The Wolves in the Walls Storybook and VR experience

The learning experience began in the Design Lab, where we listened to the picture book Wolves in the Walls. The book was read aloud by classmates/teacher to model expressive reading and to engage students with the story’s mood, suspense, and sensory details. It was also shown where we were gonna break for the groups and chunk it. Some of us then had the opportunity to experience parts of the story through a Virtual Reality (VR experience) connected to the book. Although the VR headset experienced technical difficulties when it was my turn, I was able to observe the experience through an iPad as Barb explored the VR environment. Watching this helped me understand how immersive technology can support visualization and deepen engagement with story settings and perspective.

The following class, we visited a Grade 5/6 classroom where we. as teacher candidates, worked in partners to read parts of the book.  Barb and I were the first part of the book. After each pair read a section, the next group continued to the next readers to hear the story, building on what the previous readers had shared. This process was repeated five times. This activity encouraged attentive listening, fluency, and collaborative storytelling. Barb and I took turns with who read to each group and the other lead the group in the listening to the walls activity.

To further connect students to the story’s sensory elements, Barb and I invited students to place their ears against the wall and carefully listen to what they could hear. Students reported hearing air moving through vents, recorders playing in another room, and vibrations through the wall. This moment was especially engaging, as students became very focused on careful listening and shared their observations. It was encouraging to see that every student participated and felt comfortable contributing their ideas.

Curricular Connections:

English Language Arts – Grade 5

• Big Idea: Language and text can be a source of creativity and joy.

• Curricular Competencies:

  • Use oral language to collaborate and share ideas

  • Use personal experiences and imagination to generate ideas

  • Engage in reading and listening activities to understand and interpret texts

  • Reflect on how experiences shape understanding

  Content:

  • Strategies for oral storytelling and collaborative reading

  • Narrative elements (setting, mood, perspective)

  • Listening and speaking skills

  • Using sensory details to construct meaning

Core Competencies

• Communication:  Read aloud, listened to peers, and shared observations

• Thinking: Students made predictions, built on previous parts of the story, and reflected on sensory experiences

• Personal & Social: Students participated respectfully and supported one another in group reading

Cross-Curricular Connections

• Science: Observing sound, vibration, and air movement during the listening activity

• ADST: Exploring how technology (VR) can support learning and engagement

First Peoples Principles of Learning

• Learning involves patience and time

• Learning is embedded in memory, story, and place

The careful listening activity encouraged students to be present in their environment and to learn through experience.

Reflection on Professional Practice (BC Professional Standards)

This experience reinforced the importance of creating inclusive, engaging literacy activities that value student voice and participation. Classmate partner reading and story continuation structure created a low-risk environment for us to practice oral reading. The sensory listening activity to the wall, demonstrated how simple experiential strategies can deepen comprehension and engagement with picture books.

Observing the use of VR, even when technical challenges occurred, showed the importance of flexibility and adaptability in teaching. The learning goals remained meaningful despite the technology not functioning perfectly.

Resources