Miss.

Ruckel’s Digital Storytelling Night Lesson Plan

Overview: Our First Grade Class and families have been invited to our Annual Digital Storytelling Night. We
have encouraged students and families to bring 3-5 personal, meaningful artifacts relevant to their family/
culture. We will be using these artifacts as a way to present their stories and thoughts in multimodal forms; they
will be digitally telling their stories through digital tools such as VoiceThread. They have been provided with
iPads and tablets as well have the offer on hand to use their personal smartphones/ iPhones.

Subject Digital Storytelling

Grade Level First Grade

Materials/Tools/ - iPhones, iPads, Tablets

Apps - 2-3 artifacts meaningful to each family
- name tags and pens
- iMovie, VoiceThread

Objectives Students will be able to learn about and get hands on practice with digital storytelling
tools; they will become familiarized with the importance of digital tools as a way to
share and express themselves multimodally. Students will be using cultural artifacts to
share meaningful stories visually and audibly with friends and family.

Standards CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1

Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about ​grade 1 topics

and texts​ with peers and adults in small and larger groups​.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.4

Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and
feelings clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.5

Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify

ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.6

Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation.

Teaching Timeline (you may use bullets to make substeps )

Step 1 Arrival and Setup
Arrive at AppleTree Elementary School at 5:30pm to set up the cafeteria.
Set up a “check in” table area: blank name tags and pens available
Set up a projector with a personal ipad connected through HDMI cord with a table of
personal cultural artifacts.
Set up each table with enough iPads, tablets, and technology options.

Step 2 Opening
Direct students and families to check in tables to pick up name tags and pens.
Allow time for families to find seats at tables and create their name tags. (Be sure to
double check that every student has an iPad or Tablet.
Introductory Statement: “I would like to start by welcoming our First Graders and
families to our Annual Digital Storytelling Night!”
I will then allow time and influence students and families to go around and introduce
themselves.

Step 3 Introduce Digital Storytelling task through story and example

Read ​Milo’s Museum b​ y Zetta Ellliot
- Relates to different cultures and importance of expressing each different
culture
Discuss and present my personal digital storytelling example.

Step 4 Sorting and Ordering

I will direct students to look at the projector screen where they will see me screen
sharing from my iPad. I will have students lay out their artifacts in front of them on
the table. I will guide them through screen mirroring step by step; I will use my own
example of artifacts laid out and show how I chose to group them meaningfully to
create a story that flows. I will encourage them to brainstorm and present their
artifacts in a way that also flows.

Step 5 Pre- Scripting

Pass out template sheets to each child.
Invite children to brainstorm about each artifact and use the template to express it:
- What it reminds them of, who gave it to them, any special facts or info,
anything associated that they feel is worth sharing

Step 6 Digital Storytelling procedures

*This step by step process will ALL be monitored through screen sharing over
the projector for all to see (at the proper pace)*

- Start by having all of the students take seperate pictures of each artifact using the
iPad or tablet.

- Then, make sure that each student has VoiceThread downloaded on the iPad or
 tablet// encourage them to open the app.

- Invite students to begin uploading the pictures they took of the artifacts onto the
VoiceThread app by clicking (+) and then “upload file(s)”

- While pictures are in the process of uploading; invite students to think of a name or
title for their digital story- (proceed to show them how to add this and then save).

- I will influence students to then begin focusing on one artifact at a time: I will
demonstrate the process of adding a voice audio through adding a comment. I will
direct them to do a voice audio for each artifact using the template to tell their story.

- I will also demonstrate how to redo a recording if necessary and then show them
how to save their audio recordings when they are comfortable.

- Further, I will show students how to rearrange their photo sequence if it was
uploaded out of their meaningful order.

- I will encourage students to add any final touches they may want to (optional):
music, drawings, etc.

-Reminder: make sure everyone is saving their work properly

Step 7 Edit and Finalizing

Once everyone gets to saving what they have created thus far, I will encourage
students to watch their voicethreads to ensure they are confident in them. I will allow
time for students to make adjustments to make sure they are streaming properly and
clearly.

Students will then follow along with me to finalize and save their VoiceThreads. I
will have everyone write down their public links for viewing purposes and to have to
view.

Step 8 Presentations
We will present and share in a large group setting. Each student will have the
opportunity to use the projector to present their own VoiceThreads.

Step 9 Reflections/ Recap

I will thank everyone for coming and participating; as well as openly sharing personal
stories. I will over time give feedback on what they thought of the night- both
students and families will be encouraged to give critical commentary or just thoughts.
I will also leave index cards on the check in table that they could pick up and write
any feedback they feel like sharing!