Digital Kids, Digital Storytelling!

Tell me a fact and I’ll learn

Tell me a truth and I’ll believe

Tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever

Why use Digital Storytelling?

• Engagement: digital kids live in a world of sound, images and text
• Student choice: allows for all learning styles to be addressed
• Critical thinking skills: matching sound and images to text

When to use Digital Storytelling?

ANYTIME!

• Show What You Know in...
• Social: Explore a province, Edmonton, etc
• Science: Show the water cycle, life cycle, circuit
• Math: Explain how to add,subtract or how to use a graph
• Health: Show healthy foods
• LA: storytelling, retellings, book reports

Using Digital Storytelling with Division One:

Kindergarten: For kinders, digital storytelling is best done by the teacher using student input. Check out this video using student created letters for the ABCs. Consider taking pictures of student work and uploading it to Animoto. It's a great tool for conferences!

Grade 1: Digital storytelling in Grade 1 can follow the same idea as kinders at the beginning: the teacher uploads student work and creates the digital story. As the year progresses, older buddy classes can support Grade 1s as they develop their own digital stories. Here is an example of a collaboration between Grade 5 and Grade 1 on Edmonton Landmarks. Once this collaboration was done, the Grade 5s assisted their buddies to create another Google Slides on All About Me. Eventually, the Grade 1s were able to create their own set of Google Slides with minimal support. 

Grade 2: If your Grade 2s don't have any experience in digital storytelling tools, then a buddy class can support them as for the Grade 1s above, leading them to independence in developing their own stories. 

Grade 3: By Grade 3, your students are very capable of being shown and supported in creating their own stories! 

Beginning with Digital Storytelling:

I always suggest that you are best to start with a simple project, such as All About Me, when teaching students the use of a digital tool. Remember, you are teaching the use of the tool, not the subject, when you first begin. Once students have used the tool, they can focus on curricular objectives. A popular topic is polar bears. We find one image and use the Online Reference Centre to find one fact, create our digital story and share.

Tools for Digital Storytelling:

Brainstorming:

Brainstorming tools can be as simple as your whiteboard and a marker, or can be digital. Here are some digital tools that you can use as a whole class or individually in Grades 2 and 3. 

Popplet: Mindmapping: can be printed or exported as a PDF

Padlet: Online sticky notes

Webbing: ReadWriteThink’s online webbing tool

Animoto:

• Upload images, write short bits of text and add music to create a moving slideshow

• Text is limited to 22 characters for the first line, and 30 for the second line
• Can also record student voices for narration and upload it
• Examples: Alphabet books, book talks, Show what you know
• Free for educators

Animoto is a tool best introduced with a buddy class who has used it before. I have used it with Grade 3's after March, and they were able to use it, however, I had a parent volunteer who I had trained in its use help me when I first showed students how to use it.

Voicethread:

• Collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos
• Allows people to navigate slides and leave comments in 5 ways - using voice (with a mic), text, audio file, or video (via a webcam).
• 
  

Voicethread is best used as a teacher-driven form of digital storytelling. Students can create the artwork or take the pictures, and then, using a microphone connected to the computer, narrate their story or verbalize their learning. Ways to use Voicethread in the classroom:

• Document your last field trip.
• Have students create a story to show their learning.
• Use it to build a collaborative understanding of a specific image or story.
• Grade One Voicethread on mini-legends

Google Slides

As a Google Apps district, Google Slides are easy to access and use with students as it is part of their student account! Once again, this is a tool that would be best introduced as a buddy activity if you want your students to create individual stories. Once they are used to it, they will be creating their own slideshows at home and sharing them with you!

• Slideshow tool that uses pictures, videos and text to tell your story
• Students can create their own presentation or can edit one slide to create a classroom presentation
• Alternative to Powerpoint if you want students to work from home
• Can also be downloaded as a PowerPoint if necessary
• Grade One collaborative
• Grade Three Bird Study collaborative

Little Bird Tales

Little Bird Tales is not a free site, although you can get a free personal account. With that account, you can create class stories. If you want to have an account for your whole class, it is $25. However, Little Bird Tales is wonderful for students who are in Grade 1, as it doesn't require that students be proficient readers in order to create a story.

• Walks younger users through each step of creating a multimedia story
• Can upload images, draw images, or record from webcams
• Can use text or narrated by students using microphones
• Free lesson plans on the site

StoryJumper

StoryJumper is a free site for teachers and students. They make their money through selling hardcover copies of student work. StoryJumper is wonderful for students who are in Grade 3 and students and parents who want to create stories together at home. Teachers can create classes through the Classroom Edition, and use the Story Starter Guide to get students started.

