In terms of what kind of story to tell, there is a great deal of latitude. But I think you will gain most by creating something related to your content area.
Here is how I am suggesting students look at it. Suppose you gave your students a digital storytelling assignment. Create a digital story that would fit your requirements. That is, treat yourself as one of your own students who is responding to your assignment. You can then use your story as a model for students when you actually do your unit.
What you complete and post
You will need to post the following on your blogfolio to meet the requirements of this project:
- A description of your assignment for your students. Describe this project in terms of an assignment you would give to your students. This posting should be a paragraph, plus a few bullets.
- Your VPS Story Map. You can read about this (as well as the story core, from which maps emerge) in pages 71 through 85 of my book.
- Reflective paragraph. Post a paragraph about your project and what you learned from doing it. Include a link to your story that is posted on YouTube or other video service.
- Rubric. Post a rubric you might use with your students to assess their digital stories. This should be short, and to the point. Using 4-6 rubric traits will work. You can read about digital story assessment, and see examples or rubrics, on my assessment site.
Here are some tools that should be helpful in developing a project for yourself, and in creating assignments for your students.
- Story box or research box. This is addressed on page 99 of my book. It is a tool to help students create a project that is manageable.
- Jason's storytelling site. My storytelling site is in 4 parts. You will probably be most interested in Part II: The Art of Storytelling, which addresses storymapping. Also, Part IV: Assessment you will find helpful with rubric development.
- Designing a documentary project. This step-by-step how-to handout shows how to use a documentary story in a content area. Then it shows how it was used with an actual project, called The Life of a Monk, that you can you watch on YouTube.
Here are some examples of projects that your colleagues have proposed:
- Where's the math in my life? A story about a student's search for how math is used in everyday life.
- What is my connection to Alaska? Students will explain a significant connection they have with the state through an experience, an object or other means.
- Line Goes for a Walk. Two pencils meet, take a walk, become lost in a world of media, and help each make sense of the chaos. The story is both a “what is” and “how to” regarding the elements of design. It is also a love story that reveals to us a life lesson: during times of confusion and chaos, we are able to connect with greater truths.
- Life of a Monk. This is an actual project that you can watch on YouTube. Tenth grade history students studying the Middle Ages were asked to create a short documentary expressing their understanding of some aspect of life during that period in first person narrative. This piece pertains to life as a monk. Production was limited to a few hours.
