I started using a Story Canvas instead of a more traditional worksheet when I was working with high school students. I didn’t want them to feel like they were getting another piece of homework! Inspired by the popularity of graphic novels, I designed my first story canvas in Canva and encouraged participants to draw, use thought bubbles or bullet points in response to the story prompts.  

When I designed curriculum for a group in their 20s with lower literacy rates and intellectual challenges, I revised the canvas and added plain language prompts to help them get started. 

Then I realized that the canvas worked well for every age group and organization I worked with. Because I designed it in Canva, I’m able to revise it depending on what group I am working with. 

The canvas has been received well by audiences of all ages and backgrounds. It appeals to many different learning styles and for many, it is less daunting then a worksheet or a blank page. 

When I offer up my story during a workshop, I often illustrate it in a story canvas as well, to inspire others to sketch as well as write out their story. Some people use just pictures, some use a combo, and there are those who write a whole essay, using all the space in the squares. I have even had people cut up their canvas and use the six squares as cue cards to share their story orally. It helps to provide markers or coloured pencils. 

I’ve provided three versions of the Story Canvas that you can use. If you want to design your own, it’s really easy in Canva. And all the illustrations I used are available if you have a paid version of Canva. I’ve mainly used the canvas for Story of Self but I recently used a version for an adaption of Story of Us, getting teams at a health clinic to tell a collective story.

The Story Canvas works best in 11 x 17 because there is more room to get creative. It also means that a 3 x 3 sticky note fits in each square nicely – because there is always someone who don’t want to write directly on the canvas!

If you have any questions about using the Story Canvas, please reach out to me at cate@thestorysource.ca