Storytelling and Recall with Animals: A Fun and Educational Lesson Plan for Students on the Autism Spectrum with free printable PDFs

Storytelling and Recall with Animals

Storytelling and Recall with Animals

Looking for a creative way to teach storytelling skills, animal names, and recall abilities? This lesson plan incorporates fun elements while helping students on the autism spectrum engage with language and imagination through animals!

Objective

Teach storytelling skills, animal names, and recall skills using an interactive story-based lesson plan.

Skills Practiced:

Storytelling
Recall
Improvisation

Materials:

Language Builder® 3D – 2D Animal Matching Kit
Blank flashcards
Drawing supplies

People:

This activity can be conducted with one child or in a larger group setting, such as a classroom or therapy environment.

Set Up:

Arrange the 3D animals and flashcards on the table, ensuring that the child can see them easily.

Procedures:

Warm-Up:
- Introduce the 3D animals and flashcards. Ensure the child is familiar with the animals and their names.
Animal Selection:
- Have the child choose 2 animals from the kit.
Story Frame:
- Begin the storytelling process with a classic frame, such as “Once upon a time.”
Story Development:
- Guide the child by asking questions like, “What was the animal doing? Where was the animal?”
- Example response: “Once upon a time, there was a lion looking for food in the forest.”
Introducing Conflict:
- Ask the child, “What was the problem?”
- Example response: “But the lion couldn’t find anything.”
Acting Out the Story:
- Encourage the child to use the animal figurine to act out different parts of the story.
Problem Solving:
- Prompt with, “So how did the (animal 2) help?”
- Example response: “The bird helped the lion find a mouse to eat.”
Conclusion:
- Prompt for the ending of the story by saying, “In the end…”
Recall Activity:
- To test recall, ask the child to repeat the story back to you, looking at the flashcards.
- Alternatively, use the flashcards as prompts to ask questions about the story, such as “Which animal was hungry in the story?”

Benefits of the Storytelling and Recall Activity:

Enhances Language Skills: This activity promotes vocabulary development and the ability to construct sentences.
Fosters Creativity: Students are encouraged to use their imagination, creating unique stories while interacting with animals.
Improves Memory and Recall: By recalling stories, students strengthen their memory and cognitive skills.
Encourages Social Interaction: This activity can be done in pairs or groups, facilitating social skills and cooperation among students.
Tactile Learning: Using physical animal figurines supports hands-on learning, which can be particularly engaging for many students.

Storytelling and Recall with Animals