Who Is Talking Teacher Guide Who Is Talking
Teacher Guide • Story Detectives Lesson 1
Focus Skill
Character Identification & Listening Comprehension
Duration
30-40 Minutes
Materials
Audio Story, Slides, Student Worksheet, Crayons
The Hook
"Close your eyes and listen. Can you tell who is talking just by how their voice sounds? Today, we are going to be Character Detectives!"
Instructional Steps
1
Introduce Characters
Explain that characters are the people, animals, or creatures in a story. Use the slides to show examples of "Main Characters."
2
Active Listening
Play a short segment of a read-along story. Pause when a character speaks. Ask: "Is that the storyteller or the character? How did the voice change?" (e.g., squeaky, deep, fast, slow).
3
Visual Clues
Look at the illustrations. Point out how the main character is often in most of the pictures. How does the character look? What are they wearing?
4
Guided Drawing
Distribute the "Character Portrait" worksheet. Have students draw the main character using details they heard and saw.
Teacher Talk
"Listen to how the narrator changes their voice for the little mouse. Is it high or low? That's right, it's high and squeaky! Now look at the picture—what is the mouse holding? We can use our ears and our eyes to learn about our character."
Support & Extension
For Extra Support
Provide character stickers or cut-outs for students to paste before drawing.
Use stories with very distinct voice changes (e.g., The Three Little Pigs).
Pause frequently to check for understanding: "Who is on this page?"
For a Challenge
Ask students to describe *how* the character feels based on the voice (angry, sad, happy).
Have students dictate a sentence about the character for the teacher to write down.
Identify secondary characters and compare them to the main character.
Check for Understanding
Evidence of Learning Look-Fors Can students name the main character? Student points to or names the character consistently during the story. Do drawings reflect the story? Student includes 1-2 key visual features (color, size, clothes) from the illustration. Listening engagement? Student reacts to voice changes (laughs, looks surprised) or imitates the voice.
Who Is Talking Slides Who is Talking
Becoming Character Detectives
Character Detectives use their Ears and their Eyes!
"Close your eyes and listen. Can you tell who is talking just by how their voice sounds?"
What is a Character?
People
Like you and me!
Animals
Like a cat or a bear!
Creatures
Like a dragon or robot!
How do they sound?
Teacher Tip
Play your story now! Pause and talk about the voices.
Who is in the picture?
Show the book illustrations here while the audio plays!
The Main Character is usually on most pages.
They are often the one Doing something important!
Your Turn!
Draw a portrait of the Main Character on your worksheet.
Use the clues you heard and saw!
Who Is Talking Worksheet Who Is Talking?
Character Portrait
Name:
Date:
Draw the Main Character from our story! Think about how they look in the pictures and how they sound in the audio.
Voice Clues
High and Squeaky
Low and Grumbly
Fast and Happy
Visual Clues
I drew my character with these colors:
Where Are We Teacher Guide Where Are We
Teacher Guide • Story Detectives Lesson 2
Focus Skill
Setting Identification & Context Clues
Duration
30-40 Minutes
Materials
Audio Story, Slides, Scenery Sheet, Art Supplies
The Hook
"We are going on a trip with our ears! Listen closely to the background sounds—where are we? Is it a busy city with honking cars, or a quiet forest with chirping birds?"
Instructional Steps
1
Introduce "Setting"
Explain that the setting is *where* and *when* the story happens. Use the slides to show different types of places (inside, outside, day, night).
2
Sound Detectives
Play a story segment with rich sound effects (birds, wind, rain, waves, city noise). Pause and ask: "What sounds did you hear? What place has those sounds?"
3
Visual Art Clues
Look at the background illustrations. Discuss how colors and items show the place (e.g., green trees for a park, blue water for the ocean).
4
Setting Scenery
Students use the worksheet to draw the story's setting. Encourage them to add one thing they *saw* and one thing they *heard*.
Guiding Question
"I hear a 'vroom vroom' sound. Do you think we are in the library or on a busy street? Let's look at the picture—I see tall buildings and traffic lights. We are in the city!"
Support & Extension
For Extra Support
Provide a "Sound Choice Board" with 3 pictures (Forest, Beach, School) to help students choose.
Focus on one sensory clue at a time (e.g., just sounds first, then just pictures).
