Activity Overview
A great way to explore the Storyboard Creator and learn about each other is for students to create storyboards that provide visual instructions for how to do their favorite skill or activity.
Students often use the summer to learn a new skill or enjoy using an old one. For example, over the summer, many people like to grow a garden, play a sport, sew or do an art project, fish, go camping, skateboard, play video games, cook, or even start a business!
In this activity, students will write and illustrate step-by-step instructions for how to do their favorite summer activity. They can share their instructions after they are completed making this an engaging lesson that helps facilitate getting to know one another and building classroom community.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Teach your favorite skill to your classmates by creating a step by step storyboard.
Student Instructions:
- Click “Start Assignment”.
- Think of a favorite skill or activity you like to do in the summertime and break it down into at least 4 steps.
- For each step, write a title, short description and include a helpful illustration using scenes, characters, items and/or symbols.
Requirements: At least four steps that teach a skill or how to do an activity. Include: titles, 2-4 sentence descriptions and illustrations for each step.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 5 Points | Emerging 3 Points | Beginning 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | The descriptions are clear and at least two sentences. | The descriptions can be understood but it are somewhat unclear. | The descriptions are unclear and are not at least two sentences. |
| Illustrations | The illustrations represent the descriptions using appropriate scenes, characters and items. | The illustrations relate to the descriptions, but are difficult to understand. | The illustrations do not clearly relate to the descriptions. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
| Conventions | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are somewhat correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly incorrect. |
Activity Overview
A great way to explore the Storyboard Creator and learn about each other is for students to create storyboards that provide visual instructions for how to do their favorite skill or activity.
Students often use the summer to learn a new skill or enjoy using an old one. For example, over the summer, many people like to grow a garden, play a sport, sew or do an art project, fish, go camping, skateboard, play video games, cook, or even start a business!
In this activity, students will write and illustrate step-by-step instructions for how to do their favorite summer activity. They can share their instructions after they are completed making this an engaging lesson that helps facilitate getting to know one another and building classroom community.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Teach your favorite skill to your classmates by creating a step by step storyboard.
Student Instructions:
- Click “Start Assignment”.
- Think of a favorite skill or activity you like to do in the summertime and break it down into at least 4 steps.
- For each step, write a title, short description and include a helpful illustration using scenes, characters, items and/or symbols.
Requirements: At least four steps that teach a skill or how to do an activity. Include: titles, 2-4 sentence descriptions and illustrations for each step.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 5 Points | Emerging 3 Points | Beginning 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | The descriptions are clear and at least two sentences. | The descriptions can be understood but it are somewhat unclear. | The descriptions are unclear and are not at least two sentences. |
| Illustrations | The illustrations represent the descriptions using appropriate scenes, characters and items. | The illustrations relate to the descriptions, but are difficult to understand. | The illustrations do not clearly relate to the descriptions. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
| Conventions | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are somewhat correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly incorrect. |
How Tos about My Summer Skills
How to Adapt the 'My Summer Skills' Activity for Younger Students
Modify instructions to use simpler language and shorter steps. Younger students benefit from clear, concise directions and visual cues that are easy to understand.
Provide sentence starters to support writing
Offer sentence frames like “First, I…”, “Next, I…”, and “Finally, I…” to help students organize their ideas. This scaffolds the writing process and builds confidence.
Model an example storyboard together
Create a sample storyboard as a class, showing each step and discussing the choices. Modeling helps students understand expectations and inspires creativity.
Offer drawing templates or sticker options
Provide templates or stickers for students who may struggle with drawing. This ensures all students can participate and focus on content rather than artistic skill.
Facilitate sharing with small groups or partners
Encourage students to present their storyboards in pairs or small groups. This builds speaking confidence and strengthens classroom community.
Frequently Asked Questions about My Summer Skills
What is the 'My Summer Skills' storyboard activity for students?
The 'My Summer Skills' storyboard activity encourages students to create visual, step-by-step instructions for their favorite summer skill or activity. This helps classmates get to know each other and builds classroom community at the start of the school year.
How can I use storyboards to teach a skill in my classroom?
You can have students break down their favorite skill into steps, create titles and descriptions for each step, and add illustrations using a storyboard tool. This makes instructions clear and engaging for peers.
What are some easy summer skills students can illustrate for this activity?
Popular choices include gardening, playing a sport, cooking, drawing, skateboarding, fishing, or video gaming. Encourage students to choose any fun or unique skill they learned or practiced over the summer.
Why is using storyboards effective for building classroom community?
Storyboards allow students to share personal interests in a creative way, which helps classmates connect and fosters a positive classroom environment early in the year.
What are the main requirements for the 'My Summer Skills' lesson?
Students should create a storyboard with at least four steps, including a title, a 2-4 sentence description, and relevant illustrations for each step, focusing on their favorite summer activity or skill.
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