Simple Journey Ministries Presents

*New School Days! New*

Ideas to Help with Narration

With most families in full swing of schooling, it is time to change the focus of Friday’s column from boredom busters to creative ideas for homeschooling and unschooling. Oh you are going to find LOTS of CREATIVE ideas to incorporate into your homeschool and unschool days! If you have particular subject, unit study, or area you struggle with, email me at Leslie@leslievaleska.com and I will help get you inspired! Now, let’s look at a creative way to accomplish narration, even if you aren’t familiar with the idea.

This week, I want to kick off the new column with narration. If you follow a Charlotte Mason approach to homeschooling, you already know what narration is. If you don’t let’s just say in a brief summary that narration is the retelling of a story, event, or lesson to help “seal” the knowledge learned. What makes narration a great part of all school experiences is that it can be done at ALL levels (even pre-school) clear through graduation and in wide variety of creative ways. Who needs boring old book reports when you can use creative narration?

This week’s idea is to use dioramas. Many of us have made at least one diorama during our school years. The basic steps are to use a shoe box and craft items to re-create a scene that tells a part of a story. But you can use this method in a much wider scope with benefits that will create lasting lessons! Firstly, the basic “stage” for dioramas is shoe boxes. If you are like me, you may not keep shoe boxes around. NO WORRIES! Next time you are out on errand day, stop at a shoe store and ask if they have any extra empty shoe boxes. Take only as many as you need since you likely don’t have room to store them in your home. I have never gone to a shoe store and not been able to get shoe boxes! The best thing about getting them only when needed is that shoe stores typically have a different variety of box sizes all the time. This creates a new dynamic in the construction of dioramas.

Dioramas can be used to retell what a child has learned in ANY subject. Simply instruct your child on what you want them to use the diorama for, i.e. telling time, a recitation, story, science lesson, vocabulary, historic period or event, life skill, spelling, geography study, etc. Ask them a few key questions about what they know, then guide them (don’t give specific instructions) as to what steps to use in constructing a diorama. Have the craft supplies you are willing to allow them to use at hand and let them go. These don’t have to be perfect moms! You want your children to retell what they have learned in a way that is meaningful to them. This is their project! Once a diorama is complete allow the child a few minutes in front of the family or guests when they visit to retell what the diorama is all about. This will help reinforce the lessons they have learned and give them an opportunity to speak in front of a group in a non-threatening way. You will truly be amazed by the creativity of your children AND how much the lesson has “stuck” by using this idea to coincide with narration.

This is especially great for children who are hands-on learners, but can also assist those who are auditory learners to hone their hands on abilities. Since it can be used for any subject and lesson the idea is perfect for any schooling approach, be it classical, Charlotte Mason, unschooling, unit study, eclectic, relaxed, etc it is the terrific way for children to demonstrate what they have learned. Oh, and one last thing, to keep a record of these dioramas (which could take a lot of space to store when used regularly) take a couple of detailed photos to “preserve” or document the lesson.

These are my thoughts.