• Gives students a set of intuitive tools for writing and illustrating their stories
• Can also read other stories by students online
• Pre-made scenes and props, or upload pictures and use students' own artwork
• Can create your own classroom, allowing students the opportunity to work on Story Jumper at home
• I Have Many Feelings: Book written by classroom teacher

Back to....Beginning with Digital Storytelling:

Digital storytelling can seem overwhelming when you are looking at a class of Division 1 students, many of whom struggle with story writing at the best of times. Think of the gift you are giving them...the understanding that a story does not ALWAYS need to be told with a pen and paper. Once they can use the technology, you are setting them free to use the higher level thinking skills that come with storytelling.

Review the resources on this page and CHOOSE ONE. Choose one that you are comfortable with and play with it yourself. Then introduce it to your students. Bring in any parent volunteers you can or buddy yourself up with another class or teacher. You will find the time and effort worth your while!

More Resources

There are far more ways on heaven and earth to tell a story, Horatio! (Shakespeare as mangled by me!)

50+ Web Ways to Tell a Story

Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Digital Storytelling

Using the Grey Matter: Feedback On Presentations

One Idea Leads To Another

A little while ago, I started using Google Drawing and then Presentation for digital worksheets with students. When doing so, I often put the things I wanted the students to manipulate on the grey area beside the drawing/slide. That gave me an idea - that I could use that space to provide feedback or instructions to students. 

Being a fan of Poirot, I liked the idea of using the little "grey cells" aka grey matter (which processes information in the brain).

Enhancing An Old Project

One of my first Presentation projects I did with students was having them create a cultural presentation on the Inuit. I continue to do this project for social studies. This year I decided to try providing visual feedback to students before their work was marked. The main reason for this is that I have some students not reading at grade level, so the comment function in Google Apps is not always effective for those students as they still require me to read it to them. I want to build as much independence, and with that responsibility, as possible. 

Visual And Written Feedback

I reduced the criteria we had set as a class into point form. 

• 4 correct ideas and 2+ images
• 3 correct ideas and 2+ images
• 2 correct ideas and 1+ images
• minimal work is correct/complete.

In front of each phrase I drew a circle.

Then I added this mini-rubric to each slide on my template prior to sharing it with students to work on. 

When students were mostly done the project, I went through each Presentation and filled in the circle that I felt was representative of the work done on each slide. Then students were given one last time to work on their project.  I used green to fill in the top three circles as all of those were considered a pass. The bottom one I filled in with yellow to bring attention to that fact that that slide needed work before it was marked. If no work was done at all, no circles were filled in.

Prior to letting them start, I went over what the each line said and we discussed that the top circle represented a "wow" great work and the bottom one represented a reminder to correct or complete work done on that slide. 

While my students who struggle with reading might not have been able to read all the phrases, they were able to easily see and understand which slides needed to be "moved up" as one student put it. As a result they were able to start working on those slides that needed attention immediately. 

Added Bonus

What is nice bonus is that when students present their work using the present button, the feedback will not show. 

Rinse and Repeat

Like all things, the more we use something, the more effective we become at it. So I used it for the next Presentation students completed as well. This time students were doing a final project for math (3D objects). 

Again, I reduced the marking rubric to point form and drew circles in front of each statement. Students were again reminded that the top circle represented a "wow" and the bottom represented not ready to hand in.

• correct, in-depth, precise, purposeful
• correct, complete, relevant , thoughtful
• mostly correct, generally complete, acceptable  
• minimal work is correct and/or complete.

Below is an example of the work that was first submitted. Then I provided some feedback. The second below is my feedback and the work that resulted from it.

BEFORE

AFTER

Reflections

In general, I was really please with how well it worked. Students were able to quickly focus on the slides that needed the most attention with more independence; it freed me up to work with students with the highest need of support .. It was also useful for me when working with students as I could do a quick scroll review/see what slides needed the most attention when helping students with their work. I will definitely continue to use this strategy.

What's Next? Self Assessment

Rita Sarrate had a good suggestion: You could also use it as self-assessment, by letting them underline the sentence that applies to how they think their work is, before you assess. I think once students have this system as a part of their work routine, it would interesting to see how it could be used for self assessment with younger students.

Student Example: Story Substitution Writing Plan and Reflection

Here is a final copy of one of my student's substitution story using Presentation. This is a follow up post to Story Substitution Writing Plan and Reflection.

Story Substitution Writing Plan and Reflection

Adding Google Presentation to a Substitution Story Lesson (Grade Two)

Currently my class is doing story writing. I've been using the strategy of using story substitution as a way to teach the elements of good story planning. For the third and final story  activity, I wanted them to take the activity to a final copy. I also wanted them to compose their first draft digitally. Typically I have done this using Google Document. 

