on the structure of the story, comments on the photograph, or other constructive forms of response. Telling and enjoying stories should create entertainment for the group as well as offer insight into the universal elements that help create a story for an international audience. The more people who respond , as either story tellers or respondents, the greater the reward for all.'

The aim here is twofold as you can see. For me the power is in the responses to the stories and the genre that they support.

A continuation could easily be the 'Six word story'

'Ernest Hemingway was once prodded to compose a complete story in six words. His answer, personally felt to be his best prose ever, was "For sale: baby shoes, never used." Some people say it was to settle a bar bet. Others say it was a personal challenge directed at other famous authors.'

Have a look at what people have written and then ...adopt, adapt and innovate ... they are only ideas ( prompted by a conversation with Ewan McIntosh)!