lenny

Storybook Safari

Lesson Plan

Storybook Safari Lesson Plan

Students will create personalized mini storybooks using drawing and simple sentences, expressing feelings and experiences to build early narrative skills and emotional awareness.

This lesson fosters self-expression and emotional literacy in Pre-K students, encouraging creativity while developing foundational storytelling competencies and peer-sharing confidence.

Audience

Pre-K

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Guided prompts, art, and group sharing build narrative and emotional skills.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Lesson Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction

5 minutes

  • Display the first slides of the Storybook Safari Slide Deck
  • Explain that today we’re going on a ‘storybook safari’ to explore feelings and imagination
  • Ask students: “What is a story?” and “What animals might we meet on our safari?”

Step 2

Brainstorming Session

5 minutes

  • Prompt students to think of a character and setting (e.g., jungle, desert)
  • Guide them to share one feeling (happy, curious) they’d like their character to have
  • Show example pages on the slide deck for inspiration

Step 3

Storybook Creation

20 minutes

  • Distribute one Storybook Template Activity Sheets booklet per student
  • Encourage drawing their character and setting on each page
  • Invite students to dictate or write a simple sentence about their drawing; you may scribe if needed
  • Allow students to decorate pages with stickers

Step 4

Group Sharing

10 minutes

  • Invite 4–5 volunteers to read or describe their storybook pages to the class
  • Encourage positive feedback: “I like how you showed …”
  • Highlight diverse feelings and imaginative ideas shared

Step 5

Closing

5 minutes

  • Recap key points: creating stories, expressing feelings, and sharing
  • Celebrate each student’s creativity with a round of applause
  • Collect storybooks and thank students for their participation
lenny

Slide Deck

Storybook Safari: An Adventure in Self-Expression

Welcome to our Storybook Safari!
Today we'll explore our feelings and imagination by creating our own storybooks.

Welcome everyone! Today we’re going on a Storybook Safari to explore our feelings and imagination. Point to the title and get them excited.

What Is a Story?

“A story is like a journey!”
• It has characters, settings, and feelings.
• We will meet amazing animals on our safari!

Ask the class: “What is a story?” and “Can you name a character or animal you love?” Show excitement for each answer.

Choose Your Character & Setting

  1. Pick an animal or person you like.
  2. Choose a place (jungle, desert, ocean).

Show pictures of example characters in different settings (monkey in jungle, fish in ocean). Encourage students to shout out ideas.

Share a Feeling

Every character has feelings!
• Happy 😊
• Curious 🤔
• Brave 🦁

Model a feeling (e.g., “My lion feels brave!”). Then ask students: “What does your character feel?”

Storybook Template

Use your template sheets:
• Draw on the big box
• Write or tell a sentence below
• Decorate with stickers!

Display a blank template sheet. Point out the big drawing box and the line for writing. Explain you can help them write if needed.

Time to Create!

  1. Draw your character and setting on each page.
  2. Tell or write a sentence about your picture.
  3. Decorate with colors and stickers!

Hand out materials. Encourage students to start drawing. Walk around to offer support and praise.

Sharing Our Stories

Let's share our favorite page:
• Read or tell your sentence.
• Show your drawing.
• Applaud our friends!

Invite volunteers to come up. Model feedback: “I like how you showed…” Encourage applause after each share.

Great Job, Storybook Safari Explorers!

You created amazing stories and shared your feelings!
Thank you for exploring with me today!

Gather everyone back. Praise each student: “You did amazing!” Collect storybooks and thank them.

lenny

Activity

Storybook Template Activity Sheets

These printable sheets serve as the mini‐storybook pages for your Pre-K students. Each booklet will contain 4 pages with the following layout:

Page Layout (for each of 4 pages):

• Large Drawing Box:

| |
| |
| |
| |
| (Draw Here) |
| |
| |
| |
|__________________________________________|


• Writing Lines (for a simple sentence):



• Decorative Border (optional stickers or drawings):

————————————————————————————————————————————

Place stickers or draw small shapes here!


---

Copy and print enough copies of this 4-page booklet for each student in landscape-orientation. Staple the pages together on the left side to form their personal storybook.

lenny
lenny