What’s a Crankie Contraption? Tell a scrolling illustrated story using a cardboard screen machine! Learners will integrate engineering, art, and language arts skills to design, test, and share a unique visual story sequence. This Spark is easily differentiated for lower elementary to middle school.
It's a perfect 45- to 90-minute screen-free activity with playful storytelling extensions for older learners available in our coaching guides.
Your learner will create a novel machine that turns a scroll to tell an illustrated story sequence. Crankies usually come in two flavors: sequences (linear or time-based cycles) or narratives (beginning, action/change in the middle, and an ending). They will strengthen planning, drafting, and sequencing by designing a visual story that requires planning and testing.
What's in the pack?
This is an individually packed kit in a resealable bag with everything you need, including:
A die-cut cardboard crankie frame
Two paper straws
A set of printed stickers
A folded crankie scroll paper
A visual guide
You’ll need to provide learners with scissors, pencils, and art supplies to draw and color their story scrolls. Printable scroll sheets are available online to create more scrolls.
What do adults need to support?
This Spark has a coaching playbook available via our website, featuring educator-only videos, quick-start guides, slide decks and extensions so adults can quickly prepare and confidently play alongside their learners.
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