For a Challenge
Ask: "How would the story change if it happened at night instead of day?"
Have students describe the "mood" of the setting (e.g., scary, peaceful).
Observation Checklist
Student identifies setting orally.
Drawing includes background details (not just characters).
Connects a sound effect to the place.
Where Are We Slides Where Are We?
Finding the Setting
Setting is the Place
Inside
A house, a school, or a castle!
Outside
A park, the beach, or the moon!
We are going on a trip with our ears!
Listen for the Background Sounds. They tell us where the characters are.
Birds chirping? 🌲
Waves splashing? 🌊
Cars honking? 🚗
Look behind the characters!
Show the backgrounds in your story here!
Color Clues
Is it green for grass? Blue for water? Black for night?
Thing Clues
Are there stars? Lamps? Trees? Toys on the floor?
Your Mission
Create a scenery drawing of the setting!
Draw what you SAW
Draw what you HEARD
Where Are We Worksheet Where Are We?
Story Setting Scenery
Name:
Date:
What did you Hear in the background?
What did you See behind the character?
Draw the Setting!
Circle the clues you found:
Nature Sounds
City Sounds
Night Time
Day Time
Inside
Right Place Right Action Teacher Guide Right Place Right Action
Teacher Guide • Story Detectives Lesson 3
Focus Skill
Analyzing Relationships (Character & Setting)
Duration
35-45 Minutes
Materials
Audio Story, Slides, Matchup Worksheet, Glue/Scissors
The Hook
"Would you wear a swimsuit to go play in the snow? Probably not! Characters do certain things depending on where they are. Let's listen to see what our character does in this place!"
Instructional Steps
1
Predicting Actions
Show a picture of a setting (e.g., a library). Ask: "What are some things a character might do here? Would they scream and run? Or sit quietly and read?"
2
Listen & Identify
Play a story where the setting changes. Pause and ask: "Now that they are at the park, what is the character doing? Why are they doing that there?"
3
The "Why" Connection
Discuss the *reasoning*: "They are wearing a raincoat because the storyteller said it's raining in the forest."
4
Matchup Activity
Students use the "Action Matchup" sheet to match specific character actions/items to the correct story setting.
Key Question
"Does the character's action match the place? How do we know?"
Support & Extension
For Extra Support
Use physical objects (realia) to represent actions (e.g., a spoon for a kitchen, a ball for a park).
Do a whole-class "Live Matchup" using large cards before the individual worksheet.
For a Challenge
Silly Scenarios: "What would happen if the character tried to swim in the library?" Let students draw the 'wrong' action.
Have students explain their matching choices using the word "because."
Teaching Tip: Action Verbs
This is a great time to introduce action verbs. When pausing the story, emphasize the action: "He is running ." "She is sleeping ." Ask students to act out the verbs that match the setting shown on the slides.
Running
Jumping
Sleeping
Reading
Right Place Right Action Slides Right Place
Right Action
Matching Actions to Settings
Would you wear this...
Swimsuit
In the snow?
NO WAY!
What do they DO?
Listen
Listen to the storyteller describe what the character is doing.
Look
Look at the setting to see if the action makes sense!
Can you match them?
Bedroom
Park
Kitchen
Cooking
Sleeping
Playing Ball
Matchup!
Match the actions to the right place on your worksheet.
Listen closely to your story first!
Action Matchup Activity Action Matchup
Right Place • Right Action
Name:
Draw a line to match the Action to the right Place!
Sleeping
Bedroom
Splashing
Beach
Reading
Library
Running
Park
Bonus: Draw a character doing an action in a silly place on the back!
Double Trouble Teacher Guide Double Trouble
Teacher Guide • Story Detectives Lesson 4
Focus Skill
Compare and Contrast (Protagonists)
Duration
40-50 Minutes
Materials
Two Audio Stories, Slides, Comparison Map, Chart Paper
The Hook
"We met a rabbit in yesterday's story and a turtle today. They both live in the same forest, but do they sound the same? Do they do the same things? Let's find the 'same' and 'different' clues!"
Instructional Steps
1
Recall Character 1
Briefly revisit the protagonist from the first story. What did they look like? How did their voice sound? (Use previous drawings as a reference).
