Story Construction

Ke:nx + Expanded Keyboard

Ke:nx expanded keyboard dialog box.

Sample story construction output.

COMPUTER RECEIVES Dialog Box.

Sample story construction output.

DESCRIPTION

Ke:nx can be used as a vehicle to permit students to retell a favorite story or create a new version of an old story. Ke:nx can be used with an expanded keyboard such as Key Largo or Discover Board (Don Johnston). For example, students can select from: agents (characters, classmates, animals), actions (silly actions or movements), and locations (zoo, farm, the moon), all organized into categories on the expanded keyboard. Components can be related to the classroom or story theme.

WHY AND WHEN

This strategy is fun for children who are beginning to construct stories, and are not yet ready for independent writing. The expanded keyboard offers the student pictures from which to select story items. It may be used for story retelling, story construction, story adventures, or song construction. Typically, this strategy is used with a word processor, so the student's story may be printed.

HOW TO SET UP

This sample story construction setup is based on the story When Itchy Witchy Sneezes by Joy Cowley.

1. Open the Ke:nx folder and double-click on the Ke:nx icon.
2. Double-click. on the icon labeled <Expanded Keyboard> [A dialog box should appear onscreen].
3. Use your mouse to draw boxes (e.g., nine boxes, 3 for agents, 3 for actions, 3 for objects).
4. Move your mouse to the center of the first box and double-click on it. [The dialog box in the sidebar should appear onscreen, and the box you are working on will be highlighted].
5. Double-click on the word <Icons> and select the desired picture. Use your mouse to scan the graphics. Select the bat icon. [You should see a bat icon in the dialog box].
6. Move your mouse to the word <Label> and type in Bonnie Bat.
7. Move your mouse to <Computer Receives> and type in When Bonnie Bat.
8. Move the mouse to <Item Feedback>. [This is what the user hears]. Click on <Digitized> and record "When Bonnie Bat."
9. Click on <Done>.
10. Continue preparing the other eight boxes by double-clicking on the box you want to create. Add items such as pumpkin [<computer Receives> she blows away the pumpkin].
11. Your setup is ready to use! Simply open a word processing program, select your setup, and enjoy.