Then I got thinking. We are making a substitution story from a book. Why not actually have the student's final copy resemble the original: a book. I did not want to make this an epic process, however. I know there are very creative ways to digital storytelling with younger students. However, my students already have the skills to use Google Presentation.

Step One: Teacher Read Aloud

I decided to try a new book for story substitution this year: Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin. At the end of the book we discussed the elements of the story. 

Step Two: Story Organizer

I modeled the planning stage on the Smartboard. I created a story organizer based on the discussion we had as a class at the end of the teacher read aloud. I suggested that it would be fun to start where the author left off - with the ducks having the typewriter and wanting a diving board. So I modeled how that would look on the organizer. 

Then students were given their own organizers and told to pick a different farm animal to use as their substitution. 

Step Three: Composing Text on Presentation

I put the class substitution plan on the Smartboard and reviewed it. Then I explained we would be making a book for this story and that Google Presentation when printed would be like a book. Again I modeled the process. As my students have used Google Presentation a number of times, I did not spend much time on the technology side. 

I flipped between the plan and our writing and went back to the original book itself with the students as we wrote our substitution story.

As we did it in Presentation, it embeds nicely, so put it on our class blog and below. Currently it is just text, no images. It has not been edited or revised, this is our first draft:

Students then started composing their own stories. The only hiccup is that there is no slide that is "body only" for Google Presentation. As a result, I had students keep it simple by using the 
"new slide" button that adds a slide with a title and body. I will have students delete the title text boxes later.

Step Four: What About My ELL Student?

I have a student who is very new to English and my classroom. I wanted him to participate in this activity. For the planning stage I asked him to choose a farm animal. He selected goat and I showed him that he needed to change cow to goat on his organizer. Then I asked him what that goat wanted: meat. Again I showed him how to make the substitutions.

I am fairly certain he was not ready for story writing. So I typed up the story into Google Presentation (thankfully I am a fast typer and it is a short story). I shared it with him. His job is to go through the story and make the substitutions like he did on his plan. This gives him experience with Google Presentation and allows him to participate in the class activity.

Step Five: Images

I have not decided if I am going to have them add images to make it truly a picture book. I may use this as a story, once students are finished their composing, as an anchor activity. This is something they can work on if they finish other projects early.

Alternatively, I may have them illustrate their book once it is printed with pencil crayons.

Step Six: Commenting

My students have not done peer editing on Google Apps yet this year. I think this would be a great project to introduce this important piece of the writing process. I think I will have them practice on our class story first before commenting on a partner's work.

Step Seven: Extension

I have a number of students who are skilled writers. Not only do they finish a writing activity quickly, but they do it well. I plan to give them mini-lessons on enhancing the text artistry of their story. For example changing the font for the typed notes to Times New Roman and making some of the words bold to add emphasis.

Alberta Curriculum Objectives

2.4 use own and respond to others’ ideas to create oral, print and other media texts
2.4 create narratives that have beginnings, middles and ends; settings; and main characters that perform actions
4.1 identify features that make own or peers’ oral, print or other media texts interesting or appealing
4.1 explore and use the keyboard to compose and revise text
4.1 choose words, language patterns, illustrations or sounds to create a variety of effects in oral, print and  other media texts

Inspiring Students Through Literacy and Technology: A Best Practices Day

My presentation for Inspiring Students Through Literacy and Technology: A Best Practices Day

Here are the results of the website crowdsourcing:

Websites
Story Jumper - StoryJumper is a place to create and discover stories for kids.
SymbalooEDU - organize websites for your students
Black Gold Regional Schools - Engaging Students - Division One  (old link -http://content.blackgold.ca/ict/Divison1/Div1Index.htm)
multiplication.com

Oxford Owl - free ebooks

Literactive - online phonics activities, guided reading books
Abracadabra - online reading and comprehension activities
PebbleGo - research activities for emergent readers (currently available through Online Resource Centre until Feb. 14)
Mathletics

Tablet Apps
Popplet For School - to capture and organize your ideas.
Aurasma - augmented reality platform

Questions

Someone asked "is there a site that show how to use Google Apps?

Try "Learn the Apps" links from EPSB's Share A Little Help.

Try Create And Save A Presentation  from Google

I was also asked to share some of my playlists. If you go to my YouTube Channel, you can see them there. 

Division One Students Using Google Slides

Google Slides in Division One

I definitely favour Google Slides/Presentation out of all the Google Apps for use with my grade twos. A few months ago I shared some activities I have done with grade two students and Google Slides at a Community of Practice. Here is the presentation.

