The Story in Three Photos

In groups of four, children tell a short story with three frozen photos (before, during and after) and move between them in slow motion, like a movie. It builds a sense of time, expressive movement and agreeing as a group.

How to play

1. Tell a short story in three moments: ready for the game, goal!, and everyone celebrates (2 min).
2. Each group of four makes the first photo and freezes on the drum beat (2 min).
3. Roll the film: in slow motion, move to the second photo, then to the third (3 min).
4. Try other stories: the birthday party, the storm, the kitten that climbs a tree (4 min).
5. Each group shows its story and the others tell it in words (3 min).
6. The end of the movie: take a bow (1 min).

Rules

• In the photo, everyone is still.
• Between photos, I move in slow motion.
• My group decides together what each photo looks like.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child is the star of the story from their wheelchair and the group builds around them.
• Hearing loss: the three photos are signaled with one, two and three fingers held up.
• Autism: show the three photos drawn as a comic strip so the child can anticipate what comes next.

Learning goals

• Put three moments of an action in order.
• Go from stillness to slow movement with control.
• Agree as a group to tell a story.

Equipment for a class of 25

• hand drum: 1

Teacher tip

Draw the first story as three panels on the board; they get it much better. Slow motion is hard, so model it first, exaggerated, as if walking through honey.

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