Story Vines: Improving Reader Comprehension
By: Kristen Chepeleff, Jennifer Tress, & Megan Wolfinger
Story Vines
bring language to life
are based on research
are tear free (with gradual release of responsibility
are fun (be creative!)
are a valuable addition to literacy instruction
Objectives for Project
 Use story-telling representing multiple levels and broad
interests in effective reading and writing instruction for
learners at different stages of literacy development and
from different multicultural and linguistic backgrounds.
 Model and use appropriate research based practices,
approaches, and methods, including technology based
practices for emergent and early literacy learners from
diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
 Plan emergent and early literacy instruction that supports
children in integration of their graphophonemic
knowledge with developing skills (semantics and syntax) in
making sense of text and to integrate reading with other
language skills; listening, speaking, and writing.
Let’s Start at the Very Beginning…
 Rooted in the early, Native American stories, though varied, have
common themes. Storytelling is part of the culture. Stories are told that
have lessons, that explain how to conduct ceremonies, and that
describe natural processes, among others. “Stories are possessed with
such power that they have survived for generations despite attempts at
repression and assimilation.” (PBS, 2004)
 Story telling has been an integral event in African communities. It was
used as an avenue to teach life lessons and answer questions. When
slaves were brought to America, the one thing they brought with them
were stories that had been passed down within their villages. Most
commonly told were folktales. Although folktales were entertaining to
slave owners, they provided information and strategies for slaves.
(Wilson, M., 2005)
What is a Story Vine?
 A multisensory, visual representation of story
elements.
 Usually displayed on a braided vine or rope, pictures
and objects are used by a story teller as an aid in their
retelling.
What’s the Research Say?
 Graphic Organizers
Offer an entry point into complex materials for visual learners, increase comprehension and
retention, and can be used with all students ranging from gifted and talented to those with mild
cognitive disabilities. (Fountas & Pinnell, 2001).
 Information is more easily learned and understood with visual organizers. Once students acquire
the basic yet solid foundation of a concept, the future content can be addressed at higher
cognitive levels leading students to become more strategic learners. (Ellis, 2001)

 Summarizing

Summarizing can be done in writing, but also orally, dramatically, artistically, visually, physically,
musically, in groups, or individually. Summarization is one of the most underused teaching
techniques we have today, yet research has shown that it yields some of the greatest leaps in
comprehension and long-term retention of information. (Wormeli, R., 2005)
 Multisensory Approach

R.D. Farkus' (2003) study found that multisensory instructional resources significantly influence
academic achievement, lead to improved attitudes towards learning, increase empathetic
response, and indisputably yields a greater transfer of skills.
Research Continued
 “Letting a listener or reader retell or rewrite a story offers active
participation in a literacy experience that helps develop language
structures, comprehension, and a sense of story structure.”
(Ritchie, James-Szanton, & Howes, 2003)
 “Props such as felt-board characters or the pictures in the text
can be used to help students retell. Pre- and post-discussion of
texts helps to improving retelling ability, as does the teacher’s
modeling a retelling for children.” (Morrow, 2009)
 “A large body of evidence supports the use of graphic organizers
to help students organize their ideas. The use of graphic
organizers, including story maps, can help students recall the
most important story elements. Graphic organizers that reflect
the text structures of expository text can help students recall and
organize the ideas in informational texts.” (McKenna & Stahl,
2009)
Language Development
 Children’s oral and written language development can be enhanced
through the modeling and practice of retelling.
 Target Vocabulary can be incorporated:
For early learners
 Memory
 Your memory is your ability to remember things.
 If you do something from memory, you do it without looking at anything written
or printed. She can sing that song from memory. She never looks at the words.
 If you lose your memory, you forget things that you used to know.
For more advanced learners
 Alzheimer’s Disease
 Alzheimer’s Disease is a disorder of the brain resulting in a gradual decline in
mental abilities. People who suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease may forget things
they used to know or repeat things they just asked minutes before because they
forget that they had asked and forget the answer.
What’s the Story Vine Process?
Before Reading Activities
1.


Preteach content vocabulary (i.e. Memory/Alzheimer’s Disease)
Build background knowledge for the story (i.e. Teacher’s basket of
personal objects related to memories of the story)
During Reading
2.



Model story structure using a story map and/or story board frames
Discuss story structure and the use of the story vine
Teacher read aloud, partner reading, independent in class or at home
reading
Creating the Story Vine
3.

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
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Explain/review story map rubric
Create story map or story board
Gather visual representations for the vine
Plan and place the representations
Process Continued…
After Reading
4.
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


Extensions
5.
Use story vine to create written summary
Students bring in objects to share that relate to story (i.e.
something warm, from long ago, makes you cry, etc.)


6.
Explain/review story telling rubric
Practice in pairs and small groups with feedback
Present and share
Celebrate and reflect
Display the story vines
Home/School Connections



Use story vine to retell the story to their parents
Parent participation in writing and making connections
Students share home experience
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge
Story Vine Lesson Overview
Demonstration
Shared Demonstration
Guided Practice
Independent Practice
-
-
Pre-teach Vocabulary
Build background
knowledge
Explain story map rubric
-
-
Create story map/story
board
Create story vine using
enlarged class model
-
Using small Story
Grammar Markers and
small picture cards, retell
story
-
-
I Do
You Watch
I Do
You Help
You Do
I Help
Retelling Center using
Story Grammar Markers
and picture cards
Use Story Grammar
Marker to write summary
Making Connections:
Students bring in memory
objects to share
Home/School Connection:
Bring book and Story
Grammar Marker home to
practice
You Do
I Watch
Story Map
Student Story Grammar Marker &
Picture Cards
Enlarged Story Grammar Marker
Completed Story Grammar Marker
Connections to Written Language:
Elementary Sample
Connections to Written Language
 Story vines can be used to help students focus when
writing.
Connections for Older Students
 Older learners can create story
vines for children’s stories and
present them to younger children.
 Story Vines can help organize story
events for novels with embedded
plots.
 Teachers can use stories for younger
audiences (e.g., Wilfrid Gordon
McDonald Partridge) to build
background knowledge and
introduce vocabulary for novels
(e.g., Josie in Pictures of Hollis
Woods has Alzheimer’s Disease).
Benefits of Story Vines
 Can be used to tell social stories to
support students with Asperger’s
syndrome.
 Story Grammar Marker Used for
Conflict Resolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJzO
o8mRs7I
Home – School Connection
 Educate Parents about
Story Grammar Marker at
fall parents’ night. Help
them to understand the
purpose, how to use it, and
how to support their child.
 Send home SGM with
photos from stories, and
copies of the text if
appropriate, for students
to practice with parents at
home.
Story Vines
warm
bring language to life
long ago
are based on research
cry
are tear free (with gradual release of
responsibility
laugh
are fun (be creative!)
as precious as gold
are a valuable addition to literacy
instruction
References
 Farkus, R.D. (2003). Effects of traditional versus learning-styles

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instructional methods in middle school students. The Journal of
Educational Research, 97 (1).
Fountas, I. & Pinnell, G. (2001). Guiding readers and writers grades 3-6:
Teaching comprehension, genre, and content literacy. Portsmouth,
N.H.: Heinemann.
McKay, Marlene. (2008). Story vines and readers theatre: Getting
started. Canada: Portage & Main Press.
McKenna & Stahl. (2003). Assessment for reading instruction. Guilford
Press.
PBS. (2004). Many Voices: Honoring all life. Retrieved from
http://www.pbs.org/circleofstories/voices/index.html.
Wilson, Madafo L. (2005). African & African American storytelling.
N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.
Wormeli, R. (2005). Summarization in any subject. Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.