One of the benefits of teaching art is that I have the freedom to fit so many different subjects into my classes through a variety of media. I love the concept of digital storytelling because it fits so well within the visual art classroom. Below is an outline of how I might approach implementing a lesson using digital storytelling into my class. Due to the limited class time, I probably would not choose to use a digital storytelling project in my homeschool group class. Rather, I might use digital stories to teach and as prompts for art projects.
I would begin by having students discuss movies they have seen. What movie stories stayed with you? Which ones inspired you to do something? Which ones made you think about events or stories from your own life?
I would show students an image of Migrant Mother by photographer Dorthea Lange. We would begin by discussing the image using some of the following questions: What do you see in this image? What are some of the emotions you feel when you look at this photograph? Who do you think this woman is and why did Dorthea Lange take a photograph of her?
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| Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother, Museum of Modern Art |
These questions and the class discussion would be a jumping board into an exploration of the work of Dorthea Lange and also the history of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Students could look these up on their own reading biographies of Lange such as this one or look into information on the Dust Bowl such as this.
We would then discuss the idea of a storyboard and look at examples of one such as this. What do storyboards remind you of? Where is the beginning of this story? Where is the rising action/falling action? Where is the conclusion?
Students will choose another photograph by Dorothea Lange. With the parts of a story in mind, they will write a story that answers the following questions: Who is this person? What led up to them being in this situation? What happens after this scene?
After completing their writing, students will break up their story into 8-12 scenes on a storyboard with accompanying drawings. One scene must use the Dorothea Lange photo rather than a student drawing.
Students will use 8x10 drawing paper and draw out each scene from their story. Their drawings do not have to be perfect and can be simplified images (just enough to tell the story). We will photograph each of their drawings.
Using an audio recording program, students will record themselves telling their story.
Using the recorded story and images of their drawings, students will build a digital story.
When complete, we will upload the digital stories to YouTube and then onto a class blog. From there students can view each other's work in order to comment and critique the work of their peers.
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Lange, Dorothea. 1936. Migrant Mother. [Gelatin Silver Print] Retrieved from http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A3373&page_number=4&template_id=1&sort_order=1
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