Be a Movie Director turns retelling into six storyboard panels. Kindergarten students pick a familiar fairy tale, such as The Three Little Pigs or Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and plan it with three questions about the title, the main characters, and the setting. Then they draw the story from the beginning to the end and write or dictate a caption under each panel. It supports Common Core RL.K.2 and RL.K.3. There is no answer key, since every retelling will differ.
RL.K.2
“With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.”
The six panels ask students to retell a familiar story in order, from the beginning to the end.
RL.K.3
“With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.”
Plan Your Movie names the characters and the setting before any drawing starts.
Three answer lines: the name of the story, the main characters, and where the story happens.
A six-panel grid with prompts from "Panel 1: The beginning..." to "Panel 6: The end!", each with a caption line underneath.
After a read-aloud week
Run it once you have read the same fairy tale several times. Goldilocks splits well into panels because each bowl, chair, and bed is its own moment.
Dictation table
Most kindergartners need their captions written for them. Sit at one table and take dictation panel by panel while the others keep drawing.
Fold the grid
Some students run out of story after three panels. Fold the page so only the top row shows, then unfold it for the second half.
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