Digital_Storytelling

="Your Pictures Tell a Story"=


 * Abstract:** Way back before language was invented, people told stories with pictures. We learn to process images and sounds before we are able to read. Telling a story with pictures is a way for your students to express their ideas creatively and share what they know. Using tools like Photostory make the process of creating these stories a real no-brainer. Plus, if you want to share your stories or collaborate with others a new online tool called Voicethread lets your stories take on a life of their own.

Intro to Digital Storytelling
People have been using pictures to tell stories since before recorded history.
 * [|Cave Paintings]
 * [|Ancient Egypt]
 * [|Paintings]
 * Photographs
 * Motion Pictures

Pictures convey a powerful message (Ken Burn's "[|The War]"). It's more than just facts & figures pictures and voice can convey emotions as well.

Kids have been raised on TV, video games, and computers are wired to think visually - in pictures.

Teachers use visuals as writing prompts. ([|Discovery Streaming] Writing Prompt Builder)

Students use tools like Power Point, and PhotoStory3 to tell stories.

Power Point

 * [|Important Book](pdf file) - Even 2nd Graders can use Power Point. Based on "The Important Book" by Margaret Wise Brown and a project idea from teacher Jeff Lee. (I modified it to also use VoiceThread)
 * [|Photo Album] - Bet you didn't know Power Point could do this!

[| Microsoft PhotoStory] - A free download for Windows users.
[|PhotoStory3 Tutorials by David Jakes] - Great printable tutorials and screen capture tutorial videos. These cover everything we talked about in the session and few things we didn't.

Sample Student Projects and Lesson Ideas
 * [|10/5 Digital Story]
 * [|Tidepool Riddles Project] / [|Sample Riddles] / [|Animal Riddles]
 * [|Back to School Project]
 * [|Suspense Stories]

PhotoStory for Mac Users
How to view videos made with PhotoStory3 on a Mac: For more specifics see this blog: http://dgrice.blogspot.com/2007/11/not-so-simple-solution.html
 * 1) On your Windows computer, use Windows Media Encoder to convert it to a "different" type of wmv.
 * 2) On your Mac, install the Flip For Mac plug-in for Quicktime.


 * iMovie 08** - Use it to make "PhotoStory-like" projects. Here's how: http://dgrice.blogspot.com/2008/02/imovie-08-photostory-for-mac.html

Does your school block YouTube? Here's a link that explains how to convert YouTube videos into something that can be dowloaded and viewed offline: [|"Free to YouTube"] ||
 * iMovie 06** - Learn how to make a Digital Riddle with the previous version of iMovie using these tutorials from [|Jennifer Gingerich].
 * [|iMovie Riddle Step 1]
 * [|iMovie Riddle Step 2]
 * [|iMovie Riddle Step 3]
 * //Speaking of converting things...//

[|VoiceThread]
Add an element of collaboration to your digital stories using VoiceThread. Your students could work together on a story for your class or your class could collaborate with students across the country or around the world.

How does it work? Here are a couple of blog posts that explain it... [|VoiceThread Tutorials] (made with Voicethread of course!)
 * [|Your Pictures Tell A Story] - Sept. 30, 2007
 * [|VoiceThread Update] - Oct. 13, 2007

Examples:
Notice that VoiceThreads can be embedded in your blog or wiki. //(How cool is that?)// media type="custom" key="240683"

**More Examples:**

 * [|Digital Storytelling with Kindergarten]and [|December Traditions] - From Bridget Belardi, a library/media specialist in Pittsburgh, PA.
 * [|Academic Excursion] - A collaboration of educators from the Discovery National Institute - July 2007
 * [|Landforms Where We Live] - A presentation started by Amy Lundstrom, an educator in Bend, Oregon.
 * [|VT in the Classroom] - The ultimate collection of Voicethread projects by TechieTeacher

**Sample Lesson:**

 * The Important Book - Here's a Power Point project idea from teacher Jeff Lee, modified to work with VoiceThread.
 * [[file:ImportantBook.pdf]]