Birthday Surprise
Loading Images
Approach:  One to one
ACCESS
Level: Year 4 and year 8
Focus: Telling a story  
Resources:
Video on laptop computer
FRAME 320Kb
Questions/instructions:  


This activity uses the computer.
In this activity you are going to hear the start of a story called “Nanny Mihi’s Birthday Surprise”. You’ll hear most of the story – but not its ending.

After you’ve heard the start of the story, you are going to be the story teller, and make up the rest of the story. If you already know this story try to think of your own ending – not the one you already know.

Click the Birthday Surprise button.
Now I want you to take over and be the story teller. Keep on telling the story and try to give it a good ending. Remember, you are the story teller. Try to make it interesting for me to listen to.

Allow time then encourage the student to take the role of a story teller.
[Click on graphic to enlarge]

video voiceover:
Nanny Mihi lives in her whare by the sea. Every school holidays we go and stay, but sometimes we make a special trip.

“It’s Nanny Mihi’s birthday this weekend,” said Mum. “Why don’t we drive up and surprise her?”

We packed up the car on Saturday with Nanny Mihi’s presents. There was a straw hat for the sun, a new kete to carry things, some koromiko trees for Nanny’s garden, and lots of kai for a birthday feast.

But the biggest present of all was a goat to mow Nanny’s weeds.

The car was very full with all of us, and the presents, and the goat.

“Nanny will get a big surprise when she sees us!” we laughed.
“Haere mai, mokopuna mä. What are you doing here?” called Nanny when we arrived.

“Happy birthday, Nanny Mihi,” we yelled, and we jumped out of the car and ran to hug her.

“What a nice surprise for my birthday,” she smiled. Then she got an even bigger surprise.

 
% responses
2008 ('04)
y4
y8
Oral presentation:
very expressive and lively
10 (14)
12 (20)
moderately expressive
38 (33)
41 (40)
little expressivess
52 (53)
47 (40)
Continuity:
(follows narrative thread appropriately)
very well linked
24 (29)
36 (53)
partially fits, some discontinuity
63 (59)
57 (43)
doesn’t follow story at all
13 (12)
7 (4)
Achieving closure:
(bringing story to clear conclusion)
very cohesive, complete ending
5 (6)
11 (14)
quite cohesive, most elements pulled together
23 (26)
37 (40)
partial, abrupt or confusing ending
51 (47)
41 (36)
story clearly not completed
21 (21)
11 (10)
Creativity/originality of content:
high
8 (13)
16 (18)
moderate
34 (33)
41 (39)
little or none
58 (54)
43 (43)
Used rich descriptive language:
8 (12)
17 (18)

Total score:
8–10
5 (10)
12 (15)
6–7
12 (15)
18 (22)
4–5
26 (20)
28 (28)
2–3
39 (39)
32 (26)
0–1
18 (16)
10 (9)
Subgroup Analysis [Click on charts to enlarge] :
Year 4
Year 8
Commentary:
In presenting an ending to this story, there was little difference between year 4 and 8 students in expressiveness, but the year 8 students tended to come up with a more appropriate and complete ending. At both year levels, there were slightly fewer high scores in 2008 than in 2004.