Thanks to everyone who sent information on storytelling for the primary
grades with string figures (like Cat's Cradle.) Here's the HIT:
MATERIALS
Cat's Cradle, by Anne Akers Johnson. Klutz Press. String included.
Cat's Cradle, Owl's Eyes: A Book of String Games by Camilla Gryski
The games of Africa / written by Jennifer Prior; introduction by
Patricia C. McKissack; illustrated
by Sylvia Walker. Harper Festival, c1994.
Lost: A Story in String / Paul Fleischman
The rain or shine activity book : fun things to make and do / by Joanna
Cole and Stephanie Calmenson ; illustrated by Alan Tiegreen. New York :
Morrow Junior Books, c1997.
String & Games from Around the World, by Anne Akers Johnson. Klutz
Press. String included.
String Games / Richard Darsie. Sterling, 2003
STRING STORIES / by Brenda Holbrook, Linworth Press: features a
collection of stories with accompanying string figures. Some are a bit
complicated but could be adapted for younger learners.
String things-- [videorecording] : stories, games and fun / Barbara G.
Schutz-Gruber. BGSG Storytelling, 1995. 1 videocassette (VHS) (46 min.)
I have a great video, Tell Me A Story: Live Performances from the 20th
Anniversary National Storytelling Festival (Vol. 1). There is a
storyteller named David Novak and he does a hilarious version of Jack
and the Beanstalk using string tricks. It is one of my students' all
time favorite videos. You might be able to find a copy at your public
library.
WEBLINKS:
I have the book Lost A Story in String by Paul Fleischman and in the
back it mentions the International String Figure Association.
http://www.isfa.org
http://www.wilderdom.com/games/IndigenousActivities.html Scroll down to
the first link.
http://www.hawthornpress.com/strings/str-home.html Click on the Try a
string game now!
link.
http://www.alysion.org/string.htm A link from:
http://www.fvsd.ab.ca/stm/
sites_for_students.htm
USEFUL STUFF TO KNOW:
I've had great fun and success with the following:
I read the kids "Why Mosquitos Buzz in People's Ears" by Verna Aardema.
After reading the story I taught kids - 4th graders - a little string
story of The Mosquito. (you make a string mosquito and then slap
......the mosquito is gone!) The source for this string activity comes
from Cat's Cradle, Owl's Eyes: A Book of String Games by Camilla Gryski
(ISBN - 0-688-03940-5.
Anne Pellowski wrote a couple of great books, whose contents I used to
use successfully when I was an elementary librarian -- the kids always
enjoyed string figure stories, especially when I provided string for
everyone (if you use yarn, triple-knot it) and taught them to tell one.
She wrote The Story Vine, as well as another -- not sure of title, but
it's probably on the Internet -- Cat's Cradle and Other String Figures,
or something like that. The illustrations in her books were clear --
even I could understand them! Have fun with your string figures (to top
it all of, it's multicultural!)
Anne-Marie Gordon, Librarian
Livonia Primary School
Livonia, NY
agordon@livoniacsd.org
http://www.livoniacsd.org/primaryschool/gordon/index.htm
"A life without stories would be no life at all." --from Alexander
McCall Smith's, In the Company of Cheerful Ladies.
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