📚 “Write Your Own Book” Classroom Activity
Goal: Students learn the building blocks of storytelling and begin crafting their own mini-book.
Materials:
- Blank folded booklets (stapled paper folded in half) or construction paper for covers + lined paper for inside
- Colored pencils, crayons, markers
- Sticky notes for brainstorming ideas
- A short children’s book for a read-aloud example
Step 1: Read to Inspire (15 minutes)
- Begin with a read-aloud of a short, engaging picture book.
- Afterward, ask:
- What made this story interesting?
- Who was the main character?
- What problem did they face?
- How did the story end?
👉 This introduces plot structure in a simple way.
Step 2: Story Seeds (10 minutes)
Students brainstorm their own ideas by answering prompts on sticky notes:
- A character (Who is in my story?)
- A setting (Where does it happen?)
- A problem (What goes wrong?)
- A solution (How does it end?)
They can mix and match ideas to spark creativity.
Step 3: Mini-Book Drafting (20–25 minutes)
- Distribute the blank booklets.
- Guide students to break their story into 4–6 parts (beginning, middle, end).
- Each page can have:
- A short sentence or two
- A drawing to illustrate the action
You might say: “Page 1 introduces your character. Page 2 shows the problem. Page 3 is when things get worse. Page 4 is the solution. Page 5–6 is the happy (or surprising!) ending.”
Step 4: Author’s Touch (10 minutes)
- Students create a title page with their name as the author.
- Encourage them to design a colorful cover.
Step 5: Book Share Circle (15 minutes)
- Students take turns reading their stories aloud in small groups or to the whole class.
- Celebrate with an “Author’s Applause” after each reading.
✨ Extension Ideas:
- Make a classroom “library shelf” of student books for everyone to borrow and read.
- Have students write “About the Author” pages.
- Turn it into a longer project by typing stories and binding them into real-looking books.