Planning around stories

[butterfly]

For years I've been struggling with written planning and have tried loads of different ways of doing it! For the last year I have run my setting with no written planning at all - that isn't to say I haven't been planning - I plan for children's interests, development needs and for continuous provision - I just haven't written anything down.

I've been on loads of different training courses recently including Physical dev, speech and language, characteristics of effective learning to name but a few!

I've come to the conclusion that I do need to write down something but I want to make it really good so it's really clear that I've thought of every area and have planned resources as well as adult-led activities. My colleague and I have decided to trial planning through stories. So we're going to have a focus story each week and plan resources and activities around it. There will be one focus activity per week and then we will add resources to our continuous provision to link with the story. Stories are chosen based on what they offer in terms of covering all the areas of learning, on the children's interests and on the time of year.

What I now need is some sort of planning sheet - we're hoping to limit it to one sheet (A4/A3) per week where we can record EYFS links, resources needed, CP additions, key questions to invite critical thinking and problem solving - the lists goes on!! It's a difficult thing to contemplate so I thought I'd start my asking you guys! Can any one help? Does anyone do something similar or have a sheet which might be useful?

[MessybutHappy]

No, sorry, but I like your thinking! I'm going to have a go later at a "catch all" weekly plan and also a daily diary sheet for me - I have too much in too many places and want to keep it to one or two sheets!

I'll let you know how I get on!

[butterfly]

No, sorry, but I like your thinking! I'm going to have a go later at a "catch all" weekly plan and also a daily diary sheet for me - I have too much in too many places and want to keep it to one or two sheets!

I'll let you know how I get on!

GOOD LUCK!!!

[Boris]

That's what I do. I don't limit the time we spend on a book though because sometimes we can run with it for weeks and sometimes we get fed up after a week. We are just starting The Gruffalo and I am so excited! We have just done a story called The Pirate Who Said Please! and prior to that The Tiger Who Came To Tea. I have a sheet that I use, I don't know how to add it here but will happily email it to you. It's really just a load of boxes for each area of learning that I write activity ideas into, then I will pick one or two a week to do.

[butterfly]

That's what I do. I don't limit the time we spend on a book though because sometimes we can run with it for weeks and sometimes we get fed up after a week. We are just starting The Gruffalo and I am so excited! We have just done a story called The Pirate Who Said Please! and prior to that The Tiger Who Came To Tea. I have a sheet that I use, I don't know how to add it here but will happily email it to you. It's really just a load of boxes for each area of learning that I write activity ideas into, then I will pick one or two a week to do.

That sounds great Boris! my email address is <removed by admin-please send a PM>

[Mouse]

I love doing planning around stories as you can extend it in so many ways.

One thing I would say is that a week may not be long enough for the children to really get into it & get the most of out of it.

We recently did Room on the Broom. There are so any different activities & resources to plan around it. The children really engaged with everything we did.

I didn't have a set planning sheet, but did written plans in my diary. I made a list of all the activities & resources I could think of, then looked at what areas they covered. I also considered each child's needs & interests and included activities for those. It worked fine for me, but I would be interested if anyone came up with a sheet to use :D

[JulieA]

I use a kind of spider gram for my planning. The topic/book in the centre and then the areas of learning around it. Under each area I put activity ideas and resources, songs and even places to visit. We don't necessarily do everything but the children can select what they would like to do.

[rosebud]

I can't help with the planning sheet as don't do written planning but "The Hungry Caterpillar" is a nice one to do. My friend has just done this and used the caterpillar / butterfly set so the children could watch real caterpillars grow and compare them to the story, she did a lovely tasting session with all of the foods, bug-hunting activities and lots of different craft activities. You would need longer than a week though as the caterpillars take 2-3 weeks to turn into butterflies.

[Little miss]

I love doing planning around stories as you can extend it in so many ways.

One thing I would say is that a week may not be long enough for the children to really get into it & get the most of out of it.

We recently did Room on the Broom. There are so any different activities & resources to plan around it. The children really engaged with everything we did.

I didn't have a set planning sheet, but did written plans in my diary. I made a list of all the activities & resources I could think of, then looked at what areas they covered. I also considered each child's needs & interests and included activities for those. It worked fine for me, but I would be interested if anyone came up with a sheet to use :D

Mouse - could you share some of the activities you used for room on the broom please?
Thanks

[The Juggler]

i agree depends on the story totally

for 3 little pigs, we made stick puppets with cut out pics for children to hold up at right parts of story
for bear hunt we just read it and act it out
for handa's surprise we shopped and bought all the fruits and tried it, then painted pictures of the fruit
hungry caterpillar (along with real ones) we made caterpillars, with fruit pictures, then made cocoons, then did butterfly paintings, fed and let butterflies go
gingerbread man, we read and made gingerbread
girls are really into princesses at the mo, so listen to story Cd's, act out the story, dressed up. We dance to classical CD's, we read other princess stories, make crowns and decorate them.

sometimes it's a day or 2 sometimes its a long ongoing process and repeated intermittently. :thumbsup:

I always try to do literacy, creative activity and a PSED/workign togehter element but some stories like 3 little pigs and hungry caterpillar lend themselves naturally to UW activities.

Go with the flow is my thing :D