Contributor:
Pippa Holland
The activities listed below are based on the Willow Pattern Story.
Use the story to teach children about illustrating the story as a whole, reinforcing the different parts throughout the storytelling activity. This can then be used for several activities.
1) Let the children choose (or provide them with) a section of the story. Give each child a white paper plate and a suitable art medium for them to work with, such as chalk, pastel, paint, colouring pencils etc. The children will then illustrate the part of the story that they have chosen. Once all the children have completed the artwork, it can be displayed to recreate the whole willow pattern story.
2) Show the children the plate and let them write a story to fit. Tell the children the Willow Pattern story after they have completed the task and shared their work.
The following activities (which do not require the use of the Willow Pattern Story) can also be tried:
1) Tell the children another story, such as a fairy story and give them a white paper plate to try to illustrate the whole story. (The Three Little Pigs works very well)
2) Show the children another plate with a similar design on it and use this for creative writing, where children need to make a story for the plate. Allow the children to read the stories that they have created while explaining their work.