Lesson Overview

Age Group: 5–6 years old (Preschool/Kindergarten)

Duration: 35–40 minutes

Theme: Stories about myself and the world

Topic: Setting the scene – Home

Learning Objectives

• Identify Setting: Students will understand that every story happens in a specific place.
• Personal Connection: Students will identify "home" as a place where their own stories happen.
• Oral Storytelling: Students will create a one-sentence story using the formula: [Place] + [Action].

Materials Needed

• A small toy gnome (or a printed picture of a gnome)
• A small "house" box or a hat to act as a home
• Blank A4 paper for each student
• Crayons or markers
• A chime, bell, or "magic wand" for attention signals
• Optional: Video "О том, как гном покинул дом" (if technology is available)

1. Warm-Up: The Action House (3–5 minutes)

Goal: Burn off energy and introduce "Action."

Management Tip: Use the "Freeze" command. When the teacher raises the magic wand, everyone must turn into a statue.

1. Ask students to stand in a circle.
2. Teacher Prompt: "We are going to pretend to do things at home! When I say an action, you do it. When I raise my wand, you freeze!"
3. Actions:
   • "At home, we brush our teeth!" (Mimic brushing)
   • "At home, we jump on the bed!" (Gently jump)
   • "At home, we eat yummy soup!" (Mimic eating)
4. Success Criteria: Students follow the "Freeze" signal 3 times.

2. Hook: The Story of the Gnome (5 minutes)

Goal: Introduce the concept of "Setting" (Home).

1. The "Quiet Signal": Teacher puts a finger to their lips and whispers, "I have a secret friend..."
2. Show the toy gnome. Teacher Prompt: "This is Gnorman the Gnome. Gnorman lived in a tiny, cozy house. One day, he left his house to see the big world. He walked, he climbed, he got tired! But at the end of the day, he came back to his favorite place. Where did he go?" (Wait for kids to shout: "Home!")
3. Inquiry Question: "Every story happens in a place. Gnorman’s story happened at home. Where does your story happen?"

3. Guided Discussion (5 minutes)

Goal: Connect personal experience to the lesson.

1. Teacher Prompt: "Look at Gnorman's house (the box/hat). It has a door and a roof. What does your house look like?"
2. Think-Pair-Share: "Turn to your neighbor. Tell them one thing you have in your house. A bed? A cat? A red door?"
3. Key Concept: Explain that "Home" is the setting—the place where our life stories happen.

4. Main Activity: Draw Your Story Setting (10 minutes)

Goal: Visualizing the setting.

Instructions:

1. Hand out paper and crayons.
2. Step 1: "Draw a big square for your house."
3. Step 2: "Draw a triangle on top for the roof."
4. Step 3: "Draw yourself inside the house doing something fun!"
5. Teacher Support: Walk around and ask, "What are you doing in your story?"

5. Speaking Activity: The Sentence Frame (5 minutes)

Goal: Use a simple oral structure.

1. Model the sentence for the students.
2. Teacher Prompt: "Listen to my story: 'In my house, I sleep.' Now you try!"
3. Practice as a group: "In my house, I [Action]."
4. Have students whisper their sentence to their drawing to "lock it in."

6. Presentation: The "Story Gallery" (5–7 minutes)

Goal: Public speaking and listening skills.

1. Management Tip: Use the "Hands in Laps" cue before starting.
2. Ask for volunteers to stand up and show their picture.
3. Student Prompt: "In my house, I [Action]." (Example: "In my house, I play with Legos.")
4. Positive Feedback: After each child speaks, the class gives a "Silent Cheer" (waving hands in the air).

7. Reflection and Closure (3 minutes)

1. Recap: "Today we learned that stories happen in a place. What is that place called?" (Answer: Setting/Home).
2. SEL Connection: "How do you feel when you are at home?" (Happy, safe, sleepy).
3. Final Action: "Let’s pretend to lock our front doors. Click, click! Our story for today is finished!"

Differentiation Strategies

• For Struggling Learners: Provide a pre-drawn house outline. Allow them to point to an action if they cannot remember the full sentence frame.
• For Advanced Learners: Encourage them to add a second sentence: "In my house, I [Action] with [Person/Pet]." (e.g., "In my house, I eat pizza with my mom.")

Assessment Methods

• Formative: Observe students during the "Warm-up" and "Drawing" phases to ensure they understand the connection between place and action.
• Summative: The successful completion of the oral sentence frame ("In my house, I...") during the presentation phase.