My Special Place: Kindergarten Storyboard Activity

Q: What is a good special place activity for kindergarten?

A two-part special place storyboard works well: one scene that shows the place and a second that shows what the child does there. Students choose a setting, add characters, and finish short sentence frames with a reason. Because it is quick, visual, and personal, it gets five-year-olds talking and gives them a clear plan before they draw or write about the place on paper.

Q: How do I teach kindergartners to describe a setting?

Start with the questions where and what is there . Show a picture of a place and ask children to name what they see, hear, and do. Then model one sentence that names the place and one detail about it. Letting students pick a ready-made scene gives them a concrete setting to point to , so they can practice describing words instead of struggling to draw the background first.

Q: What sentence frames help kindergartners write descriptive sentences?

Short frames with one blank are easiest, such as “My special place is the ___.” , “It is special because ___.” , and “At my special place, I ___.” Read each frame aloud and point to the blank. As students gain confidence, add a frame with a describing word, like “The ___ is big and ___.” Typing frames into a template lets children focus on the missing word , not the whole sentence.

Q: How do you help kindergartners explain why a place is special?

Teach the word because as a bridge between the place and the reason. Model it out loud: “The library is special because I pick books with my dad.” Then ask a follow-up question like “Who do you go with?” or “What do you like there?” Most five-year-olds can give a reason once the question points them to people, feelings, or things they do.

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Lesson Plan Overview

Template and Class Instructions

Lesson Plan Overview

Kindergartners have strong feelings about the places they love, and this unit asks a big question: what makes a place special? In this activity, students make a two-cell storyboard about one place that matters to them: where it is, why it is special, and what they do there. The teacher models first. Then students choose a scene, drag in characters, and finish the sentence frames typed into the template, with the teacher scribing as needed: “My special place is the ___.” / “It is special because ___.” / “At my special place, I ___.” Storyboard That’s ready-made scenes give each child a clear setting to point to and talk about, so the work goes into describing the place with words.

The template has two cells titled My Special Place and What I Do There, with no scene placed, so every child picks their own. In the sample, a child at the beach says it is special because they go there with their family, then builds a sandcastle in the second cell. Use it alongside the Week 4 close read on describing setting and the Week 5 question about how to describe special places, as a plan before students write descriptive sentences. Look for a named place, a reason with “because,” and an action that fits the scene. The storyboard is planning and practice, not a graded piece: drawing, writing, and the unit’s persuasive-text project stay as they are. For another option, build one storyboard together as a whole-class book-idea plan for the Shared Write in Weeks 1–2.

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Template and Class Instructions

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Objective: Show your special place, tell why it is special, and show what you do there.

Student Instructions

Pick a scene for your special place.
Add yourself to the first cell.
Finish the sentences: My special place is the ___. It is special because ___.
In the second cell, show what you do there.
Finish the sentence: At my special place, I ___.
Read your storyboard to a friend.

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Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level K-1

Difficulty Level 1 (Introducing / Reinforcing)

Type of Assignment Group

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Lesson Plan Overview

Copy Activity

Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Due Date:

Objective: Show your special place, tell why it is special, and show what you do there.

Student Instructions

Pick a scene for your special place.
Add yourself to the first cell.
Finish the sentences: My special place is the ___. It is special because ___.
In the second cell, show what you do there.
Finish the sentence: At my special place, I ___.
Read your storyboard to a friend.

More options

Copy This Storyboard

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level K-1

Difficulty Level 1 (Introducing / Reinforcing)

Type of Assignment Group

Copy Activity

Build a Describing Words Wall from Your Special Place Storyboards

Choose a few finished storyboards to share.

Pick four or five pages that show different kinds of places, such as a beach, a park, and a kitchen. Ask each child first whether their page can go on the wall.

Ask students to name what they see in each place.

Point to one scene at a time and ask, “What is in this place?” Write each word children say, like sand, swings, or oven, on its own card.

Sort the words into groups on the wall.

Make three simple columns: things we see, things we hear, and things we do. Tape a small printout of the matching storyboard next to each group so children can find the words again.

Model a describing sentence using the wall.

Think aloud as you pick two words, then say a full sentence such as “The beach has soft sand and loud waves.” Have the class echo the sentence with you.

Invite students to use a wall word in their own writing.

During writing time, children choose one word to add to a sentence about their special place. They still draw and write on paper; the storyboard and wall are the plan.

Add new place words as the unit goes on.

After each shared read or research lesson, add a few new words, such as museum or gallery, so the wall keeps growing with the unit.

Frequently Asked Questions about Kindergarten Special Place Activities

What is a good special place activity for kindergarten?

A two-part special place storyboard works well: one scene that shows the place and a second that shows what the child does there. Students choose a setting, add characters, and finish short sentence frames with a reason. Because it is quick, visual, and personal, it gets five-year-olds talking and gives them a clear plan before they draw or write about the place on paper.

How do I teach kindergartners to describe a setting?

Start with the questions where and what is there. Show a picture of a place and ask children to name what they see, hear, and do. Then model one sentence that names the place and one detail about it. Letting students pick a ready-made scene gives them a concrete setting to point to, so they can practice describing words instead of struggling to draw the background first.

What sentence frames help kindergartners write descriptive sentences?

Short frames with one blank are easiest, such as “My special place is the ___.”, “It is special because ___.”, and “At my special place, I ___.” Read each frame aloud and point to the blank. As students gain confidence, add a frame with a describing word, like “The ___ is big and ___.” Typing frames into a template lets children focus on the missing word, not the whole sentence.

What are examples of special places kindergartners can write about?

Everyday places work best because children know them well: a grandparent’s home, the park, the beach, the library, a kitchen, or a playground. Encourage places children have been, not just places they wish to visit, so they can add real details. If a child is stuck, ask, “Where do you feel happy?” or “Where do you go with your family?”

How do you help kindergartners explain why a place is special?

Teach the word because as a bridge between the place and the reason. Model it out loud: “The library is special because I pick books with my dad.” Then ask a follow-up question like “Who do you go with?” or “What do you like there?” Most five-year-olds can give a reason once the question points them to people, feelings, or things they do.

What are the pros and cons of digital storyboards versus drawing in kindergarten?

Digital storyboards let kindergartners show a detailed setting quickly, which helps children whose ideas run ahead of their fine motor skills. They are also easy to edit and share. The downside is less pencil practice, so use storyboards alongside drawing and writing, not in place of them. Many teachers use the storyboard to plan, then have students draw and write the final piece on paper.