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 Dakota Writing Project Unit Plan April/May 2009

Digital Storytelling DaNeil Olson DWP/ESA2 Study Group May 2009

“Everyone is talented, original, and has something important to say.” From If You Want to Write, by Barbara Ueland.

SUMMARY Simulating a work situation, students will follow a set of directions to independently complete a work assignment, meet deadlines, and present a completed project to the class. Students will have an opportunity to strengthen their communication skills by exploring multimedia storytelling. They will use a storyboard to compose and plan their narration and iPhoto and iMovie to put still pictures together with their own voice narration. Online tutorials from Atomic Learning will allow students to independently progress at their own learning rate, internalize the knowledge, returning to the tutorial if a question arises or clarification is needed. Before moving into the multimedia project, students will complete a writing assignment, then research and gather all of the necessary materials (pictures, music, script) before beginning to explore this new form of expression.

IDENTIFYING DESIRED RESULTS STUDENT UNDERSTANDINGS • Writing, pictures, voice, and technology can be combined in different ways to create a 21st Century presentation. • Storyboard graphic organizers are useful to creating a digital story. • Online resources offer independent instruction and guidance.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS • What is digital storytelling? • What is a storyboard? • How do story, pictures, and technology work together in a digital story? SD CONTENT STANDARDS – Eighth Grade Listening, Viewing, and Speaking Standards • 8.LVS.1.1 Students can evaluate information in auditory and visual communication. • 8.LVS.1.2 Students can analyze audio/visual aids in presentations. • 8.LVS.1.3 Students can integrate verbal and nonverbal techniques to deliver an oral presentation for a specific audience and purpose. • 8.LVS.1.4 Students can deliver a persuasive presentation. Writing Standards • 8.W.1.1 Students can compose narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive text of five paragraphs. • 8.W.1.2 Students can revise writing for ideas and content. • 8.W.1.3 Students can compose text using information from multiple sources to support a topic. • 8.W.2.1 Students can edit text for run-on sentences and fragments. • 8.W.2.1 Students can identify and incorporate adverbs in the writing process. Reading Standards • 8.R.5.3 Students can combine new information with existing knowledge to enhance understanding. Technology Standards

• 8.CT.2 Students use technology to enhance learning, extend capability, and promote creativity.

• 8.CT.2.1 Recommend applications that could be extended to other situations.

DETERMINING ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE PERFORMANCE TASKS AND PROJECTS • Students will follow directions and work independently to create a storyboard. • Students will use writing skills to create the text for narration. • Students will create their own digital story. ASSESSMENTS • Students will create their own storyboard using the graphic organizer. • Students will write their narration in story form. • Students will record their narration. • Students will create their digital story and present it to the class. OTHER EVIDENCE • Students will engage in informal discussion with peers and the teacher throughout the unit. • Students will confer with peers and the teacher regarding the creation of their digital story. Introduction This project will demonstrate how technology can be instrumental in the student struggle to find voice, confidence, and structure in the student writing. It will give students an opportunity to strengthen their communication skills by exploring multimedia storytelling. Children grow up surrounded by stories told with pictures, words and music - particularly on television, in movies, and in video games. This project will take advantage of this familiarity and place the power to create stories in the students' hands. Families and memories will provide the students with rich material. Estimated time I expect to spend two to three weeks, or five to ten 50-minute class periods on this project. Since this is the first time my students will have created multimedia stories, the time may be greater...or less. Conflicts for class time include track meets and illness, so this too may affect the length of the project.

Objectives: • Follow technology to access and utilize a work-assignment • Tell a story through a combination of words, sounds, and images • Use a storyboard to outline and plan the project • Allow students to work independently and with peers WITHOUT much teacher involvement

Materials • Computer with Internet access • Copies of storyboard handout • Computer with iPhoto • Computer with iMovie • Digital Camera (Optional)

Completed Project Students will write an essay, utilize a storyboard, and then create a two to three minute movie with still pictures of themselves and/or family members with their own narration. Possible audience: family members and friends who attend Rutland Junior High Recognition and Awards Day/8th Grade Graduation. (Lessons may take less or more time than allotted, depending on availability of Computer Lab, etc.)

8th Grade StoryBoard and iMovie Project

[|Atomic Learning StoryBoard] will instruct you in how to create your storyboard. [|Atomic Learning iMovie] will instruct you in how to create your iMovie using your storyboard.