Kamishibai

First Storytelling

One of the sweetest times in the process of making kamishibai with students is when the the kamishibai are newly finished, and the students share their finished stories with each other for the first time.
In these photos, fourth grade students at Deerfield Valley Elementary School share their stories while practicing the mechanics of kamishibai storytelling for the first time.
While the storyteller practices the art of moving the cards in the correct sequence and using the voice to capture the interest of the listener, the listener (and viewer!) gets an opportunity to see how their peer's story images work with their story text.
These paired story sharing sessions are the precursor to presenting the kamishibai to the larger audience of family and friends.

A Whole Body Learning Experience

This spring was the 3rd year for 4rth graders to create kamishibai at Deerfield Valley Elementary School in Wilmington VT.
The production of the finished product is a process that that elicits physical participation by the students.
Preparing the covers, and assembling the text with the images, often works best on the floor.  Kneeling on the floor while painting and folding, students help to create a new way to experience their classroom as a learning environment.

 
 

 







 

 

These photos show students concentrating and involved in their work.  The physical acts of crossing midline and weight-bearing with their arms helps to organize (and energize!) the students' thinking.  Utilizing mind-body pathways and reorienting how to physically use the classroom space for learning projects (because not all school learning needs to be in desks and chairs) are important benefits of creating kamishibai.