We’re back with our next installment of Storytelling School with The Moth. Because of social distancing in response to COVID-19, a large number of schools all around the world are closed, so The Moth’s Education program is publishing these storytelling activities to help parents and educators with some at-home curriculum. See you for the next one on Friday, and as always, thanks for your support!
Today's story is:
“The Book War” by Wang Ping
You can read the transcript of Wang’s story here.
After you’ve watched and read the story, you can do the following activities:
1. Talk to each other about Wang’s story.
For each post, we’ll highlight a different crafting strategy for how to make your story compelling. This week, we’ll focus on SCENE. A story is most effective when you have at least one vivid scene that includes sensory details, action, dialogue, and your inner thoughts and feelings.
What scenes could you imagine vividly in Wang’s story? What details did she include that allowed us to really picture those moments like we were watching scenes from a movie?
What would it mean to you and to our society and culture to have our books and stories be treated as contraband and taken from us?
Wang finds her school in the woods and in the stories. In this moment, when schools are closed, in what surprising new places might we find our school?
2. Write or tell your own story
Tell us about a time you got lost in a story.
Tell us about a time you kept something precious hidden.
Tell us about a moment your imagination was ignited or a dream began to form for your future.
Tell us about a fairytale that inspired you as a kid and how it changed your outlook. (Or write your own fairytale for the current environment).
3. Activity
Do you remember your favorite stories from when you were growing up? Can you retell one or two or all of them from memory, like Wang and her book club did? Try it in front of the mirror, a group of stuffed animals, or even over video chat to friends or family!
Share this post with a friend!
Click here for activity #6.
The Moth Education Program works with young people and educators to build community through storytelling workshops, performances and innovative resources. To learn more, visit themoth.org/education
The Moth Education Program is made possible by generous support from The Kresge Foundation, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Charitable Trust, the Kate Spade New York Foundation, and Alice Gottesman.
Additional program support is provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the New York State Council on the Arts, ConEdison, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.