Settings

• Talk about how every story has a setting in which the story takes place. Give the children an example of a recent story
  they heard in class and discuss the settings in the story.
• Show the children the StoryTales background cards and tell them that these cards show different settings on each side.

• Pick one of the background cards and model how to describe the setting.
• Ask the children to pretend they are in the setting shown on the card. If necessary, model how to act and move in the setting. Repeat with different settings as many times as desired.

• Demonstrate how to build one of the stands for the background cards.
• Ask the children to take turns placing a background card in the stand.
• Ask one child to pick a side of a background card and describe the setting to the other children; add any details that the child left out.

Discuss the importance of story settings. Consider asking questions like:

• Why is it important to describe the setting of a story?
• How do details help the audience understand a story?

Talk to the children about how settings can also give the audience clues about the type of story they are reading or hearing.

• Tell the children it is time to play a game. Place all of the background cards in a bag or under a cloth and secretly pick one.
• Describe one of the settings shown on the card while the children guess which one it is. Or give clues by role-playing what it is like to be in the setting.
• If this is too difficult, lay out all of the cards to make it easier for the children to guess which setting you are describing.
• If appropriate, ask each child to take a turn choosing and describing a background card.

Observing the following competencies can help you monitor whether the children are developing language and literacy skills:

• Children are able to describe things and events.
• Children are able to understand fundamental narrative structure and elements.