Story Board Intro Slides The Story Train
Beginning • Middle • End
1
2
3
Stories are like Trains!
Front
Middle
Back
Every story has a Beginning , a Middle , and an End .
Our Story Board
Beginning
First
Middle
Next
End
Last
The board helps our brain remember what happened!
Let's Try One!
🥚
Humpty sat on a wall.
💥
He had a great fall!
👑
No one could fix him.
Think: What happened First ?
A Map for Your Mind
When we put pictures in order, our brains don't have to work so hard to remember!
Look
Think
Tell
Nursery Rhyme Modeling Guide Nursery Rhyme Modeling Guide
Lesson 1: Introduction to Story Boards
Teacher Resource
Objective
To model how to use a three-panel graphic organizer (Story Board) to hold story details in memory. This reduces cognitive load by externalizing the sequence of events.
Recommended Rhyme: Humpty Dumpty
"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Visual Cues needed:
Humpty on the wall
Humpty falling/on the ground
King's men looking sad/failed
The "Think-Aloud" Script
1
Set the Stage
"Look at our Story Board. It has three spots: First, Next, and Last. I'm going to tell you a story about Humpty Dumpty, but I need to put the pictures in the right spots so I don't forget!"
2
Model the 'Beginning'
"First, Humpty sat on the wall. He was happy. I'll put this picture in the Beginning spot."
Action: Teacher places/tapes image 1 onto the board.
3
Model the 'Middle'
"Next, oh no! He fell! That's the middle part of our story. It happened after he was on the wall."
Action: Teacher places image 2 onto the board.
4
Model the 'End'
"Last, the king's men came but they couldn't fix him. That's the end of the story. It goes in the last spot."
Action: Teacher places image 3 onto the board.
Working Memory Tip
Students with working memory challenges may lose the thread of the story as it's being told. By placing physical anchors (pictures) immediately after each segment, you validate their internal model and give them a visual reference to return to if they get distracted or "blank" on the sequence.
My First Storyboard Worksheet My Story Train
First • Next • Last
Name:
Date:
Glue your story pictures in the right order! Start at the Front .
1. Beginning
FIRST
The Front
2. Middle
NEXT
The Car
3. End
LAST
The Back
Event Sorting Slides Scrambled Story!
Can we fix the mixed-up order?
?
?
?
The Three Little Pigs
🐷
We just heard the story. But wait! The pictures all fell out of the book!
🌪️
They are all mixed up. We need to find what happened First .
Sort Squad
Use your memory to help your friends!
Look
Look at the picture. What do you see?
Think
Did this happen at the start or end?
Place
Put it in the right spot on the map.
Check
Does the story sound right now?
Memory Checkpoint
1
🏡
The pigs build their houses.
Beginning
2
🐺
The wolf huffs and puffs!
Middle
3
🍲
The wolf falls in the pot.
End
Sorting Story Cards Pig Edition Scrambled Story Sort Cards
The Three Little Pigs (Sorting Set)
Print & Cut
Instructions: Print this page. Cut along the dashed lines. Mix the cards up and give them to students to sort onto the large floor-sized Story Board or individual desk-sized boards.
🏠
Mystery Card A
🐺
Mystery Card B
🍲
Mystery Card C
Story Map Explorers
Building Memory, One Story at a Time
Cut Here
Sorting Activity Teacher Guide Scrambled Story Sort Guide
Lesson 2: Sorting Story Events
Teacher Resource
The Lesson in a Nutshell
Students practice recall by organizing physical picture cards from a familiar story. This hands-on sorting process allows them to "see" their memory outside their head, making it easier to correct mistakes and identify sequence.
Sorting Recall Physicality
Grouping
Small groups of 3-4 students for maximum participation.
Activity Steps
1
The Reread
Read "The Three Little Pigs" (or your chosen book). Stop at the end of each major part (pigs build houses, wolf huffs, wolf falls in pot) and ask: "Is this the Beginning, the Middle, or the End?"
2
The Scramble
"Oh no! My story cards fell out! Look at them on the floor—they're all mixed up. Can our Sort Squads help fix them?"
3
Group Sorting
Give each group a set of cards. They must work together to find the FIRST card. Encourage them to say out loud: "This happened first because..."
4
The Gallery Walk
Groups walk around to see other boards. Are they the same? If they are different, which one tells the story in the right order?
Memory Prompting Questions
When a student is stuck:
"Close your eyes. Can you see the pigs building their houses? Did the wolf blow them down BEFORE or AFTER they built them?"
To check the order:
"Let's try to tell the story using ONLY the cards in the order you put them. Does it make sense if the wolf falls in the pot FIRST?"
Drawing Sequences Slides Picture Your Plot
Draw to Remember!
Listen
Draw
Retell
Draw to Keep It!
Sometimes stories go WHOOSH right out of our ears!
