“I use Byrdseed TV to differentiate for my clustered students. I LOVE all the ideas!” ~ a teacher in Washington

Arizona ELA Standard: 3.W.3.a

Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

Chaos Makes Sense (Later)
Chaos Makes Sense (Later)
In the moment, a chaotic event makes no sense. But later, that same event can feel like it was part of a larger story.
Gr 1-8
Characters’ Faults Can Also Be Strengths
Characters’ Faults Can Also Be Strengths
Strength and weakness are often two sides of the same coin. Students will explore how a character’s flaw can be a benefit.
Gr 1-8
Halloween Problems and Solutions
Halloween Problems and Solutions
When we try to solve a problem, sometimes we end up creating new problems. Which lead to new solutions. Which lead to new problems.
Gr 1-8
Holiday Emoji Story ⛷️
Holiday Emoji Story ⛷️
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 2-8
Holiday Emoji Story 🍪
Holiday Emoji Story 🍪
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 1-8
Holiday Emoji Story ☃️
Holiday Emoji Story ☃️
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 2-8
Holiday Emoji Story 🎅
Holiday Emoji Story 🎅
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 2-8
Holiday Emoji Story 🚚
Holiday Emoji Story 🚚
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 2-8
Halloween Emoji Story 🎃
Halloween Emoji Story 🎃
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 2-8
Halloween Emoji Story 🌕
Halloween Emoji Story 🌕
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 2-8
Halloween Emoji Story 🕷️
Halloween Emoji Story 🕷️
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 1-8
Emoji Stories 🦁
Emoji Stories 🦁
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 1-8
Emoji Stories 🐌
Emoji Stories 🐌
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 1-8
Emoji Stories 🏟️
Emoji Stories 🏟️
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 2-8
Emoji Stories 🕰️
Emoji Stories 🕰️
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 1-8
Emoji Stories 👁️
Emoji Stories 👁️
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 2-8
Emoji Stories 🚗
Emoji Stories 🚗
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 1-8
Emoji Stories 🤖
Emoji Stories 🤖
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 1-8
Emoji Stories 🐻
Emoji Stories 🐻
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 2-8
Emoji Stories 🏰
Emoji Stories 🏰
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 1-8
Emoji Stories 🛥️
Emoji Stories 🛥️
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 1-8
Bobbing for Apples
Bobbing for Apples
What is bobbing for apples like… for an apple?
Gr 2-8
A Halloween Costume Gone Wrong
A Halloween Costume Gone Wrong
Let’s go roller skating in a Halloween costume! What could possibly go wrong?
Gr 1-8
Stories with the Same Problems and Solutions
Stories with the Same Problems and Solutions
Have you ever noticed that some stories have awfully similar problems? What if we looked for the most unusual way of solving a repeating problem?
Gr 1-6
Introducing Universal Theme of Conflict
Introducing Universal Theme of Conflict
So what could you do with a Universal Theme of Conflict? Well, here’s an introduction that will get your students’ brains sweating.
Gr 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
A Lunar Survival Mission
A Lunar Survival Mission
A favorite of mine! This task is delightfully complex and ambiguous, forcing students to make choices without enough information and with no right answer. How will they survive on the moon for three days?
Gr 1-8
Story Starter: A Day At School
Story Starter: A Day At School
Students use 12 random phrases to create a story that takes place at school.
Gr 1-8
Story Starter: Out To Eat
Story Starter: Out To Eat
Students pick from 12 random phrases to create a story about an incident in a restaurant.
Gr 1-8
Story Starter: Amusement Park
Story Starter: Amusement Park
Students use 12 random phrases to write a story that takes place in at an amusement park.
Gr 2-8
Story Starter: A Magical School
Story Starter: A Magical School
Students use 12 random phrases to create a story that takes place in at a magical school.
Gr 1-8
Impostor Syndrome
Impostor Syndrome
How high-performing students can often feel like they aren’t really that great.
Gr 2-8
The Personalities of Rocks
The Personalities of Rocks
What would an igneous rock be like? Would it get along with a sedimentary rock? Could they handle the hot personality of a metamorphic rock?
Gr 2-8
Paradox: The Barber’s Paradox
Paradox: The Barber’s Paradox
The barber shaves everybody who doesn’t themselves. So… does the barber shave himself?
Gr 1-8
Showing A Character’s Trait
Showing A Character’s Trait
We tell students to ‘show, not tell’ — but that advice is useless until they experience the difference. This lesson makes it click.
Gr 2-8
Improving Presentations 3: The Storyboard and Slides
Improving Presentations 3: The Storyboard and Slides
It’s time to turn that outline into a storyboard and then some actual slides.
Gr 1-8
Historic Social Media
Historic Social Media
How would people from history have interacted online? Students will develop a conversation online between people involved in the same event from history.
Gr 1-8
Writing Summaries in Haiku
Writing Summaries in Haiku
Let’s write a summary. A very short summary. With VERY strict rules.
Gr 1-8
Better Stories Part 5: Plot Structure
Better Stories Part 5: Plot Structure
Ever read a student’s story that was just event after event after event and then a very sudden ending? They lack an understanding of a plot’s structure. With the help of Finding Nemo, I break down how to set up a well-structured plot.
Gr 1-8
Better Stories Part 4: Character Archetypes
Better Stories Part 4: Character Archetypes
Are students’ characters a bit flat? Archetypes give them a strong foundation on which to build their own characters as well as a tool to analyze existing stories.
Gr 1-8