Putting Presentation Into Presentation

Where We've Been

For anyone who has followed this blog this year, you'll know I've done a lot with Google Presentation with my grade twos. At the beginning of the year the focus was building technology skills: things like how to Make A Copy of a template, how to share a Google Doc and how to create slides. Now we are at the end of the year and my grade twos are presenting their presentations to other classes!

Culture Presentations

In social studies, my students make a culture presentation for each culture they studied: Inuit, Acadian and Ukrainian.

Inuit

I outlined what we did in our first culture presentation in the post Inuit Culture Lesson Plan.
For that presentation, I shared a template with them. Their facts were presented as lists. It was a very guided experience.

Acadian

The second presentation was on Acadian culture. For that presentation, I had students write in sentences. They learned how to add a video and they added a resources slide.

Ukrainian

Their final culture research project was on Ukrainian Canadians. For this project I wanted them to actually present their presentation in front of an audience. As my students were also working on a science research project that involved presentation during the same time period, I did not require sentences for all slide this time. I still had them do a resources page and we discussed identifying websites in addition to the books we used. I gave them a checklist and they worked on it independently while I worked, as required, with students who needed support.

Once finished their Google Presentation, students then had to fill in a script. They were paired up. One student would click to the next slide (as Smartboards do not interact well with Chrome) as the other student read their script. Then they swapped roles. After practicing in class, they went to other classes in the school! My students were excited and nervous about sharing their presentations. 



You'll notice the student presentations are not perfect. Students received feedback from me, like on any project, and were instructed to revise and/or edit. I hope by sharing the completed, but not perfect, presentations, others will have a real sense of grade two work.

Getting Started With Grade Ones and Google Apps

A grade one colleague shared with me her grade one's first Google Presentation. It is a super simple, yet motivating, first activity. The students really enjoyed the project.

It was successful because:

• it was a culminating activity, so students were knowledgeable on the topic.
• older buddies helped.
• the template the teacher created made it simple for her new-to-Google students to feel successful.
• she had access to the document her students were working on and could monitor their progress.

What she did:

1. She created a Google Doc and made a slide for each of her students. Each slide had 'by' and the student's name. 
2. She shared the document with her students.
3. With their buddies, the students had to find the slide with their name, type their sentences and add pictures.
4. When everyone was finished, each student got to come up and read his/her slide to the class.

Below is a copy of the final presentation. I have removed students names and just left the first initial.

Another Grade Two Presentation Activity

Working In Meteghan Presentation

My students created a Google Presentation about working in Meteghan, Nova Scotia.

Background Information

This is a lesson that I did in March 2013. My students had created a number of Google Presentations already. They had also learned the terms natural resources, wildlife, goods and services as they related to Iqaluit. In this activity, they reviewed these terms and applied them to Meteghan. They also reviewed how to use keywords to search for images.

What We Did

Each day we did one slide and one term.

1. We would read about the topic. Sometimes together and sometime in partners. (My school uses Pearson's Many Voices.)
2. We would review what the term for the day meant.
3. I would have students list examples for that term specific to Meteghan.
4. Then students would create a slide for that term. This was guided.
• We came up with the definition for the term and that was the title for our slide.
• Then students had to search for images to represent examples for Meteghan.
• For goods and for services they also typed examples.
5. After students had a sufficient amount of working time, we'd review what they came up with and I used that to create an example slide on the Smartboard. 
6. On the last day they shared it with me.

An Example of One Day - Goods

1. Students logged onto Google Apps and then set their netbooks aside.
2. We reviewed what goods were. Students were able to look at a glossary before answering if needed.
3. Half the class read one page out loud. The other half had to identify three goods that were shared on that page. Then they switched roles. Half the class read a second page out loud. The other half had to identify three goods that were shared on that page.
4. I reviewed how to create a new slide that had a 'title and body'. 
5. We reviewed what goods were again and I typed a student's answer as the title.
6. I reviewed how to create bullets. 
7. I asked for one example of a good and used that to demonstrate that I wanted a list.
8. Then students opened their presentation (they had already started the presentation) and created the new slide.
9. After students had a sufficient amount of working time, I had them share what goods they added to their list (I had said they needed a minimum of six) and added what they shared to my example on the Smartboard. 
10. I then explained they needed three images for this slide. We reviewed what some good keywords might be.
11. I had them working time to add their images.

No Assessment

This activity was intended to support the students learning about working in Meteghan, therefore it was not taken in for assessment.

Examples

Here is the presentation I created as a summary of what my students did (step 5) - Working In Meteghan. Here is an example of a student's presentation - Example of Working In Meteghan.