Lily's Big World Storyboard
Storyboard Text
- Slide: 1
- Lily's Big World
- Slide: 2
- The world is a big, bustling place full of surprises and challenges. When we grow up, the world around us teaches us that we have to be brave, strong, and face our fears, even if it feels impossible at times.
- But the world thats full of challenges doesn't look the same for everyone. For some children, the world looks very different, For Lily, the world can feel even bigger and a little bit scarier - noises are louder, places are busier, and new things don't always come easy. But Lily has her own special way of seeing the world, and though it sometimes feels overwhelming, she learns and grows each day. Six year old Lily lives in a cozy home nestled in a busy neighborhood in San Francisco, Her home rests on the city's hills and parks, where she enjoys watching the fog roll in every cloudy morning. Lily loves the views of the bustling streets and the glimpses of the Golden Gate Bridge on clear days, but sometimes the noise and crowded sidewalks make her feel overwhelmed.
- Slide: 3
- At home, Lily has a warm, supportive family. Her mom and dad are always there to listen and offer her encouragement, helping her through through the unique challenges she faces. Her older sister, Sofia, is always patient and kind with her, always findings creative ways to make Lily laugh or to make her feel better when she gets anxious. And then there's Gracie, their gently dog, who sticks by Lily's side whenever she needs a friend. Gracie has a special way of knowing when Lily feels overwhelmed, and she'll always nuzzle up next her, helping her feel safe and grounded. In her own little world of her San Francisco home, Lily is learning to face each day, with her family right there to support her every step of the way.
- But despite the constant support from her family, Lily faces many limitations in her day to day life, which makes it hard for her to interact with others that don't understand her. Lily has a tough time adapting to new routines that she is not used to, which makes going to school very difficult for her.
- Slide: 4
- As a beginning first grader, Lily's school life is both exciting and challenging. She attends a small private school close to home, with only 30 students in her class. Lily has a unique way of learning and interacting with her environment, very different from her peers. Her classroom is filled with colorful posters, books, and shelves of supplies, but sometimes, it all feels a bit overwhelming for Lily. She loves facts, especially about animals and numbers, and she is happiest when she is allowed to focus on those topics, collecting little trinkets or counting items around the room. However, when the teacher or her classmates try to pull her attention to other things, Lily has trouble responding quickly because she needs time to process the sounds and words.During class, Lily rarely makes eye contact and tends to look at the objects on her desk instead of her classmates or teacher.
- She often doesn't respond right away when her teacher or classmates calls her name, not because she ignores them, but because it takes her longer to shift her focus. When Lily does speak, she sometimes repeats phrases or questions that have been said earlier--an echo of what she's heard that comforts her and helps her feel connected to the conversation.
- Lily?
- Slide: 5
- Socializing is tough for Lily, especially with back and forth conversation, and Lily finds it hard to join in games or group activities. She is not always sure how to talk to others in the way they expect or how to read the body language of her classmates. So oftentimes, she spends most of the school day alone. Lily's favorite parts of the classroom are the small objects she can line up neatly, such as the markers.
- If anyone accidentally disrupts her rows, she gets very anxious and often flaps her hands to calm herself. When she is overwhelmed, especially by loud noises such as her classmates yelling, she sometimes starts stimming, rocking back and forth or rubbing her hands together, which helps her feel less anxious. Because her classmates don't see the world the way she does, they often make fun of her for being different and sometimes are not very nice.
- Slide: 6
- Lily's homeroom teacher, Ms. Molly has always had a soft spot for Lily and knows that she struggles sometimes with relationships and school work. She tries to make the classroom a place where Lily feels safe and valued and always is patient with her. Ms. Molly will also spend extra time after class with her to make sure understands the homework and helps her prepare for new activities. Ms. Molly doesn't rush her or expect her to communicate the same way as other kids. Instead, she encourages Lily to express herself however she feels comfortable. During class, she helps Lily practice skills like sharing and taking turns in their quiet reading circle or art time.
- Does that sound okay to you Lily?
