Digital Story Lesson Plan

Katie DeMeo (Blanchard) Professors Boots-Ebenfield and Branscomb ENG 833 15 Aug 2010

Digital Story Lesson Plan Grade 7 English Language Arts

I. Background: Each year I do a short story unit in my seventh grade English Language Arts class.

We read several short stories, and focus on analyzing and developing setting,

character, and plot structure. At the end of the unit, students are asked to write their

own short stories, equipped with illustrations. Inevitably, the students are eager to

share their hard work with the rest of the class. While I continue to be impressed with

their enthusiasm, it becomes tedious and time-consuming to listen to twenty stories

per class period, especially when some stories are several pages in length. After

taking ENG833 this summer, I believe I have found a solution to this problem – I will

have my students create digital stories as a way to present their original written work.

Students will be extremely enthusiastic to learn and use this new technology as a way

to present their material. Not only will it prove to be a more concise and efficient

way to present the material, it will also be more interesting for the audience (the other

students in the class).

II. Goals and Objectives:

 Students will retell their stories in another format without losing the integrity of the original work  Students will utilize summarization and paraphrasing skills

 Students will become familiar with more advanced media and technology

 Students will learn a new medium through which to present original work

III. Steps for Implementation: i. Storytelling – In order to show students the end product I am expecting, I will

first show them “Helen Keller: From Tribulation to Triumph,” which is the

digital story I created for ENG833. They will already be quite familiar with

Helen Keller and her story, as we will have already covered the unit earlier in

the year. Showing them a digital story with which they are familiar will aid

them in understanding the concept, as they can focus on the media,

technology, and language used in the story, rather than trying to follow the

actual storyline.

ii. Technology – I will take advantage of using my school’s computer lab, which

will enable each student to have his/her own computer for the duration of the

project. All computers are PCs, so I will use Photostory for this project, as it

is compatible, but also “user-friendly” for the seventh grade age level. I will

spend at least two class periods reviewing step-by-step how to use Photostory,

and will have them create a short sample story using the program.

iii. Media – I will show students how to use both Flickr and Picnik to select/edit

images. I will also make digital cameras available so that students may

take/incorporate digital photos of their original artwork used in their written short stories. As for music, students can either use stock songs stored on the

school PCs or they can bring in a flash drive with stored music of their own

choosing. If conversion is needed, I will instruct the students on how to use

the Zamzar conversion tool.

iv. Assistance – I will model all phases of the project for students, and will also

provide 3-4 classes of supported work time. I will assist students, and will

also have 1-2 classroom aides present to help as well. Students may also

come after school if they require additional assistance or work time.

IV. Assessment: I will deem the project a success if each student is able to complete the project in its

entirety, including all aspects included in Photostory. I will informally gauge student

reactions to the project and the use of this technology during the course of the project,

and I will assess their reactions more formally once the projects are completed and

presented, through a written reflection to be completed by each student.

I will use the following rubric to grade student work:

Rubric: Grade 7 Digital Short Story Presentation

Category Possible Points Your Points

Content/Theme 50 ______

Project contains sufficient details, clear plot structure, rich setting and character development

Technology/Media 30 ______

Evidence of proficient use of different modes of technology and available media

Creativity/Overall Presentation 20 ______

Story is presented in a unique way; presentation is polished and smooth; effort is evident

100 ______