Digital Storytelling
There are several ways to begin digital storytelling with minimal technological skills and minimal investment. For my students, Windows MovieMaker was the easiest way to begin. The steps that my class followed were:
- Use the audio software Audacity to record the soundtrack. Students can use their own writing or read a piece of existing text. Students will need to use a microphone/headset (a "McDonald's headset" as my students call them) to record.
- Export the soundtrack to an MP3 file.
- Import the soundtrack into Windows MovieMaker.
- Use online photo sources or a digital camera to import photos into MovieMaker. One good photo site is Pics4Learning.com. These are copyright-friendly photos to use, but also contain a citation that can be copied and pasted into a project.
- Once photos and audio are imported into MovieMaker, students can stretch or shrink the amount of time each photo is seen on screen.
- Students can then add a title slide, bibliography of "borrowed" photos, or credits.
- When the movie is finished, students save it as a .wmv file.
- There are a large number of video tutorials available on YouTube for using MovieMaker.
- This is another tutorial for using the program, or view the pdf at the bottom of this page from Recipes4Success.
- Jason Ohler has some fantastic digital storytelling resources at his site.
moviemaker.pdf | |
File Size: | 541 kb |
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There are other wonderful sites to use for digital storytelling, many of which are far less complicated that using MovieMaker. Several of those sites are listed below. Students can also use online comic creators to "publish" their stories.
Blabberize
Use Blabberize to upload a photo, create a mouth, and then make it talk! You can use a photo, or students can scan in a drawing to go with their story. There's no account needed. Students only need a microphone and a computer on which to access the website.
Use Blabberize to upload a photo, create a mouth, and then make it talk! You can use a photo, or students can scan in a drawing to go with their story. There's no account needed. Students only need a microphone and a computer on which to access the website.
This is a student report about Burmese Pythons created using Blabberize. It's a fun way to have students share their writing, using only a photo and audio!
In a similar manner, Fotobabble will also create a talking photo (without the animated mouth). Students have a one minute time limit on Fotobabble.
My Storymaker
My Storymaker asks students to choose a main character, the character's goal, and helps kids create a simple story. It's great for younger writers because it's image-based.
My Storymaker asks students to choose a main character, the character's goal, and helps kids create a simple story. It's great for younger writers because it's image-based.
Students begin by choosing their character and the character's goal. From that, the site gives them a simple title.
Students can change backgrounds and add props and other characters. When they click on a character, students can change the emotion, or add an action. The site shows the action.
Once the characters perform the desired action, the site writes the sentence for the student. This is great for visual students, or those that have difficulty getting thoughts into words!
There are many options of settings, scenery, items, and characters from which to choose. The storyboard appears across the top of the page, as seen at right.
When students are finished, they click the red "end" flag to preview their story.
When students are finished, they click the red "end" flag to preview their story.
When the story is complete, students can print or download it. They're also given a code to view it directly from the website.
For younger writers or those with writing difficulties, My Storymaker is great!
For younger writers or those with writing difficulties, My Storymaker is great!
Little Bird Tales
Little Bird Tales is a site intended for elementary students to create stories with audio. A sign up is required to use the site.
Little Bird Tales is a site intended for elementary students to create stories with audio. A sign up is required to use the site.
Google Lit Trips
Have students create their own Lit Trip in Google Earth for stories they create. This works well, but only if setting is a key part of the story.
Have students create their own Lit Trip in Google Earth for stories they create. This works well, but only if setting is a key part of the story.