Practical Guides
Using Sentence Strips
Begin by explaining the activity and showing the resources.
Read all of the sentence strips out to the group, talking about the symbols.
Look at the colour coding and show how that fits into the story plan
Read out again all the 'beginning' sentences and ask for suggestions about how to start the story. Place suggestion on background board. Each part of the story can be one or more strips depending on the level the group are working at.
Extra sentences can be added to the story to fill it out.
Once this has been demonstrated the pupils can either work in groups or individually or with an adult.
Pupils can record by copying the sentences.
Make 'giant' strips if you want to use with the whole class.
Individuals and small groups
Pupils can be left to work as a group to take turns at thinking up different story beginnings, middles and ends.
This activity
. Aids independent reading and writing
. Aids structuring a story
. Gives pupils a base from which to develop their own ideas
. Improves self esteem and sense of achievement
Follow up activities
Pupils can be encouraged to make their own sentence strips to re-tell a familiar story or to create one of their own.
Literacy skills can be developed by encouraging pupils to change known story endings or adding detail to existing sentences.
Sentence Strips | Using Sentence Strips | Making Sentence Strips | Activity Outcomes