- With the help of her teacher, Lily slowly started to feel more confident with trying new things in the classroom but she still didn't understand why no one wanted to be friends with her except Ms. Molly.
- Slide: 7
- One day, Ms. Molly announced a special project that the class would be working on together. The project was to make a big poster about “Our world”, showing the things each student found most important and valuable in their lives. Everyone would share to the class their poster at the end of the year. Lily felt both excited and nervous – she knew right away that she wanted to draw animals and list some amazing facts about them. But she also knew she’d have to work with one of her classmates which was always hard for her.
- Ms. Molly paired each student with a partner, and Lily was matched with Ivy, a classmate who loved stories and drawing. Lily hadn’t spent much time with Ivy before, and thinking about her encounter made her heart start pounding. She wondered what Ivy might think of her project ideas.
- "Our World" Project
- Slide: 8
- When they arrived home, as always, Gracie was so excited to see Lily come home, wagging her tail as rapidly as she could. But Lily could tell that she wasn't her normal self. Gracie always had no problem greeting her at the door, but when Lily got home today, it seemed like she she had to use all her strength to stand up. But her tail never stopped wagging. Once they picked up Gracie from home, they got back in the car and drove to the vet. The entire drive, Lily couldn't help but to continuously flap her hands and rock back and forth, her way to sooth her when she felt overwhelmed. Gracie lay in her lap the entire way.
- One day Ms. Molly gets a call from Lily's parents explaining that they would have to pick her up early from school today. Ms. Molly pulls Lily aside and tells her she should pack her things because her parents are coming to pick her up soon. Not sure about what is going on, Lily gets excited and thinks that her parents are coming to surprise her with something, When Lily gets in the car, she is confused about why her parents aren't talking to her that much, They always ask her about her day after school and whether she learned anything new or fun. She could hear her parents sniffling, but she didn't understand why they're making those sounds, Finally Lily's dad speaks up, in a choked up voice, and tells Lily that they have to take Gracie to the vet. When asked why they told her that Gracie was just tired and she would be okay.
- Slide: 9
- When they arrived at the vet, Lily's parents gently explained again that Gracie was very old and very tired. Though it was hard for Lily to understand, they told her Gracie might not be coming home this time. The vet brought Lily and her family into a room, and the vet kindly explained to Lily that Gracie had to go to sleep for now. "Sleep well, Gracie. I love you. I'll see you soon after your nap," she said, as she watched Lily slowly close her eyes.
- Slide: 10
- A few days later, Lily noticed how much emptier their home felt without Gracie's comforting presence by her side. She missed the warm, gentle weight of Gracie leaning against her and the way her soft fur felt under her fingers whenever she needed soothing. Gracie made Lily's big world go round. Without her, nights felt colder and lonelier, and every little noise around the house felt louder. The world suddenly felt even bigger and scarier without her loyal friend there to keep her calm. Despite what her parents told her, Lily never stopped hoping Lily would wake up from her nap. Back at school, Ms. Molly and Ivy, her group parter, noticed Lily seemed quieter than usual. Ivy, who hadn't known Gracie, didn't quite understand what Lily was going through, but she could sense her sadness. One day, when Ivy saw Lily sitting alone during recess, she came over and gently asked, "Would you like to tell me about Gracie?"Lily hesitated, but then she began talking about Gracie--how she had always been there to snuggle with her, how she would nuzzle and lick Lily's hands or face when she felt upset, never judging her, and how she had this funny way of tilting her head whenever lily talked to her.
- Ivy listened carefully, nodding and smiling, letting Lily know she cared.After recess, they began working on their "Our World" project together. Ivy suggested they create a poster about friendship and how important it is to have someone special by your side. Lily got excited by this idea and decided that their project should be about the way animals--and friends--can make the world feel safer and smaller, even when its big and overwhelming.