2
Introduce Character 2
Play the second audio story. Pause and identify the new main character. Point out voice clues and visual clues.
3
The "Same/Different" Sort
Use the slides to do a group comparison. "Is Character 1 an animal? Yes! Is Character 2 an animal? Yes! That's the SAME." "Does Character 1 sound squeaky? No. That's DIFFERENT."
4
Comparison Map
Students draw both characters on their worksheet and circle the "Same" star if they share a specific trait (e.g., both are happy, both are small).
Social-Emotional Link
Discuss how even though characters are different, they can still be friends or part of the same story world. Focus on appreciating differences!
Support & Extension
For Extra Support
Use characters from the SAME story that are very different (e.g., a giant and a tiny girl).
Provide a pre-made Venn diagram with pictures they can glue in.
For a Challenge
Ask students to imagine the two characters meeting. What would they say to each other?
Have students explain *one* way the settings are also same or different.
Anchor Chart Idea
Create a "Same/Different" T-chart with character pictures. Use icons for "Voice" and "Place" as categories.
Voice Clues
Visual Clues
Action Clues
Double Trouble Characters Slides Double Trouble
Matching & Differences
Two Stories • Two Characters
Detective Quiz!
Same
Things they both have
Different
Things that are not the same
Do they sound the same?
Character 1
High voice? Low voice? Fast talker?
Character 2
High voice? Low voice? Fast talker?
Do they DO the same things?
Eating
Helping
Feeling Sad
If they BOTH do it, it's the SAME!
Map it out!
Draw your characters on your worksheet. Circle the star if they are the SAME!
Character Comparison Map Double Trouble
Character Comparison Map
Name:
Draw your characters! Circle the Same Stars if they share a clue.
Character 1
First Story
Same Voice?
Same Action?
Same Place?
Character 2
Second Story
Are they Different, too? Circle one:
Yes
No
Close Your Eyes Teacher Guide Close Your Eyes
Teacher Guide • Story Detectives Lesson 5
Focus Skill
Visualization & Descriptive Language
Duration
45-55 Minutes
Materials
Audio Descriptive Clip, Imagination Sheet, Crayons
The Hook
"I'm going to turn off the screen. Can you paint a picture in your mind using just the storyteller's words? When we close our eyes, our brain makes its own story movie!"
Instructional Steps
1
Brain Movie Magic
Explain "Visualization." When we listen to words like "The big, fuzzy purple monster," our brain draws it. Have them try a quick practice with a simple sentence.
2
Listen in the Dark
Play a descriptive passage from a read-along story with the screen OFF. Encourage students to keep their eyes closed and "see" the story.
3
Imagination Illustration
Students draw what they visualized on their worksheet. Focus on specific details: "What color was the character? Where were they standing?"
4
The Big Reveal
Turn on the screen and show the actual illustration. Discuss: "Is it the same as your brain movie? What is different?" (Emphasize that there are no wrong answers in imagination!)
Partner Retell
"Tell your partner about your drawing. Use 'I heard...' and 'I saw in my mind...'"
Support & Extension
For Extra Support
Use a very short clip (1-2 sentences) before moving to longer passages.
Guide the visualization by asking questions *while* they listen: "Do you see something big or small?"
For a Challenge
Have students add something to their drawing that wasn't mentioned but *could* be there.
Ask students to describe the story sounds *and* feelings.
Culminating Reflection
Q
"How did the storyteller help your brain movie today?"
Q
"Which was better: your mind picture or the book's picture?"
Close Your Eyes Slides Close Your Eyes
Brain Movie Magic
Visualization & Imagination
Visualization
You HEAR
"A big, blue boat..."
You SEE
Your brain paints the picture for you!
Lights Out!
"Close your eyes. Keep them closed while you listen to the story."
See the Colors
See the Size
See the Place
Draw your brain movie!
My Movie
Draw exactly what you saw in your mind.
Detective Tips:
Add the Character
Add the Setting
Add the Action
THE REVEAL
"Let's look at the book's picture now. Is it the same as yours?"
Mine is Special
Theirs is Special
Imagination Illustration Sheet Close Your Eyes
Imagination Illustration
Name:
Draw your Brain Movie! What did you see when you closed your eyes?
Retell your movie to a partner:
I heard about
I heard about
I heard about
