National Tell a Story Day, observed on April 27, offers a wonderful opportunity for educators to tap into the power of storytelling in the classroom. Stories have the ability to inspire creativity, foster literacy, and connect people across cultures. For students, storytelling promotes self-expression, critical thinking, and communication skills. Keep reading to learn how educators can celebrate National Storytelling Day with meaningful activities and free resources!
The National Storytelling Network offers free teaching materials and lesson plans. Prodigy offers a fun and visually engaging National Tell a Story Day bundle. One of the easiest ways to celebrate National Storytelling Day is through group activities that foster creativity. A great exercise is the “Story Circle,” where each student contributes a sentence to a story. Start with a simple opening like, “Once upon a time, a small bird flew into the sky…,” and allow each student to add to the tale. This helps develop listening, creativity, and collaboration skills while making the experience enjoyable and interactive.
Another fun activity is story mapping, where students visually break down a story’s structure. As a group, have students identify key components such as the introduction, conflict, and resolution, then have them write their own story using the shared story map. This reinforces understanding of narrative structure while catering to students’ visual learning styles.
You can engage older students in storytelling with a wide variety of lesson plans. Storytelling doesn’t have to be just spoken or written. Digital storytelling allows students to create stories with modern tools. Storynory (reviewed here), a website offering free audiobooks and stories for children, provides a great selection of narratives that can inspire classroom discussions or serve as examples for student-created stories. PIC-LITS (reviewed here) is an e-learning site that utilizes photography and keywords to improve literacy skills through writing. Read Write Think offers a variety of interactives around storytellng. You can even code a story with CSFirst or create a class podcast of stories! These digital resources help students practice narrative techniques while enhancing their creativity.
Oral storytelling is an essential tradition in many cultures, and introducing students to it can deepen their understanding of storytelling’s role in society. Native American storytelling is a great introduction into oral storytelling traditions. StoryCorps offers free audio stories shared by people from different backgrounds, providing real-life examples of the power of storytelling. These stories and activities can inspire students to create their own oral histories by recording stories from family members or community members. Teachers can encourage students to interview others and create their own oral history projects. This activity develops their listening, interviewing, and communication skills while helping them explore how personal stories intersect with broader cultural narratives. You can even share tips to get families involved.
Storytelling helps students develop essential skills while fostering a love for stories. National Tell a Story Day is a perfect opportunity to celebrate the art of storytelling and its many benefits. Checkout TeachersFirst resources and blog posts for more great ideas!