Part A (1-5). Complete the outline of the following paragraph by filling in the missing major and minor details.
Storytelling can be a good way to calm down a restless child. Here are some tips on how to involve your child in a story you are telling. First, grab the child's interest from the start. If the story is imaginary, you might start with "Once upon a time..." If the story is true, you might begin with "Many years ago..." or "Before you were born." Second, have a setting for your story. For a fictional story, a phrase such as "in the forest" gives children a useful frame of reference. For a nonfiction story, even something like "outside of town" gives children a frame of reference. Third, appeal to the senses. Describe how things look. For instance, you might mention colors that characters are wearing. Or imitate the sounds of parts of your story - for instance, a train whistle or a birdcall. When appropriate, also include descriptions of how things smelled and felt. Finally, don't worry if the child appears to be daydreaming as you tell the story - he or she may be imagining the story as you speak.
