Hello all,
I am a video teacher at the high school level and want to help my wife bring digital storytelling in her 2nd grade class. I am looking for suggestions/advice on equipment (cameras and computers) and funding sources. Please share any success stories or struggles.
I am happy to share some of my suggestions for high school, if interested.
Thanks!
First, the only equipment you need is a computer on the internet. If you are Windows, download PhotoStory. Free, simple, and powerful. And perfect for introducing digital stories to the second grade. Download images from unitedstreaming (Discovery Education Streaming). Pull the photos or clip art into photostory, let students compose a narration and pick music. All of this is built into the program! Save cameras for the next level. (For Macs, use iMovie or slideshow in iPhoto--equally free). Funding sources are always problematic. But where there is a will, there should be a way. Is there no digital camera in the school to borrow? If not, talk to your parent group. Somebody will have an old one they'll pass on. And the old digital cameras for many classrooms are just fine: the file sizes are smaller, and they are often simpler to operate.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Hall. I enjoy your blog and presentations. Your idea is right on to suggest to keep it simple in the beginning. She can appeal for more after she has success with her projects. People would rather fund things that are working!
My thinking is that a few iMacs will be in the future.
BTW, I reported that this post is showing the wrong user name. I am JimSill from CA.
First, the only equipment you need is a computer on the internet. If you are Windows, download PhotoStory. Free, simple, and powerful. And perfect for introducing digital stories to the second grade. Download images from unitedstreaming (Discovery Education Streaming). Pull the photos or clip art into photostory, let students compose a narration and pick music. All of this is built into the program! Save cameras for the next level. (For Macs, use iMovie or slideshow in iPhoto--equally free). Funding sources are always problematic. But where there is a will, there should be a way. Is there no digital camera in the school to borrow? If not, talk to your parent group. Somebody will have an old one they'll pass on. And the old digital cameras for many classrooms are just fine: the file sizes are smaller, and they are often simpler to operate.
Why not have the students bringing in some of their characters from home (ie, GI Joes, Teddy bears, Barbies) and have them be the main characters in a story. Have them use digital cameras to take the characters acting out a story. From there, using Photostory and PPT (save as jpg.) import pictures into Photostory and the students can tell their story using a $10.00 microphone. I had the best stories ever written when I did this with my 1st and 2nd Grade LS class.
When my wife taught 2nd grade she did beginning digital storytelling with PowerPoint. She put all the photographs for the students to use in a folder. The students wrote their own story. Then selected photos that went with their script. Some of the students even added a narration.
Since PhotoStory2 came out I fount it very easy for elementary and middle school students to use to recreate a digital story with very little help.
-Bob Pettis
7th grade science
Funding sources: There is a program called Funding Factory. Recycle ink cartridges and used cellphones for points towards technology. We have earned scanners and digital cameras (FOR FREE!!!!) from them. http://www.fundingfactory.com
Also, similar to Hall's comment, keep it simple. If your wife wants to start with real photos the children take... try using a disposable camera. Have the photos developed onto CD - CVS does it for 2.99 but try other pharmacies or camera stores. These photos can be added to PhotoStory3 for free. Then you don't have to worry about copyright image issues.
Goodluck! If you wife needs any support she can email me jrousseau@nred.org. I work with K-5 technology integration and love digital story telling with students.
I am a third grade teacher and I use iMovie on Macs. I have my students first write a script or report and find pictures online. They create a folder on the desktop and drag the pictures they find in it. I have a class website and only allow my students to search on the websites I post on it. One of the websites is of course Unitedstreaming. My students just began researching different parts of Thanksgiving. I have one group researching Squanto, the Wampanoags, the Pilgrims, the food served, the Mayflower Voyage, and activities that took place during the feast. This is more of a report type, but simiar in the set-up and software. I had the advice to have my students take digital pictures or draw their own pictures, so hopefully some of them will choose to do this. Once the pictures are put in the program and put in order the students record their voices. Last year I used the built in mic's on the Mac's. This year I have a USB mic. It sounds SO MUCH BETTER!
I am so amazed how easily my students learned how to use this. I just teach a few and then they help a few. Eventually they all learn, well almost:) Good luck to her!
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