Grade: 8th Grade Reading

Teachers: Mrs. A. Walker (8th Grade Reading Teacher/ acting as Media Specialist)

Mrs. S. Selph (8th Grade Reading Teacher)

Concept: Digital Storytelling

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to enhance student’s digital storytelling skills. Students
will learn how to write a personal narrative, including all of the steps of the writing process.
They will then create a storyboard of their stories and record a narration of the story using
Audacity. Students will use Photo Story to create their digital stories.

Materials: Computer Lab; laptops for students, Audacity and Photo Story software,
microphone/ headsets, Smart Board, digital cameras, Kodak high definition video cameras,
computer/ photo scanner, student directions for assignment, assignment rubric and checklist,
photo story directions, pathfinder, student self-assessment handout, group/ partner rubric

Learner Analysis: This lesson is designed for an 8th grade reading class. The class consists of
31 students. In addition to the computer lab, students will be utilizing (6) laptops as well as other
technological tools that the class was awarded as part of a technology literacy grant. All
resources are available for both teachers to utilize in the classroom.

• Economic Information: Dodge County is considered an economically disadvantaged

county. Each student in the county in grades k-12 receives free or reduced lunch
benefits. Twelve of the thirty-one students in this class are considered as having a lower
socio-economic status. Twenty-two students have a computer at home and twenty
students have access to a working internet.

• Age/ Gender: The students in this class range in age from 13 to 15 years of age. There
are 18 girls and 13 boys in the class.

• Cultural Background: There are 15 African American students and 16 Caucasian

students in this class.

• Educational Background: Of the 31students in this class, 2 have repeated the 8th grade
and 4 students currently have an average of 69 or below. All but one student passed the
7th grade reading portion of the CRCT. One student has an excessive amount of
unexcused absences and continues to miss many instructional days. Due to the content of
this unit, attendance is imperative. According to the STAR test that students took at the
beginning of the school year, 22 students are reading below grade level. Seven students
are reading at grade level, and 2 students are reading above grade level. Students have
also taken the reading benchmark test. Of the 31 students tested, 11 students minimally
met learning objectives, 18 students met learning objectives, and 2 students did not meet
 the learning objectives. In order to meet the learning objectives, students must earn
between 67% -100%. In order to minimally meet learning objectives, students must earn
between 33%-66%. Students not meeting learning objectives earned between 0%- 32%.

• Special Needs/ Accommodations: There are no gifted students in this group of learners.
Seven students are identified as having special needs and have IEP/ 504 plans. Each
student receives modifications based on his or her learning needs. Modifications for
these learners have also been included in the unit.

Specific Entry Skills: According to GPS standards, students have been engaged in the writing
process for many years of their educational experiences. Students will be familiar with author’s
purposes for writing. They will know the differences between types of writing (persuasive,
expository, narrative). Students will also be familiar with figurative language and how authors
incorporate figurative language into their writings. Students will know how to apply conventions
and grammar correctly in writing. Many students are familiar with figurative language;
however, skills in incorporating figurative language into their own writings are limited.
According to the Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences inventory, most students are visual learners.
These learners should make a connection between my own digital story that will be played as an
example, as well as other examples that will be shown during the course of the unit.

Keller’s ARCS:

Attention:

To capture the audience’s attention, the teacher will begin class by asking students to raise
their hands if they would like to share a personal story about a significant event that has
happened to them. The story must be told in first person point of view. If a student
volunteers, the teacher will allow him or her to come to the front of the room and share their
story (if no one volunteers, ask why and discuss reasons why it would be hard to do this in
front of others).

After a student shares their story with the class, ask the student (and class members) how the
story could be improved (images/ photos, organization, planning…). Tell students that we are
all going to share a personal experience with the class. However, we will not stand up and
read the story aloud BUT we will tell our own stories to everyone in the class. Ask students if
they know how we can do this without dealing with the fear of speaking in front of others or
“stage fright”. This will transition into a discussion about digital storytelling.

Relevance: The teacher will lead the class in a discussion of the use and importance of
technology and how it is applied in our everyday lives. Students will give examples of how
technology is used. The class will discuss why storytelling is important to them and share
how some stories that they have been told have been significant to them and to others.
 Confidence: Students will work with a partner to conduct a peer editing of the rough draft.
Students should be able to take something away from the personal narrative. For example,
after reading the rough draft, each student should be able to answer the question, “Why is this
story important? What lesson was learned?”. If not, students will go back to the drawing
board and start over.
Students will complete a think-pair-share with their partner. They will be asked to explain
what lesson or idea can be learned after reading their partner’s story. Why did he or she
choose to write about that event or idea? After the final draft, students will create a storyboard
of their personal narratives. Students will bring personal items and pictures to add meaning to
the story and will use a scanner to scan the items in order to upload them to the document.
Once the storyboard is complete, students will use Audacity to conduct a voice recording of
their stories.
Students will use Photo Story to put all of their work together.
Students will complete a self-assessment using the self-assessment rubric after the project has
been completed.

Satisfaction: Students will be rewarded at different milestones of this project. Once students
finish their final drafts, they will receive a grade for their work and will conference with the
teacher receiving feedback for their assignment. Students will receive a grade for successfully
uploading their narration using Audacity. Students will be rewarded on the final presentation
day. The class will enjoy drinks and snacks and will view each other’s digital stories on the
Smart board.

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences: One survey was administered to students. This survey
required students to check the statements that applied to them as a learner or as an individual.
The survey determined their learning style based on eight styles identified by Gardner. These
styles were linguistic, logical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal,
and naturalistic. Source: http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000718.shtml The
following table depicts the results of the survey:
Gardn Multipl Intelligen
er’s e ces Word Music Pictur Body People Self
e
Student Nature Number/ Smart Smart Smart Smart Smart
Smart
Number Smart Logic Smart (Verba (Musica (Kinesthet (Interperson (Intraperson
l) l) (Visua ic) al) al)
(Naturali (Mathematic
l)
st) al)

1 X X

2 X X X

3 X X

4 X X

5 X X X

6 X X

7 X X

8 X X

9 X

10 X X X

11 X X X

12 X

13

14 X X X X
Gardn Multipl Intelligen
er’s e ces Word Music Pictur Body People Self
e
Student Nature Number/ Smart Smart Smart Smart Smart
Smart
Number Smart Logic Smart (Verba (Musica (Kinesthet (Interperson (Intraperson
l) l) (Visua ic) al) al)
(Naturali (Mathematic
l)
st) al)

15 X X X

16 X X X

17 X X

18 X X X

19 X X

20 X X

21 X X X

22 X X X

23 X X

24 X

25 X X

26 X

27 X

28 X
Gardn Multipl Intelligen
er’s e ces Word Music Pictur Body People Self
e
Student Nature Number/ Smart Smart Smart Smart Smart
Smart
Number Smart Logic Smart (Verba (Musica (Kinesthet (Interperson (Intraperson
l) l) (Visua ic) al) al)
(Naturali (Mathematic
l)
st) al)

29 X

30 X X X