Digital Storytelling Lesson Plan

Utah Valley University
Teacher Education Program
Digital Storytelling Lesson Plan


Teacher: Wendy Ahlman
Date: October 31, 2008
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Subject: Computer Technology
Grade: Sixth
Professor: Dr. Talitha Hudgins

Utah State Core Curriculum Standard
Standard 6
Design, develop, publish and present products (e.g., Web pages, videotapes) using technology resources that demonstrate and communicate curriculum concepts to audiences inside and outside the classroom

The student will understand how to use specific programs on the internet to tell stories to others that can be published on the web.

Lesson Objective Goals
The student will know how to use the internet, photostory and how to aquire downloadable music from the internet.

The student will do: Given access to photostory, their photos and music from the internet, the students will create their own digital story about themselves, from birth until present.

Preparation: teacher materials
Computers, movie screen, photostory 3 downloaded on their computers, and samples of digital stories

student materials
Photos of themselves from birth until present, parental approval form, script and music.

Technology Use
Computers, movie screen, photostory 3 downloaded on their computers, and samples of digital stories

Instructional Procedures:
Hook: “How would you like to make a movie about your life that you can show to your friends and family? Well, I’m going to show you how.”

Topic: The students will begin this section by creating their digital story about themselves. This is because we know ourselves better than anyone else. Also, it is a good opportunity for the students to ask their parents about times in their lives that they can’t remember, and have a good discussion about their childhoods.

Timeline: Have the students focus on five or so important areas in their lives:
1. Birth-Toddler ie: birth, first word, first step, favorite foods. 2. Toddler-Kindergarten: Major milestones, preschool, friends, learning to read.
3. Kindergarten-present: Hobbies, exciting places they’ve visited, favorite family members, favorite music.

Photo collection: By the next time we meet, the students should have returned the permission slip from their parents, and have all of the photos that they need. Start your story board with what/how you think your story will be laid out: beginning, middle, ending.

Script writing: Have the students write a script which goes with the pictures they’ve collected.

Create a folder on their flash/jump drive to start storing their movie information, content, images, sound, audio, etc

Begin Storytelling: Show the students how to make their movies by making a sample video as a class with four generic photos of the seaasons. Then show the students how to record their voices, and to download music onto their story. Instruct the students to now do the same, with their own photos and scripts.

Evaluation: 60 points. possible

Permission slip returned on time: 10
The movie was told chronologically: 10
The voices and narration were clear: 10
The musical them went with the movie: 10
The movie was finished on time: 10
Student was polite when their classmates showed their videos: 10

Hello Perfect Children

Hello Sixth Graders!

Six really is the perfect number, I'll tell you why in about 6 seconds. My Name is Mrs. Wendy Ahlman. I am so excited to be your teacher and work with "sixth" graders during my field work experience. I love the number six it really is the perfect number let me tell you why. Did you know that six is the only number where the same three numbers added and multiplied together make six?! It's true. Here's another fact, if you use a compass to make a circle, and use the radius to make tick marks all around the circle, it will divide the circle into 6 equal sections! When you connect all of the tick marks, it will make a star, like the one above. Amazing huh? I like having a little order in my life!

I hope to bring fun, learning and kindness into your classroom. Thank you for letting me come and learn with you!