My Once Upon a Time, Lesson 2: What Is This Photo Saying?

Lesson 2 — What Is This Photo Saying?

What we learned today:  A story seed is specific. A story idea is general. Specific is where stories live. The Iceberg Test: does this moment have more beneath it than appears on the surface? The So What? Test: can you complete “This moment matters because…” in one specific line?

What we practiced:  We looked at our photographs in three rounds (surface / questions / feeling) and completed a five-prompt Story Seed Harvest. We identified our “So What?” sentence.

What belongs in your Story Notebook from this lesson:  Story Seed Harvest — all five prompts answered; Your “So What?” sentence written in large letters at the top of a fresh page

Mentor text used:  Saturdays and Teacakes by Lester Laminack — a memory of a grandmother held inside a Saturday ritual

If you missed this class, do this first:  Bring your photograph. Complete the Story Seed Harvest in your Story Notebook (see the five prompts on the board or ask your teacher). Write your “So What?” sentence in large letters on a fresh page. This sentence is your compass for the whole unit.