 |
Discover Denali Lesson Plans
Lesson #1 - Storyboarding
 Lesson #1 Storyboarding
Alaska Standards
Technology
A student should be able to use technology to locate, select, and manage information.
A student who meets the content standard should:
1. identify and locate information sources using technology;
2. choose sources of information from a variety of media; and
3. select relevant information by applying accepted research methods.
English/Language Arts Standards
A student should be a competent and thoughtful reader, listener, and viewer of literature, technical materials, and a variety of other information.
A student who meets the content standard should:
1. comprehend meaning from written text and oral and visual information by applying a variety of reading, listening, and viewing strategies; these strategies include phonic, context, and vocabulary cues in reading, critical viewing, and active listening;
2. reflect on, analyze, and evaluate a variety of oral, written, and visual information and experiences, including discussions, lectures, art, movies, television, technical materials, and literature; and
3. relate what the student views, reads, and hears to practical purposes in the student's own life, to the world outside, and to other texts and experiences.
Lesson Introduction -
This unit focuses on stories, storyboarding, and the making of digital movies. Students will be asked to think about:
|
1) |
the definition of story |
|
2) |
stories they have in their own memory |
|
3) |
elements that make a story a story |
|
4) |
using storyboarding as a tool for making movies |
|
5) |
creating a storyboard about an aspect of Denali Park |
Teachers will want to discuss what we mean by “story.” The definition of story* is:
Noun:
|
1. |
a factual or fictional account of an event or series of events |
|
2. |
a work of fiction in prose that is shorter than a novel |
|
3. |
the plot of a novel, play, motion picture, or other fictional narrative work. Also called story line |
|
4. |
what somebody says has happened |
|
5. |
something that one person tells another that is not true (informal) |
|
6. |
a report in the news of something that has happened |
|
7. |
a subject or material for a news report |
|
8. |
traditional tales and legends, or the literature based on such tales |
Verb:
|
1. |
to decorate something with images of scenes from history or legend |
|
2. |
to tell something as or in a story (archaic) |
* Source: Encarta® World English Dictionary © 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Later it will important to differentiate between a “story” and a “report.” The key difference is the change or transformation described in a story versus a linear rendition of facts or events in a report. Both have are valid forms of communication, but are used for different purposes. The goal of this unit is to help students creating and telling a story about Denali Park.
 There are many stories about Denali National Park. From the natural history, the history of Denali becoming a Park, to the issues around balancing tourism and wilderness protection today, you will want to get students thinking about ways in which they can listen, learn, and tell their own story about the national treasure.
Some of the ways to introduce students to Denali Park is by looking at any of the many books, magazines, video, websites, and curriculum about the Park (see Resources links). Depending on the age level, you will want to consider reading books orally, showing one of the many videos, doing a web quest or search on the Internet, checking out magazines in the library, and/or inviting students to interact with Park Rangers in person or via video conferencing. The goal is to stimulate their interest and motivation through some simple awareness and knowledge practices.
Storyboarding is the process of recording the sequences or visual plot of a story. Students will learn about storyboarding through a process of deductive and inductive exercises. First, have them record scenes stories from their own memory, then have them move forward to making storyboards of their new ideas and stories about Denali Park. Reinforce that storyboards as the essential building block to making digital stories. They are the “hard work” of thinking and planning before students get their hands on the cameras for filming.
 Plan -
Students need to think about what they know already about Denali National Park and Preserve. Some may know if for the wolves or bears, while some may relate to the Park as home of Mt. McKinley, tallest mountain in North America. Few students may know that the Park was set aside for the protection of Dall Sheep habitat. Storyboarding will allow the students to share what they know already and open doors about what they don't know about the Park.
Storyboard for what students know already about Denali National Park. The sequence can include:
|
1) |
using 3 X 5” index cards, |
|
2) |
write down words or draw images of associations with the Park
a. bears, wolves, Mt McKinley, wilderness, etc. |
|
3) |
use concept maps on a white board or by projecting computer software (i.e. Inspiration, Keynote, Power Point) to write down the words/images generated by students |
|
4) |
fits these into categories such as animals, geology, geography, people, etc, |
|
5) |
review the “big picture” about what students know about Denali Park. |
|
|
| a. |
Put the index cards in a storyboard sequence by the categories like the class was making a movie about what they know. For instance,… “In animals, we know there are bears, wolves, caribou, sheep, and ground squirrels (place the index cards of these animals in a sequence). |
| b. |
Repeat this with the other cards and categories until all cards are placed in the storyboard sequence. |
|
|
6) |
ask students about the gaps in their knowledge as reflected by the concept map. “What else can we learn about Denali National Park?” |
|
7) |
ask students to write down on 3 X 5” index cards other possible animals, geological features, or human issues about Denali Park. |
|
|
| a. |
For instance, “We know there's tall mountains in the Park, so there must be glaciers. Let's write ‘glaciers’ as something to investigate.” |
| b. |
Another example, “We know there are dall sheep, but what to they eat? Let's write down ‘sheep's food/habitat’ knowing we'll want to investigate that too.” |
| c. |
Continue until word or natural associations are made with each item from the “known” concept map. This creates the “unknown” concept map and the starting point for students’ investigation.
|
| d. |
Create a storyboard from these “unknown” items (like Step #5) in a movie sequence. Let students know this storyboard is the “Discovery Denali” movie sequence about what they will be investigating, researching, and retelling in the movie they are about to make. |
|
This storyboarding process should allow you help students see what they know and don't know about Denali Park. As with any knowledge management process, there will be a sense of “unfolding information” over time. Coach students to be patience and open to new concepts or ideas as their knowledge increases about the Park. Continually record these “new” things they learn about in the storyboard and concept map format. We want students to see that stories are about knowledge management and learning.
