Stories in Action supports key areas of the New Zealand Curriculum, particularly English, Science, Social Sciences, and the Key Competencies, through hands-on, student-centred storytelling.
English – Literacy (Primary Focus)
Listening, Reading, and Viewing
Students listen to rich, rhythmic storytelling models
They explore how stories are structured (beginning, problem, resolution)
They engage with language that uses imagery, rhythm, and descriptive detail
Speaking, Writing, and Presenting
Every child creates their own original narrative
Students develop characters, settings, and events
Emphasis on oral storytelling before writing supports diverse learners
Writing is purposeful and authentic, not worksheet-based
✔ Strong alignment with narrative writing outcomes for Years 3–6
✔ Supports reluctant writers and confident writers alike
Science – Living World (Ecology & Conservation)
Through observation and storytelling, students:
Learn about animals, habitats, and survival
Explore relationships between living things and their environments
Consider human impact on ecosystems in an age-appropriate way
Conservation themes emerge naturally through story, rather than direct instruction, helping students:
Understand balance in nature
Develop empathy for living things
Think critically about choices humans make
✔ Aligns with Living World strand
✔ Encourages curiosity and care for the environment
Social Sciences – Place & Belonging
Students:
Explore their school grounds as a meaningful place
Learn that stories exist where they live and learn
Develop a sense of connection to their local environment
✔ Supports understanding of people, place, and environment
✔ Encourages kaitiakitanga through storytelling
Key Competencies (Strongly Embedded)
Thinking
Students imagine, problem-solve, and reflect on choices in stories
Using Language, Symbols, and Texts
Storytelling through spoken word, writing, drawing, and movement
Managing Self
Students plan, persist, and complete a story of their own
Relating to Others
Sharing stories builds listening, empathy, and respect
Participating and Contributing
Students contribute their voice to a shared creative experience
Local Curriculum & Culturally Responsive Practice
Stories are grounded in local environments (school grounds, nearby bush, grasslands)
Māori concepts such as kaitiakitanga, ngahere, and Tāne Mahuta are woven in respectfully
Supports schools developing localised curriculum and place-based learning
Why Stories in Action Works
Children are motivated because the work is theirs
Writing has purpose beyond assessment
Learning integrates literacy, science, and wellbeing
Students see themselves as storytellers and observers of the world
What Makes Stories in Action Different
Two young people create their own story
Stories are authentic, personal, engaging and grounded in observation
Conservation themes arise naturally through curiosity, questions, storytelling, and discovering
Children see how imagination can connect to care for the world around them and each other
