Digital Storytelling

Teaching Procedures

Class Session 1

Introducing the Digital Story Lesson

1. Classroom Discussion:  What is a digital story?
2. Using the handout, students will watch a couple digital stories and fill out the handout identifying the different components of the story. 

1. Point of View
2. A Dramatic Question
3. Emotional Content
4. The Gift of Your Voice
5. The Power of the Soundtrack
6. Economy
7. Pacing

3. One-minute write:  What worked and what did not work for each story?
4. Review Digital Story Assessment Rubric

Class Session 2

Writing the Narrative

1. Paired Interviews: “Where I am From”

1. Where did you grow up?
1. Who did you live with?
2. What was your favorite thing to do as a child?
3. Was there anyone in your life who made a big impression on you?
4. Is there one memory or experience from your childhood that sticks out in your mind?

2. Independent Idea Generation (lists)

1. Items found in their home
2. Items found in their yard
3. Items found in their neighborhood
4. Names of relatives, especially ones that link them to their past
5. Sayings, “Eat your broccoli,’ or “If I’ve told you once…”
6. Names of foods or dishes that recall family gatherings.
7. Names of places they keep their childhood memories.

3. Encourage students to use

language, names, family, and neighborhood that sound like home” 
specific descriptions – when they use the word shoes perhaps they mean red leather pumps. 
their home language because it adds authenticity to their work.

1. Using their lists and a linking phrase like “I am from” have the students write out a first draft of their personal narrative. At the end of the narrative, have the students write a sentence or two that links their past to their present or their present to their past.  It is o.k. if the narratives are actually poetic versus a formal narrative.
2. Read aloud…
3. Group Share and Idea Borrowing
4. Rewrite incorporating ideas.
5. Exchange with partners for a quick copyedit.
6. Incorporate Edits.

Class Session 3

Writing the Storyboard

The storyboard is a visual plan of your digital story. We will use MS Power Point to help visualize our stories and help guide us during our production process.

1. Open MS PowerPoint.  You do not have to use power point for this portion of the lesson, students could just use a paper and pencil. 
2. Split up the narrative into slides and search for images that illustrate what you are trying to convey with your words.
3. Save your file.

Selecting the Media

1. Students search for images on the internet or to digitize images brought from home
2. Students bring in their favorite music CD or an appropriate music CD for their soundtrack.
3. Digitize all material into an .mp3 format or .jpeg format.

Class Session 4

Creating the Soundtrack

1. The soundtrack sets the pacing and tone of the entire digital story. Consequently, students need to develop the soundtrack as the first step in their production process. If you are limited on time, have the students use one song that is approximately 3-5 minutes long as their soundtrack.
2. Show students how to import their mp3 files into iMovie.
3. Show students add the mp3 files to the timeline.

Recording the Narrative

1. Open iMovie to record their narrative.
2. Add to timeline.

Class Session 5

Creating the Digital Story

1. Open IMovie.
2. Revisit the Digital Story Rubric.
3. Demonstrate and have students import the images, audio, and narrative audio file into the project.
4. Demonstrate and have students edit their media on the timeline.
5. Illustrate how to create transitions, set frame markers, and export their file to a DVD Quicktime movie file.

Class Session 6
Closing the Lesson

1. Have the students show their digital stories to the class.
2. Encourage students to provide positive feedback.
3. Group Share:  What they liked and disliked about this project.

Student Appropriateness

This lesson is appropriate for grades 3 and up.  It is also appropriate for all cultural and linguistic backgrounds; however, I designed the course for a tenth grade language arts writing course. 

Technology Configurations

This lesson is designed for use in a Macintosh computer lab that houses G3 Macs or higher. Yet the lesson could also be used in a PC lab where the students use Movie Maker instead of iMovie.  A PC user myself, I chose iMovie because it is such an intuitive and easy program to learn and use.
Mac System Requirements

1. Mac computer with an Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 processor. 
2. iMovie requires a Mac with an Intel processor, a Power Mac G5 (dual 2.0GHz or faster), or an iMac G5 (1.9GHz or faster). 
3. iDVD requires a 733MHz or faster processor. 
4. 512MB of RAM; 1GB recommended. High-definition video requires at least 1GB of RAM. 
5. Mac OS X v10.4.9 or later. 
6. 3GB of available disk space. 
7. DVD drive required for installation. 
8. QuickTime 7.2 or later. 
9. Other configurations may be supported. AVCHD video and 24-bit recording have additional requirements. Visit iMovie ’08 Camcorder Support for more information on AVCHD.
10. 24-bit recording in GarageBand ’08 requires a Mac OS X compatible audio interface with support for 24-bit audio. Please consult the owners manual or manufacturer directly for audio device specification and compatibility.
11. Burning DVDs requires an Apple SuperDrive or compatible third-party DVD burner. 
12. iPhoto print services are available in the U.S., Canada, Japan, and select European countries. Internet access required; fees and terms apply. 
13. iWeb requires Internet and web server access (.Mac recommended).
14. Some features in iLife require .Mac. The .Mac service is available to persons age 13 and older. Annual membership fee and Internet access required. Terms and conditions apply.

PC System Requirements

Here's what you'll need to use Windows Movie Maker 2.1.

Students were also required to use a headset (Logitech USB) to record their narratives and edit their movies.

Networking

The computer lab should be connected to the internet.  Yet students could just bring in pictures from home to scan.  The computers do not need to be networked together.

Media Storage

Student projects are stored either locally or on a networked shared drive.  Once the student completes their program, he will burn it to a CD or DVD.

Technology Troubleshooting and Maintaining

Only once did I lock up a computer during the lesson and lose my project.  It just taught me to conduct frequent backups; however, I was able to conduct the troubleshooting on my own.

Personnel Support

Wally Nolan was my guest speaker and he helped the students to learn the iMovie program.