Among the myriad of methods to bring stories to life, one stands out for its simplicity and sensory appeal: Story Vines. This tactile, engaging tool not only captivates young minds but also deepens their understanding of narratives. In this post, I’ll share how Story Vines can transform storytelling, using “The Paper Bag Princess” by Robert Munsch as a delightful example. Essentially, a Story Vine is a physical representation of a story. Imagine a length of rope, from which dangle various objects and symbols that signify key elements of a tale—characters, settings, crucial objects. This method taps into multiple senses, making it an exceptional tool for reinforcing story sequence, character exploration, and narrative skills. Why? Because learning is most effective when it’s interactive and multisensory.
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
Crown
The tattered crown represents the ruin brought upon the princess, Elizebeth. The dragon destroyed her castle, burned her clothes, stole her prince Ronald, and left her with nothing but a tattered crown.
Door
The door represents the bravery needed by Elizebeth to approach and knock on the dragon’s door to save Ronald, her prince
Fire
The fire represents Elizabeth’s cleverness, appealing to the dragon’s gargantuan ego and goading it into exhausting itself.
ZZzzzz….
The Zs represent Elizabeth’s success. The dragon lay slumbering, drained after being bamboozled by Elizabeth.
Sunset
The sunset represents many things. It represents the end of the story, the end of who Elizabeth used to be, and the potential of a new day. Note that this isn’t where the story vine ends. Where will Elizabeth go from here?
