Interactive Storytelling Bus Driving into Lincoln Square Schools

Kids all over Lincoln Square and Northcenter will be huffing and puffing their way to a stronger love of reading.  

The StoryBus, America's Children's Museum on Wheels, is coming to every school in the 47th Ward, Ald. Ameya Pawar announced Monday. 

A 37-foot Winnebago, the StoryBus makes a classic tale come to life with interactive features. 

Students from kindergarten though second grade will read a story in their classrooms, in this case, the "Three Little Pigs."  

Then, the StoryBus will visit. 

After kids hop on board, they'll be able to construct their own houses of straws, sticks and brick, playing games in different scenes of the story. 

Those experiences incorporate science, language and motor skills with the goal of better reading comprehension. 

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The StoryBus came to Lincoln Square in 2012, visiting only McPherson, Waters, Bell and Coonley schools, Pawar said. But this year, the StoryBus will be available to all schools in the ward. 

Funding for all of the area school came through Grow 47, a committee created by the alderman. The group brings together local school councils and "Friends of" organizations to create an equitable experience throughout the neighborhood. Through a grant and fundraising efforts, the every school will get a day to play with the bus. Normally, a visit from the mobile storyteller would cost between $1,500 and $3,000 per building. 

"That's the point of Grow 47," Pawar said. "It's looking at our ward as a community K through 12 system so families don't leave the area."

And students aren't the only ones who benefit from the bus. Before each visit, teachers complete a 15-hour professional development session on the curriculum.