STORY TOOLS: Your Essential Creative Toolkit

Frequently Asked Questions:

WHAT IS STORY TOOLS?

Story Tools is a fun and innovative creative writing resource. Our videos feature 36 of Australia’s most visionary, award-winning and popular children’s book creators. These experts deliver the lesson content, and our accompanying downloadable educator resources, including lesson plans and worksheets, providing a detailed and engaging lesson.

HOW MANY LESSONS ARE THERE?

We have 3 series. 12 comprehensive resource packs in each. That’s 36 detailed lessons! 

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME LESSONS I COULD EXPECT TO SEE?

S1L1: Story Sparks – Features authors, George Ivanoff and Nova Whitman, sharing tips on how they gain story inspiration from the world around them.

S2L5: Heroes and Villains  - Adam Wallace and Bernard Caleo talk about what makes a captivating hero and villain, and why these types of characters are found in SO many stories. 

S3L8 - Stories Without Words - Let Shaun Tan and Elise Hurst share the amazing world of picture books, teaching us about communicating a narrative without the use of text, and some of the techniques that visual storytellers draw upon when crafting their wordless stories.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT IN A SERIES?

• The first four lessons (episodes 1-4) focus on story craft and writing tools. 
• The next lesson (episode 5) is a closer look at elements of character development.
• Then we have two lessons (episodes 6-7) on illustration, covering both narrative illustration creation and the ‘visual literacy’ elements of understanding and engaging with visual stories.
• The following 3 lessons (episodes 8-10) explore story forms such as wordless fiction, zines and audio fiction. 
• And finally, our last 2 lessons (episodes 11-12) we have lessons which provide some ‘behind the scenes’ publishing secrets, and lessons which are designed to allow kids to explore reading and expand their reading knowledge and tastes. 

WHO IS STORY TOOLS SUITABLE FOR?

Story Tools caters for Middle and Upper primary students (Y3-6). However, budding writers can be found anywhere! Story Tools can be utilised by classroom teachers, literacy coordinators, librarians, tutor teachers, teacher support officers, and families who want to support their children’s learning.

HOW DOES STORY TOOLS SCAFFOLD LEARNING?

In each lesson, resources have been carefully designed to build on skills and promote students to move through the lessons at their pace.  Within the series we scaffold some of the bigger ideas. For example, S1L3: Story Building Blocks, introduces students to the five main elements of story building (Plot, Setting, Character, Problem, Resolution). Then, S1L4: All About Plot or S3L3: Place and Time, break these elements down further and delve into each one in a lot more detail.

HOW CAN I INCORPORATE STORY TOOLS INTO THE CLASSROOM?

You don’t need to do any additional work, just integrate Story Tools with what you’re already doing.  Whilst you may choose to work through the lesson, there is no need to deliver these lessons in order. Each lesson is treated as a discrete unit, which introduces the topic and gives kids some strategies and tools for understanding and engaging with it.

HOW DOES STORY TOOL ALIGN WITH THE AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM?

Each of our lessons outlines which strands and objectives the lesson relates to in the English curriculum. The General Capability area of Critical and Creative Thinking also features strongly throughout the lessons. 

WHAT EXACTLY DOES EACH STORY TOOLS LESSON LOOK LIKE?

Each lesson contains so many resources:

• A high-quality video resource to introduce the lesson topic to help kick start their curiosity and understanding of the lesson objective.
• A comprehensive lesson plan.
• Pre and post watching discussion prompts.
• Two detailed activities.
• Outline of intended Learning Objectives.
• Clearly defined success criteria.
• Additional activity ideas (for the speedy ones!).
• Curriculum alignments and objectives.
• Glossary of key terms.
• Fun biographies of the creators.
• Downloadable and printable worksheets and resources, aimed separately at Upper Primary students (Year 5 to 6), and Middle Primary students (Year 3 and 4).
• Examples of work so students can see where they are going, and what success looks like.
• Reference posters and visual aids.
• AND some of the lessons include games and scavenger hunt type activities.

HOW DOES STORY TOOLS SUPPORT EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS? 

• Delivers classroom-ready content.
• Boosts students’ confidence in their creativity.
• Expands students’ reading preferences. 
• Inspires students to read, write and draw!
• Encourages library use with lessons designed for the school library. 

WHAT DO THE WORKSHEETS LOOK LIKE?

Our worksheets are vibrant, colourful, engaging, purposeful and fun! These are created to scaffold and support students by helping them to generate, organise, and analyse their ideas and information relating to the learning focus. Accompanying examples of work are also on offer, and can act as a powerful way to motivate some students.

HOW LONG DO THE LESSONS GO FOR?

Each activity should take approximately 45 min to 1 hour to complete, including viewing the video. Teachers can select one of the two main activities included in each lesson, or can do both, depending on classroom needs and time allocated. 

HAVE YOU GOT AN APP I COULD USE INSTEAD? 

Absolutely! Our newly launched app means that you’ve got Story Tools handy, no matter where you are! 

DO YOU HAVE AN INFORMATION BROCHURE I CAN DOWNLOAD?

Yes, you can download a Story Tools information brochure on the Story Tool website [click here].

WHAT HAVE OTHER TEACHERS SAID ABOUT STORY TOOLS?

“I love the whole idea of it, and the ease of it…it’s such a wonderful asset”

Sally, Teacher-librarian

“I had high expectations and it delivered.”

Kristin, Year 4 classroom teacher

“Our [students] aren’t big writers… [they] loved it. It was absolutely brilliant. They wrote more than what we’ve ever seen them write in the classroom.”

Kristin, Year 4 classroom educator

“A big thing about it being Australian-based, it’s so good to hear the Australian accent and relate a lot more to them”

Lauren, Year 4 classroom educator

“The children got a lot out of it, I’m very positive towards the whole Story Tools program”

“The authors are fantastic, the content is great, the resources are out of this world…everything flowed really well”

Emily, Teacher-librarian

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