Here is an outline of the essential elements and lessons in the StoriesLive® program.

StoriesLive® is a curriculum based program that has 5 steps - schools may opt for a customized program*
1) Professional Development Workshop
2) Assembly
3) 4 In-Class Lesson Plans
4) A school wide slam
5) StoriesLive® Scholarship Slam in Boston venue TBA

Participating students tell a 2-4 minute personal story by the end of the unit.

Assembly: short introduction to the art of storytelling, story concert modeling the art,  followed by an interactive workshop which is a short version of Lesson 1

Lesson 1 Recap of Assembly, Overview and Story Prompts and Basic elements of an effective narrative including:Sensory details; 5 Questions; beginning and end; and main take away or point of change they want their listeners to have.Provide examples of stories Assignment #1 – tell your story 3 times and record “take away”

Lesson 2 Recognize story arc – Context, meaning and “main take away” in a story Visual representation of storiesReview of feedback format Q&A: Questions and Appreciations All Students tell part of a story as part of a group Assignment #2 - tell your story 3 times and notice what changes

Lesson 3 The nonverbal 'tools' of storyteller: voice, facial expression and movement Exercises in performance skillsStudents tell stories to each other using new skills Assignment #3 - tell your story 3 times , note nonverbal elements you will use and fill out Performer's Check-list to be ready for in-class slam

Lesson 4 Review or fill out Performer's Check list: in class Story Slam! Introduce rubric and scoring sheets for audience.Slam - students tell, evaluate and listen to each other's stories. They may vote on which stories will be sent to the school wide slam or teacher can decide.

Themes are aligned to the Common App essay prompts!

Up the Family Tree ♦ Where I am From ♦ Learned the Hard Way ♦ First Time ♦ Lost & Found ♦ and more.

* We will work with all schools that are interested in the program and actively seek funding for partner schools.

NOTES:

The Professional Development Workshop(PDW) is led by StoriesLive artist/educators from massmouth.com. The program, lesson plans and workshop activities will be posted on line for participating educators. The Assembly showcases massmouth storytellers who tell a 4 minute personal narrative based on the 5 themes. The Assembly includes hands-on storytelling activities preparing students for their first class. The 4 Lesson Plans are held during class time and implemented as a unit. Storytelling activities comprise the first three lessons; the fourth lesson is an in-class “story slam”. Every student will tell their story. Each high school will have a Schoolwide Slam. The school will promote it. It can be a big or modest event: from a ticketed night or weekend event as a school fundraiser or during the day for as an assembly for a few classes.

Schools may opt to allow sophomore, junior and senior students from Theater, Speech, district home-schoolers and students in After School Story or Drama Classes, who have a story, but have not taken any StoriesLive instruction to participate in their school wide slam.

Inquire about participation guidelines for this year at: norah.dooley@gmail.com