1.
Start with an Idea
All stories begin with
an idea, and digital stories are no different. This idea could be the topic of
a lesson, a chapter heading in a textbook, or a question asked in class.
Digital stories might be fiction or non-fiction. Once you or your student have
an idea, make it concrete: write a proposal, craft a paragraph, draw a
mind-map, or use any other pre-writing tool.
I once had 5th graders
write their proposal on National Parks as a paragraph. The topic sentence was
the park that they picked and its location. Then, they had to include three
interesting facts about the park. Finally. the conclusion sentence had to
explain why they picked that park or were excited to study it. In the process,
we not only wrote the proposal but also improved our paragraph writing. One
student commented, “I think I finally have this paragraph thing down.”
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2.
Research/Explore/Learn
Whether writing a
fiction or nonfiction digital story, students need to research, explore or
learn about the topic in order to create a base of information on which the
story will be built. During this process, students learn both about validating
information and information bias as they delve deeper into a topic.
At this stage,
organization is very important. I often use mind-mapping to help students keep
track of information. Outlines, index cards, and online note-taking tools all
work as well. If students can organize their information digitally, then it
makes the next steps much easier.
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3.
Write/Script
When you are trying to
write, there is nothing worse than a blank sheet of paper. That’s why I
strongly encourage the 2 pre-writing steps above. If students have a proposal,
with a little bit of editing, it can become the introduction. If students
research and explored a topic well, the body of the script should fall into
place like a jigsaw puzzle. The pieces are already there, students just need to
make them fit.
This is also the time
where literary decisions come into play. Ask students to determine whether they
will use first, second or third person. Challenge them to expand word choices.
Give them an opportunity to break out a dictionary or thesaurus. I once worked
with high school social studies teachers who had the students write a full
essay or research paper before turning it into a script. They told me that when
they were done with the project, the students should be “experts” on the topic.
It depends all on your goal and your students.
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4.
Storyboard/Plan
Good stories start with
a good script, but they don’t end there. This is where we transition into visual
media literacies. George Lucas once said, “If people aren’t taught the language
of sound and images, shouldn’t they be considered as illiterate as if they left
college without being able to read or write?” Storyboarding is the first step
towards understanding sound and images. It is the plan or blueprint that will
guide decision making about images, video and sound. Simple storyboards will
just have room for images/video and the script. More advanced ones might even
include room for transitions, and background music.
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5.
Gather and Create Images, Audio and Video
This is the “stuff” that
makes magic happen and writing come alive. Using their storyboard as a guide,
students will gather – or create – images, audio and video. Everything they
choose will impact and set the tone for their digital story. Introduce concepts
such as visual hierarchy, tone, and illustration. This is also a great time to
talk about Copyright, Fair Use, and Creative Commons. Students should use this
time to record themselves reading their scripts. I have often noticed that
students rewrite their scripts as they record. Through this step in the
process, they become acutely aware of mistakes and poor word choices.
Resources
- EdTechTeacher – Citing the Web
- EdTechTeacher – Understanding Copyright & Fair Use
- EdTechTeacher – Public Domain Image
- EdTechTeacher – Understanding Creative Commons
- Wikimedia Commons
- Commonsense Media
- Fair Use
- Audacity
- Garageband
6.
Put It All Together
This is where the magic
happens – where students discover if their storyboard needs tweaking and if
they have enough “stuff” to create their masterpiece. You will see students
revisit and revise their storyboard. I love this stage. This is usually when
students are so engrossed in their work that they don’t leave when the bell rings,
or they come back at lunch or after-school to work on the project. They will
find ways to push the technology and tools beyond your expectations – blending
images, creating unique transitions between video clips, incorporating music or
sound effects. I also use this stage to provide students with a rubric so they
understand what is necessary for a completed project as well as how to push
themselves beyond the expectations.
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Resources
Rubrics
7.
Share
Sharing online has
become deeply embedded in our culture, so as educators, we might as well
embrace it. Review your school or district’s Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and
then look for a way to share your students’ stories with a broader audience.
Knowing that other people might see their work often raises student motivation
to make it the best possible work that they can do.
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8.
Reflection and Feedback
8.
Reflection and Feedback
Too often in education,
we do not teach or allow time for reflection and feedback. What did I learn?
What do I know about myself that I did not know before? How can I do better
next time?
Students need to be
taught how to reflect on their own work and give feedback to others that is
both constructive and valuable. Blogs, wikis discussion boards, and student
response systems or polling tools can all be used to help students at this
stage.
Resources
- Commonsense Media on Digital Citizenship: Blogs, comment threads,etc
- Edmodo
- Google Form
- GoogleForm to Copy
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