Here’s the guidance and resource materials for teachers, librarians, parents and others who work with children for Episode Seven of The Story Thief Challenges.

Story Re-cap questions for children:

1. Why was their mother surprised to see them?
2. What did they do to stop their mother finding out about their father’s strange behaviour?
3. What did their father do while they wrote their funny story?
4. Why do you think their mother chose not to go to work?
5. What memory was stolen from their father at the end of episode?

Writing advice Re-cap questions:

1. Who is the first audience for your writing?
2. How does observing the world help you write funny stories?
3. Do you know any shops with funny names like the ones Lara mentioned?
4. How many jokes does Lara suggest you put in your stories?
5. What part of the body does she suggest you write from and why?

Story Challenge:

PS: Here’s a Story Challenge for you!

What has really made you laugh this past week? Why did you laugh? Now, close your eyes and remember how you felt. Try to take that situation and put it into a story and the story can be long or short and you can make it even funnier or more absurd than it was in real life. Let it snowball! Or, how about writing a funny rhyming poem based on the situation? Words can be used in so many different ways.

How to do this challenge?

As usual this should be self-explanatory. It can be done individually or in groups.

Here’s some alternative ways it can be done:

•  Rather than make up the story – have each child simply write out or draw a funny event from their life that could make a great story.
• Have a group discussion on what makes something funny? Ask them all the questions in the challenge to guide the discussion.
• Lara suggests that they could write a rhyming poem. Other options are short plays based on funny events in their lives? Drawings? Sculptures? Mime? Whatever works. Whatever engages them.
• The kids could take turns partnering up or in small groups trying to make each other laugh by telling the funniest story they can imagine.
• Whatever you’re having yourself 🙂

Once the challenge is completed?

As ever we’d love to see what the kids came up with and show it to all our readers on the kids’ work pages.  Please get in touch to arrange this on our contact page!