2. Storytelling

The medium I chose to tell my story is a computer program. Unfortunately I cannot upload the actual program. I chose to use a program as my medium because that gave me the ability to customize the story. I realized that the best way to make a story for third grade children was to let them control the tale.

In my program the user is asked three questions and their name. These three questions change the story and make it seem like the user may have actually created some of the work themselves. I would want to make this a picture book but if I did that it would require too many pictures because of how many options the story gives. What I have posted is just one of the possibilities for my story. The input from the user determined the dog breed, the vacation trip location, the dog name, the author, and the name of Emily's friend. 

I used Apple Terminal to create a program using the Java coding language. 

This is the top of the Java program I coded

This is the bottom of the Java program I coded

This is some of the user input to create the story

A Girl and Her Dog

By: Thomas

One sunny day a little girl named Emily went with her mom to the animal shelter to get a birthday present.

Emily saw many animals at the shelter but Emily’s Mom decided that they were going to get a cute golden retriever

On the ride home the golden retriever rested its head in Emily’s lap. Emily was happy.

When Emily got home her Mom walked her inside and asked Emily what she wanted to name the dog.

Emily said: I want his name to be Pumpkin!

And so they named him Pumpkin.

Pumpkin and Emily got along really well. Emily would tell Pumpkin to do tricks and he would do them for a little treat.

Emily took Pumpkin on walks to the park with her Mom all the time.

When they got to the park she would always play Frisbee with Pumpkin. Sometimes her friend Thomas would be in the park too and they would all play together.

One day Emily got to take Pumpkin to the family camp site. Emily was happy and had lots of fun with Pumpkin there.

One morning Emily woke up and wanted to see Pumpkin but instead she found her Mom crying.

She asked her what was wrong, her Mom said that Pumpkin had to go back to the family camp site because he had so much fun there.

Emily asked if she could go with Pumpkin but her Mom said she had to stay.

Emily was upset and ran up to her room and cried, she wanted to be with Pumpkin.

A few days later Emily went with her Mom to the park. She was sad that Pumpkin wasn’t there with her.

Thomas was at the park already and asked Emily why she was sad.

Emily told Thomas what happened to Pumpkin.

Then Thomas said: I miss Pumpkin too, but don’t forget all the fun times we had together.

Emily frowned and nodded; she still missed Pumpkin.

Emily’s Mom was standing near by and heard Thomas; she came up and told Emily that it’s important to cherish the memories you have.

Emily agreed. It was more fun to feel happy than to feel sad.

Emily’s Mom passed the Frisbee to Thomas and Emily played with Thomas until her Mom told her it was time for dinner.

The End.