Foundations of Literacy and Expression · Senior Infants

Active learning ideas

Developing Narrative Craft and Literary Devices

Active learning helps young writers connect imagination to text in a natural way. When students move, talk, and create together, they build confidence and see storytelling as an enjoyable process rather than a daunting task.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Junior Cycle English - Writing
• NCCA: Junior Cycle English - Crafting and Shaping Texts

• 20–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 30 min · Whole Class

Gallery Walk: The Young Authors' Expo

After creating their own short 'books' (even if just 2-3 pages), students display them on their desks. The class walks around, looking at the illustrations and 'reading' the stories, leaving a 'star' sticker on something they liked.

How do I develop a compelling plot with rising action, climax, and resolution?

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk, position yourself as a participant by asking students to explain their story’s setting or characters to you as you view their work.

What to look for

Provide students with a simple story starter, such as 'Once upon a time, there was a brave little mouse who lived in a big, old house.' Ask them to draw one picture showing the setting and write one sentence about what the mouse might do next.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Story Starters

The teacher provides a 'mystery object' (e.g., an old key). Pairs discuss who the key belongs to and what it opens. They then 'share' their best idea with another pair before starting to write and draw their own story about it.

What literary devices can I employ to create vivid imagery and deeper meaning in my stories?

Facilitation Tip

For Think-Pair-Share, provide story starter cards with images so students have a visual prompt to discuss before writing.

What to look for

After reading a short, simple story aloud, ask: 'What was the most exciting part of the story and why?' and 'Can you describe what the main character looked like or how they felt using words from the story?'

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Inquiry Circle
• 40 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Giant Story Map

On a large roll of paper, a small group works together to draw a 'world' (e.g., a jungle). They then write short labels or sentences about what is happening in different parts of their world, creating a collaborative narrative.

How do I craft believable characters and settings that resonate with readers?

Facilitation Tip

When building the Giant Story Map, assign roles such as ‘illustrator’ or ‘word collector’ to keep all students engaged in the same task.

What to look for

Give each student a card with a picture of a character, a setting, or a simple object. Ask them to write one sentence describing it using descriptive words, or one sentence about what might happen next in a story featuring it.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by modeling the writing process yourself, showing how you draw first, then write a simple sentence, and finally share your story with the class. Avoid overemphasizing spelling or grammar at this stage, as it can stifle creativity. Research shows that children’s invented spelling helps them focus on meaning and structure, so celebrate their attempts rather than correcting too soon.

Successful learning looks like children sharing ideas freely, illustrating stories before writing, and using simple literary devices naturally in their own work. Their stories should show a clear beginning, middle, and end with illustrations that match the text.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Think-Pair-Share: Story Starters, watch for students who say they can’t write a story because they don’t know how to spell the words.

  Provide picture-first planning sheets where students draw their story first, then write any words they can, using phonetic spelling. Remind them that authors use drawings to tell their stories too.

• During Collaborative Investigation: Giant Story Map, watch for students who only want to include fantastical or exaggerated elements in their stories.

  Guide them to think of a ‘small moment’ from their own lives, such as a trip to the park or a visit to a grandparent. Use the story map to break the moment into parts, like ‘what happened first?’ or ‘how did it feel?’

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Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk
• Think-Pair-Share
• Inquiry Circle