Digital Storytelling

Leaving Digital Footprints

Rationale

Digital storytelling is a way to allow students to use computer-

based tools to tell a story. Digital storytelling is also known as
digital documentaries, computer narratives, digital essays,
electronic memoirs and interactive storytelling. Students are
able to combine images, video, audio, and even text to create
digital stories that can be shared with authentic audiences. As
technology tools are becoming more prevalent in schools,
students need to create, share, and communicate with globally
diverse audiences. Digital storytelling helps build a classroom
culture of respect, empathy, and collaboration. It also allows
students to work on their planning and writing skills by writing a
script for their story. According to the 2015 Whats Hot and
Whats Not survey, 75% of literacy experts rated digital literacy
as hot and should be hot. Creative writing was voted as currently
not hot, but 75% of respondents agreed that it should be hot.
Current and future students are becoming a generation of online
video content creators. Digital storytelling promotes
engagement and relevance.

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Connection to
Standards

Digital storytelling meets the Common Core State Standards in

the areas of writing and speaking and listening. In addition,
digital storytelling can be used to address other standards in all
content areas, such as social studies and math.
Anchor Standards for Writing Grades K-5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.3 Write narratives to develop real or
imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-
chosen details and well-structured event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.4 Produce clear and coherent
writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.6 Use technology, including the
Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and
collaborate with others.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.10 Write routinely over extended
time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and
shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range
of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening CCSS.ELA-
Procedure
LITERACY.CCRA.SL.4 Present information, findings, and
Decide on the focus for the digital story.
supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of
Introduce the topic or focus to students.
reasoning and the organization, development, and style are
Students conduct necessary research.
It is highly recommended that students write their story appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.5 Make strategic use of digital
first. This later becomes their script.
media and visual displays of data to express information and
After students write a draft of their story, they should
enhance understanding of presentations.
receive feedback from peers and the teacher.

Once students have a completed written story, they

may begin finding images, videos, audio, and text that
will enhance their story.
7. Students should plan their digital story. A storyboard
frame works great for planning. Students should break
their written script down into slides or pages. Students
should then plan which images, video and text will
appear on which slide or page. They should also include
any background music and transitions between or
pages they plan to include.
8. Students will then create their digital story using an
approved website or app. Some examples include:
iMovie, moviemaker, VoiceThread, Littlebirdtales, and
Storybird although there are many others to use.
9. After all images, text and videos are added students
should fluently read and record their script.
10. Background music may then be added.
11. Final stories can be shared in class, to other classes, or
posted online on wikis, blogs, or other formats.

Intended for
Digital storytelling can be used by students in all grades, as well
as across subject areas. It is best used in classrooms with
available technology, such as computers or tablets. Digital
storytelling can be used to present research on a topic, aid in the
development of unique stories and promote creativity in all
grades.

Presented by:
UNCC Masters of Reading Education
Graduate Students

Amie Hoover
Cynthia Lawrence
Ashley Marlowe
April Dawn Raney
Krista Saxman

Sample Lesson
This sample lesson was created for a 3rd grade project on historical leaders. It is planned as a 16 day unit with
approximately 45 minutes a day for each lesson. This can be shortened or lengthened based on your available time each
day. This lesson can also be adapted for other grade levels and content areas.

Day One
Introduce the project to students. Today we are going to begin a project on historical leaders in America. Your
job will be to research an important historical leader and learn everything you can about that person. Then you
will be creating a digital story as if you were that person about your life and your influence on our country.
Show some examples of digital stories and discuss the process of creating a digital story. First, you will research
a historical leader. Then, you will take that information to write an interesting story about that persons life and
their impact on America. This will later become the script for your digital story. After you finish your script, you
will then find images, videos, and other resources that will make your digital story more interesting and help
others learn about your leader. After that, you will plan your digital story and begin creating your story using
iMovie. You will have to narrate your story.
Assign or have students select an important historical leader. They may spend some time researching historical
leaders first.

Days Two-Five
Students need to conduct research. You may provide planning templates or spend more time on the research
process if this is new to your students.

Days Six-Eight
Students will use their information to write a story from the point of view of the historical leader. More
background and modeling may be needed for writing from an alternative point of view.
After students write a draft of their story, they should receive feedback from peers and the teacher. Critique
groups of 3-4 students work well.

Days Nine-Ten
Students should gather any images, videos, and text they plan to include in their digital story.

Days Eleven-Twelve
Students will use a paper storyboard frame to plan each slide including a quick sketch of any images,
descriptions of videos, any text that will appear, their written narration, and any transitions between slides.

Days Thirteen-Fifteen
Students will create their digital story using iMovie. Once all images, video, and text are added they will narrate
the story by speaking fluently and with expression.
Students may add background music if it enhances their story.

Days Sixteen Plus
Students will post their digital story on their blog page for others to view and comment.

Other Resources
For storyboard templates and other digital storytelling resources, please visit our Weebly page at:
http://digitalstorytellinguncc.weebly.com

References
Cassidy, J. & Grote-Garcia, S. (2014). Whats hot& whats not. Reading Today (32)2, 8-12.
Schrock, K. (2012, December 1). Digital storytelling. Retrieved January 31, 2015, from Kathy Schrock's guide to
everything website: http://www.schrockguide.net/digital-storytelling.html#tools