- Slide: 11
- On the poster, Ivy drew pictures of children holding hands, and Lily added drawings of her favorite animals. In the center, they placed a picture of a dog that looked like Gracie, with big, kind eyes and a wagging tail. Around the dog, they added messages about kindness, loyalty, and the power of having a companion who understands and accepts you, just as Gracie had done for Lily. As they worked, Lily slowly felt the sadness in her heart start to lift. She still missed Gracie deeply, but creating the project helped her remember all the love and joy Gracie had brought into her life. She began to realize that, even though Gracie was gone for now, her memory and the love they'd shared would always be part of her. By the time they finished, Ivy had become more than just a classmate--she had become a friend. Ivy didn't look at the world the same way Lily did, but she listened and cared. And, in her own way, she became a little bit like Gracie, a comforting presence by Lily's side, making the world feel just a little bit smaller and kinder.
- When the day arrived for presentations, Lily's heart raced, and she clutched her poster tightly as they waited for their turn. Ivy gave her a reassuring smile, and together, they walked to the front of the room, standing side by side in front of their classmates and Ms. Molly. Taking a deep breath, Ivy began by introducing their project and talking about how they wanted to show the importance of friendship and companionship.
- Slide: 12
- Then it was Lily's turn. She looked out to the class, her eyes finding Ms. Molly, who gave her an encouraging nod. With Ivy's gentle encouragement, Lily found her voice. "Gracie was my best friend," she began, her voice quiet but steady. "She was always there for me, even when I felt different or alone." She paused, then continued, "Sometimes, I feel like people don't understand me. I don't talk like everyone else, and sometimes it's hard to look people in the eye or know what to say." The class became very quiet as they listened closely. "But Gracie never needed me to be different. She loved me just the way I am. She made me feel safe, even on the hard days. Ivy and I wanted our project to show how important it is to have someone who understands you--even if it's just one friend. That everyone deserves to have a special someone by their side who loves them no matter what, and no matter how different they are."
- As Lily finished, a hush settled over the class. Ms. Molly's eyes gleamed with pride and warmth as class loudly applauded. Some of Lily's classmates, who had once teased or misunderstood her, looked at her now with new expressions of respect and kindness. They hadn't known what her world looked like until now, and they now saw her in a different light--not just as the quiet girl who flapped her hands or didn't join in games, but as someone with a special and unique heart.
- Slide: 13
- After the presentation, a few classmates came up to Lily and Ivy, complimenting their project. One boy, who usually kept his distance, asked if he could sit with them at lunch sometime, Another girl quietly said, "I think Gracie sounds like the bestest friend in the whole world." In that moment, Lily realized that by sharing her story, and Gracie's, she had opened a window into her world. And for the first time, it didn't feel so scary. It felt like she was finally understood.After school, Lily and Ivy had planned to have a play date at her house. Lily's parents picked them both up and headed back to their house. As they approached their home, Lily's mom told her that they had a surprise for her. Anxiously excited, Lily started to rub her hands together. When they reached the front door, Lily could hardly wait. Her mom open it slowly, revealing a small, fluffy puppy sitting inside, her tail wagging eagerly as it looked up at Lily with warm, gentle eyes."She's yours, Lily," her dad said softly. "We thought you might need a new friend--a little companion, just like Gracie." Lily's heart filled with joy and gratitude. She instantly thought of Gracie and felt a comforting feeling, almost as if Gracie had somehow sent this new friend to watch over her.
- "I think...I'll call her Hope," Lily whispered, smiling down at her new friend. Hope looked up at her, tail wagging harder, as if she understood she had found her person. Lily missed Gracie but realized that Hope had come to help her find new joy and strength. Just like Ivy and Ms. Molly, Hope would make her world feel smaller, kinder, and once again, whole.
- Slide: 14
- The world is a big, bustling place full of surprises and challenges. As we grow each day, the world teaches us many things along the way--about courage, friendship, and the strength that comes from facing life's most difficult obstacles, even when it feels impossible at times. This is your reminder to be kind and compassionate; to love people as they are and to embrace their differences. Everyone has their own story that is unique, and every journey teaches us something new. Sometimes, the biggest challenges help us find those who will stand by our side and make us feel truly understood. Don't let your differences keep you from showing people your true self
- The End
Over 30 Million Storyboards Created