Free Printable Activity: Let’s Create a Mash-Up Story!
If you find yourself with young children at home who are looking to both socially engage and exercise their creativity, this collaborative Mash-Up Story activity might be a perfect fit.
Step One: Drawing Roles + Defining the Challenge
To begin your collaborative “Mash-Up Story” activity, print out these free Paper-Slip Templates, which address the following story elements:
Primary Characters
Secondary Characters
Locations
Objects
Feelings
You will notice that half of the slips are filled in with starter ideas, and half are left open for you to complete. Brainstorm as a group, and consider characters, places, and objects that are meaningful to you!
When all of the slips are filled in, cut them out and place them in 5 containers that are separated by subject matter. The containers can be jars, hats, bowls, or whatever you have on hand.
Then, for each participant, conduct a “drawing” that results in each person having a series of 5 story prompts. You can make this process as theatrical as you’d like. (Drumrolling is optional.) For example, “Julie” might end-up with:
Primary Character: Talking Fish
Secondary Character: Pinocchio
Location: Trampoline Park
Object: Magic Coin
Feeling: Jealous
The other participants will each have a different series of prompts that they will be challenged to combine in a story!
Step Two: Brainstorming, Writing + Illustrating the Story
Prior to writing, each participant can brainstorm about their own plot line, central message, and even mood structures (reference: Trevor Bryan).
Image courtesy of Trevor Bryan
Depending on the age of your group, you can challenge your writers to teach a lesson, or to devise a story structure that starts with a difficult hurdle and ends with a happy resolution.
(For more information about Using Mood Structures to Support Student Writers, see the blog post by Trevor Bryan.)
Next, print out this Cover Template and Illustrated Pages Template.
With an idea in mind, participants can then dive in to their writing and illustrating. You can print out as many copies of the pages as you might need…don’t be afraid to adjust your approach partway through, or rewrite!
Adjustments, edits, and revisions are part of the fun.
Step Three: Share, Collaborate + Repeat
Once the stories have been written, they can be shared. Keep in mind that this component represents an opportunity to connect virtually with people in other locations.
This week, we have been sharing our printable activities in advance with grandparents, cousins, classmates, and friends, and then using FaceTime, Zoom or Skype to share our stories.
It allows for a dedicated time each day to reach out, to share laughter and ideas, and to hear familiar voices.
Step Four: Crossover to Other Media (Optional)
If you’re working with kids who have a favorite method of self-expression, you can encourage them to take their story to the next level!
They might:
Make a comic book or graphic novel.
Turn their story into a script for a play, and act it out with costumes.
Storyboard and animate their concept, in a program like Animation-ish.
Make a stop-motion video with Legos/figurines, or record a live-action video with family members reading different roles.
Remember, storytelling is a fun, powerful, collaborative tool. You’ll be surprised to see how differently people approach their characters and concepts!
Printable Resources:
In the coming weeks, we will continue to share resources for creativity. If you have ideas, questions, or comments, please reach out to us at info@fablevisionlearning.com.
We would love to connect the dots with you!