If we DRAW the story, it stays on the paper where we can see it.
📸
Brain Snapshot
The 3-Step Drawing
1. One Circle
2. One Shape
3. One Face
Keep it simple! We are making a map, not a masterpiece.
Listen Closely
I'm going to tell you a story about my breakfast.
Wait for me to say "DRAW" before you start!
Memory Hint: Close your eyes and watch the story like a movie in your head.
My Story Map Worksheet My Story Map
Draw to Remember!
Name
Part 1
First
Beginning
Part 2
Next
Middle
Part 3
Last
End
Explore the Story
Personal Anecdote Guide Personal Anecdote Guide
Lesson 3: Drawing the Sequence
Teacher Resource
The Power of Personal Stories
Personal anecdotes are highly engaging for young students and often have a simpler, more relatable sequence than books. Your goal is to tell a very short, 3-part story that they can visualize and then draw.
Option 1
The Cat on the Fence
First
"Yesterday, I saw a fluffy cat jump high up onto my wooden fence."
Next
"The cat started walking along the fence, but then its foot got stuck in a little crack!"
Last
"I helped the cat get its foot out, and it jumped down and ran away home."
Option 2
The Missing Key
First
"I was ready to go to school, but I couldn't find my car keys anywhere."
Next
"I looked in my shoes, I looked under the couch, and I looked in the fruit bowl."
Last
"I finally found them inside my refrigerator! I was so happy to find them."
Supporting Working Memory
The Verbal Repeat:
After telling the whole story, have students repeat the 3 parts back to you chorally before they pick up their pencils.
The Sketch Stop:
Tell part 1, then say "DRAW Part 1". This "segmenting" reduces the amount of information they have to hold at once.
Touch and Tell Retelling Slides Touch and Tell
Use Your Map to Speak!
How to Retell
1
Touch
Put your finger on the first picture.
2
Tell
Say what happened in that picture.
3
Move
Slide your finger to the next one.
Pictures are Anchors
When you touch the picture, your brain knows exactly what to talk about! It's like having a cheat sheet for your memory.
"I don't have to guess... I can just look!"
Your Turn!
👥
Tell a Partner
👂
Switch & Listen
Point to every picture!
Partner Retelling Task Cards Partner Retelling Cards
Lesson 4: Visual Anchors
Student Visual Prompts
I Am The Speaker
My Job
Touch my picture map.
Tell the story in order.
Use "First, Next, Last".
I Am The Listener
My Job
Look at my partner.
Watch them touch pictures.
Say "Great job!" at the end.
Memory Secret
If you forget what to say, don't worry! Just look at your drawing. It holds the story for you.
Retelling Mastery Teacher Guide Retelling Mastery Guide
Lesson 4: Oral Language & Memory
Teacher Resource
Instructional Goal
Students will use their personal story maps as visual scaffolds to support oral retelling. The focus is not on perfect grammar, but on maintaining the 3-part sequence without losing focus.
The "Touch & Tell" Protocol
1
Individual Rehearsal: Students whisper-tell their story to themselves while pointing to their map. (1-2 minutes)
2
Partner Setup: Speaker holds their map so the listener can see it. Listener acts as the "checker" to see if the finger matches the story.
3
The Retell: Speaker says "First...", "Next...", and "Last...", pausing after each to ensure their finger is in the right box.
What to Look For
Success Indicators
Student's finger moves in sync with their voice.
Student looks at the picture when they hesitate.
Story matches the 3-part structure drawn in Lesson 3.
Intervention Moves
If they skip a part: "Wait, look at your middle box. What did you draw there?"
If they get lost: "Point to the beginning. Let's start the train over."
Post-Activity Discussion:
"Did touching the pictures make it easier to tell the story?"
"What happened if you tried to tell it without looking at your map?"
"How did your partner know where you were in the story?"
Mapping Our Memories Slides Mapping Our Memories
Let's build a story together!
Where do we start?
🚀
A Character
Who is our story about?
🪐
A Setting
Where are they going?
Our Giant Story Map
1
First
2
Next
3
Last
"Teacher will sketch our ideas here so we don't forget them!"
You Are Story Maps Explorers!
You used your eyes and your hands to help your brain.
Now you can remember any story!
Look
Touch
Tell
Class Story Map Poster Class Story Map
A Giant Map for Big Ideas
First
Beginning
The Start of the Adventure
Next
Middle
Something Exciting Happens
Last
End
The Finish Line
Story Map Explorers Collective Resource
Sequence Check Exit Ticket Memory Master Check
Show what you know!
Name:
1 Which story part comes FIRST?
🏁
End
🚥
Middle
🚦
Beginning
2 What helps your brain remember the story?
Drawing a Map
Touching the Map
Both!
I can tell stories in order!
👍
Yes!
🚧
I'm practicing
