Back to School Idea: Summer Memories

Getting students back in the swing of a new school year can be a challenge. Here is an idea to help make this transition easier. Ask the students what their favorite summer memory is… Have them think about where they were (Setting) and what they did there. To help facilitate the sharing of these ideas students may use the SGM^® resources as shown below. Invite students to orally share these memories with the group.

I used a removable adhesive tape so that I could display student work on the poster board as they orally shared memories. This lends itself especially well to teachers/interventionists/therapists who travel from class to class and who work with multiple grade levels. Below are samples from students at first, second, and ninth grades. Each used a setting resource found in our manuals appropriate to his/her grade level. There are many other resources available to you in our manuals and on our website.

Lauren, a ninth grader, used the Setting Map from our Story Grammar Marker^® manual to help organize her thoughts before presenting orally to her group.

Gerry, a second grader (map at left, below), and first grade student, Maria (at right, below), both used Setting materials from our Braidy the StoryBraid^® manual.

After sharing with elementary students, you may make a class book to put in your library corner to showcase students’ work.

I also was able to use this poster idea on many occasions throughout the school year by changing the thought bubble to indicate the topic. Shown at right is a thought bubble using the Character stamps (from Icon STAMPede Stamp Activity Set) and prompt: “My favorite character…”

Left: A photo of Braidy the StoryBraid’s (top four)
and Story Grammar Marker’s (bottom two)
Setting materials.