Stories are an unfolding of known and unknown things. Storyboarding is the tool students can use to management their knowledge, as well as a planning tool for how they will communicate the story about what they know to larger audiences. Now they have storyboards about what they know and don't know about Denali Park. They have successfully storyboarded their “Discover Denali” movie, and now the work is to gather new information to fill in those gaps in the process of creating new knowledge or stories.
Gather -
Students are now ready to begin the process of research through collaboration. Taking their storyboards, they can begin to gather data from books, maps, movies, websites, and other curriculum about Denali Park. Some of those resources are listed on this page and website. Remember to follow inquiry-based approaches to allow students to follow their own questions such as:
|
1) |
What interests you the most about the Park? |
|
2) |
What research projects are currently going on in the Park? |
|
3) |
What are the bears, wolves, birds, sheep, or other animals doing right now? |
|
4) |
What sounds are heard in wilderness? |
|
5) |
How much does Mt. McKinley grow every year? |
Educators are also invited to contribute their favorite questions and resources for teaching about Denali Park at the Discovery Denali Activity Guide website.
Ask students to collect, research, and share resources with other students, classmates, and school partners. The information they gather can be written, sketched or photos (from old magazines, etc) into the gaps of the storyboard. Students will create a “story” using the information they have gathered in the process of searching Denali resources.
These storyboards can be collected either in paper or digital form. In paper form students can cut, paste, write, or draw information into the paper storyboard they are creating. Digitally students can use software such as iMovie or PowerPoint to capture and display pictures, sounds, scanned images, or text notes.
Create -
Now that students have storyboards from their own memories AND those pieces that are gaps in their own knowledge about Denali Park, they are ready to build a complete storyboard. Again telling the student's story of the Park is the goal. Coach them through process of combining their existing knowledge with the new into a compelling set of events that tell a story - transformation over time of an individual or group.
Ask the students to take the following steps:
|
1) |
match the two storyboards (old and gathered information) |
|
2) |
identify themes (survival, wilderness, ecology, etc that emerge from the information in their storyboards |
|
3) |
select one of those themes |
|
4) |
build a new storyboard that tells a story using the theme as its central element |
|
5) |
use other elements such as point of view, dramatic question, humor, etc. to further enhance the story |
|
6) |
revise storyboard until student (and team) is satisfied that it reflects their old and new knowledge in the form of a story |
Remember that students may get frustrated about artist inability. Do not let this slow down their creative process. Emphasize the story theme and elements to show change or transformation. Their sketches on the storyboards are simply placeholders for video shots coming once they get access to the camera. Some storyboards can be constructed of still pictures, called picture boards, as another technique for covering story ideas.
Communicate -
Now the students have created their new storyboard, it's time to “sell” it to the class and producers (the teacher). The process requires good verbal communication and presentation skills. Students will need to be clear about their story concept in order to communicate it effectively to their team. Once students are ready, create a “studio” in your classroom with the storyboard in a place that every student can see it.
Here's the recommended process:
|
1) |
Create with the class some guidelines for good storyboards |
|
2) |
Review some good presentation/listening skills for presentations |
|
|
| a. |
Discuss this process as a kind of “critical friends” event in which ideas and people are valued and critiqued in positive terms |
|
|
3) |
Ask the storyboarder/writer to present the storyboard to the class |
|
|
| a. |
Encourage them to act it out to draw in the audience |
|
|
4) |
After storyboard is presented, ask students to write down scores or comments for the storyboarder to consider |
|
5) |
Share some of these comments and suggestions (keep in positive format) to help the storyboarder know impact on the audience |
|
6) |
Provide storyboarder with written comments for improving the storyboard |
|
7) |
Go through all storyboards in the class |
|
8) |
Ask all students to spend more time adjusting their storyboards based on the input |
|
9) |
Schedule and conduct individual interviews with each students to verify the consideration (and addition) of the critical friends review |
|
10) |
Be prepared to move to Lesson #2 - MovieMaking if storyboard is acceptable. |
Assessment
The assessment for the storyboarding activity has several components. One is for the process the student(s) go through to complete the tasks of storyboarding. Another is the completeness and quality of the storyboard. Us the rubrics below as a starting point for assessing the students’ work in this lesson. You are encouraged to add to this rubric, especially in areas such as inquiry-based learning, collaboration, application of information literacy and research skills, and technical qualities of the storyboard. Please share your ideas through the Discovery Denali Activity Guide website to share with other educators.
Resources
(see Resources Button)
top
|
|
Home Page
Discover Denali Lesson Plans:
• Lesson #1 -
Storyboarding
• Lesson #2 -
My Denali Movie
• Lesson #3 -
Handhelds
• Lesson #4 -
Maps & Storytelling
• Lesson #5 -
Wireless Worlds
Resources
Denali Science & Storytelling Camp |
|
