PROGRAMS

Performances

Student Workshops

Adult Workshops

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Funding

Michigan Humanities Arts and Humanities Touring Directory
Call: 517-372-7770
or visit their website:
michiganhumanities.org

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You are a delightful storyteller who hits the mark with Middle School students. Definitely a “10” at our school.

Geri Ceremuga,
Media School
Page Middle School

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I found your storytelling so delightful and creative. You have a way of bringing stories alive.

Ginny Peltier, Supervisor Children’s Services
East Detroit Public Schools

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Judy Sima squeaks like a door hinge, coos like a baby, wiggles her arms around like a snake and makes skeletons dance. Judy doesn’t just tell stories she performs them. Her face changes like an actor’s; her body is in constant motion like a dancer. By the time her program ended, the teachers were as enthralled as the students.

Clayton T. Matthews,
Director of Communications
Country Day Schools

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What a perfect learning experience for our (5th grade storytellers) and one they will remember! Over and over they said that YOU were the best thing about the whole experience.Sheri DeCew
Media Specialist,
Wattles Elem., Troy, MI

Storytelling Workshops for Students

Storytelling is a powerful learning tool. It increases literacy and language arts skills, builds creativity and imagination, instills confidence, encourages cooperation and collaboration and it’s great fun for everyone! Maximum number of students per session: 30

 

WORKSHOPS – 1 to 1-1/2 Hours

Story Building For Families

Stories and activities guaranteed to create a storytelling tradition in your family.

Literacy Skills

Grades 1 to 3 Using simple stories such as “The Tailor” and “The Wide Mouth Frog.” Children learn skills of retelling, setting, sequencing, and characterization.

Student Stories Alive

Grades 2-7 Using Sima’s Six Quick Steps to Storytelling success, students make their own stories come to life in the oral tradition.

Scary Storytelling Workshop

Grades 4 to 7 Using Sima’s Six Steps to Storytelling Success, students learn to retell a funny ghost story. Workshop includes discussion of what brings stories to life, what makes them scary. Entertaining exercises help students develop setting and characterization.

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RESIDENCIES - 1 to 3 DAYS

Telling to Write: Personal Experience Stories

Grades 3 to 7 (Day 1) Students create a personal story orally building in description, details and sensory language. Using a Storyboard, they summarize the story sequence. (Day 2) Students work on storytelling performance techniques, adding gesture, voice, and facial expression. Students begin to write stoires they've developed orally. (Day 3) Students continue writing the stories they've developed orally adding decriptive language. Volunteers tell their story to the class.

Bare Bones Fables

Grades 5 and up (Day 1) Using Sima’s Six Steps to Storytelling Success, students create their own version of a well-known fable building in description, details and sensory language (Day 2) Students work on storytelling performance techniques, adding gesture, voice, and facial expression. Volunteers tell their story to the class. (Day 3) Stories developed orally are written down and made into picture books.

Campfire Tales

Grades 4 to 7 Using Sima’s Six Quick Steps to Storytelling Success, students create their own version of a ghost story building in description, details and sensory language (Day 2) Students work on storytelling performance techniques, adding gesture, voice, and facial expression. Volunteers tell their story to the class. This workshop is an excellent way to prepare students for a worthwhile camping experience.

Photo Stories

Grade 5 or 6 Prior to the workshop, students must bring a snapshot or photo to school that has a story behind it. (Day 1) Children create a personal story from a family or personal photograph. Each child develops a personal story orally building in description, details and sensory language. Using a Storyboard, they summarize the story sequence. (Day 2) Students work on storytelling performance techniques, adding gesture, voice, and facial expression. Volunteers tell their story to the class. (Day 3) Students create written versions of the stories they developed orally.