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Thursday, January 17, 2013

Winter Fun with Friends

This cut and tell story is easy to guess. To make it a little less easy, it is cut upside down.

Winter Fun with Friends
A Cut and Tell Story by Linda Meuse

Note: The snowman is cut upside down to make it a bit more difficult to guess. Fold plain white paper in half lengthwise. Lightly trace the cutting pattern on one side. Heavier paper is recommended if you plan to do the optional drawing activity.

It was a sunny day even though there was snow on the ground. Chip had an idea but he needed friends to help. He put on his jacket, hat and gloves and went around the corner to his friend Ron’s house. (Cut from 1 to 2). One friend was not enough so Chip and Ron went to Sarah’s house (Cut from 2 to 3). Sarah joined them but they needed more friends so they went down the street to Alice’s house (Cut from 3 to 4). Alice came along with them to Tim’s house (Cut from 4 to 5). Tim and the others then walked down the block and around the corner to Joe’s house (Cut from 5 to 6). Joe had a very big front yard with lots of snow which was perfect for Chip’s idea. The six friends spent the afternoon rolling, pushing and lifting (Cut from 6 to 7). Everyone worked together and finally they were finished (Cut from 7 to 8). “Thanks everyone,” said Chip. “We have probably made the biggest one in town!” Indeed, it was the biggest one in town. Can you guess what the six friends had built? (Turn the snowman right side up.)

Optional drawing activity: Tell the children that this snowman is too plain. Ask them what he needs and draw the items (eyes, nose, buttons, etc.) as they are suggested. Color in the hat and stick arms to complete the snowman.

Cutting Pattern

Optional Finished Snowman


This week's Flannel Friday Round-Up is hosted by Katie of Story Time Secrets. Complete information about Flannel Friday can be found here.

16 comments:

  1. Love it. This would be perfect for our preschoolers.

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    1. Thank you! Children love anything that involves guessing. I try to include a guessing activity in each of my family story times.

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  2. I keep wanting to try one of these. This one looks fun and pretty easy to do. And I'm absolutely going to steal this craft for the future haha.

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    1. Please do! They are easy because you draw the pattern on the paper. Make sure that the audience doesn't see the side with the pattern. That way people think you are cutting it freehand and are very impressed. I've also written crib notes next to the pattern. You don't have to memorize the names, just use whatever ones that come to mind.

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  3. I love cut and tell stories! And this one is very cute for winter. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. I love them too! I've been doing the same ones since the nineties so I decided to make some myself.

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  4. I love your cut and tell stories! I've got my first one coming up on my blog next week, although I didn't write it or come up with the cutting shape, but I was inspired to put them together from 2 different sources, if that makes sense.

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    1. That's similar to what I did with my first one. I couldn't find a story in my files (stuff got mixed up when we moved). I remembered the concept and wrote my own story (Squirrel Gives Her Heart).

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  5. Cut and tell stories always fascinate me. Great job!

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  6. That's a fun one! <3

    We had our Summer Reading Workshop on Friday and the presenter did a Cut and Tell. It was cute and well done but it didn't get much positive reaction from the crowd.

    I'm wondering if our newer librarians need to be more inspired to do some of our "old school" "tried and true" things. Then the question would be: How DO you inspire them?

    They (not all of them! I am generalizing to my experience at the workshop)don't realize how much children get out of oral storytelling and "simple" presentations like Draw and Tells, Cut and Tells, and ~ dare I say it ~ Flannels. A few of them actually groaned after the Cut and Tell. It was sad! :o(

    Thanks for sharing your original story! I admire your talents. :o)
    ~ K ~

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    1. Interesting reaction. I would love to know what those librarians do instead to engage a group. I'm always looking for new ideas. Years ago I presented a workshop on draw and tell, cut and tell and props. It went over so well I was asked to repeat it a few months later so there was an interest. There are more difficult stories to tell for older children. Maybe that's what they were looking for. My family story time is mostly board stories, prop stories and draw or cut and tell stories. I may only read one book. I find these stories are best for engaging a mixed age group.

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  7. Neat! This makes me want to try again with a Cut & Tell. I keep shying away from Cut & Tells and Draw & Tells because I'm not artsy, and I worry about messing up in front of a storytime group.

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    1. Since I can't carry a tune, I avoid singing in storytime. It's not so much a fear of messing up as a fear of sounding awful. That's why I do draw and tell and cut and tell stories!

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  8. I've never tried a cut and tell story before, but this one looks simple enough that I might not be so intimidated anymore! :)

    Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Cut and tell stories are not difficult because the shape is outlined on the back of the folded paper. Sometimes I add notes to help me remember the rhyme/story. The trick is to not let the audience see that part!

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