Students as Storytellers

Enhances Memory: Stories are easier to remember than isolated facts.

Boosts Engagement: Engaging narratives capture students' attention.

Encourages Creativity: Storytelling stimulates imaginative thinking and creativity.

Improves Communication Skills: Helps develop both oral and written communication abilities.

Fosters Empathy: Listening to and telling stories can increase understanding and empathy for others.

Promotes Critical Thinking: Crafting stories requires analysis, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Strengthens Cultural Understanding: Sharing diverse stories can broaden perspectives and cultural awareness.

Builds Confidence: Presenting stories helps boost self-esteem and public speaking skills.

Elementary School

• • Math Story Problems: Students craft their own math story problems, integrating characters and scenarios from their own imagination, making math concepts more relatable and fun.

  • Biography Projects: Students choose a figure they admire—could be historical figures, scientists, or artists—and create a visual and oral presentation that narrates key events and contributions of these figures, encouraging research and storytelling skills.

  • Mythology and Folklore Festival: Through group projects, students explore and perform myths and folklore from around the world, fostering an understanding of global cultures and teamwork.

  • Storytelling with Digital Tools: Students use simple digital storytelling tools to create short stories or animations about topics they're learning in class, such as animal habitats or community helpers, integrating technology with creativity.

  • Interactive Story Maps: Students create "story maps" of their favorite books or stories they've written, incorporating drawings, text, and significant locations in the narrative, enhancing spatial thinking and narrative skills.

Middle School

• • Historical Fiction Writing: After researching, students write and share short historical fiction pieces, offering perspectives on historical events through the eyes of imagined characters, deepening their understanding of history and empathy.

  • Environmental Narratives: Students investigate environmental issues and create persuasive digital stories (like podcasts or videos) advocating for conservation, blending science with digital literacy and activism.

  • Art History Storytelling: Students select an artwork and present its story, including the artist's biography and the artwork's historical context, through a multimedia presentation, blending art appreciation with history.

  • Personal Narrative Podcasts: Students create podcasts sharing personal stories or exploring topics of interest, practicing narrative skills, and audio editing, fostering personal expression and technical skills.

  • Cultural Exchange Digital Stories: Students create digital stories about their local culture or personal experiences and exchange these with students from other countries, enhancing language skills and global awareness.

High School

• Science Explainers: Students pick complex scientific concepts and break them down into engaging, understandable stories or videos, aimed at teaching younger students or the general public, enhancing their understanding and communication skills.

• Autobiographical Poetry: Students write poems exploring their identity, culture, and experiences, then share these in a classroom poetry slam, fostering self-expression and literary analysis.

• Entrepreneurial Storytelling Pitch: Students develop innovative product or service ideas and use storytelling techniques to pitch to mock investors, simulating real-world entrepreneurial experiences.

• World Languages Cultural Narratives: In language classes, students create narratives or short films about cultural traditions, historical events, or personal experiences in the language they're learning, promoting linguistic skills and cultural empathy.

• Social Justice Documentary Making: Students research a social justice issue of interest, then produce short documentaries combining interviews, research, and narrative storytelling, encouraging civic engagement and media literacy.

1. Point of View: What is the main point of the story, and what perspective is it being told from? A clear point of view is crucial as it guides the narrative and establishes a connection with the audience. It defines the story's stance or the message the creator wishes to convey.

2. Dramatic Question: A good digital story often raises a question at the beginning that is answered by the end. This dramatic question, or the central conflict, keeps the audience engaged and drives the narrative forward, creating a sense of anticipation.

3. Emotional Content: Stories that evoke emotions tend to be more memorable and impactful. Including emotional elements helps to connect the audience with the story on a personal level, making the experience more meaningful and engaging.

4. Voice: The storyteller's voice in the narration brings authenticity and personality to the story. A strong, clear, and expressive voice enhances the narrative's effectiveness and helps to convey the emotions and nuances of the story.

5. Soundtrack: Music and sound effects can significantly enhance the mood and atmosphere of a story. A well-chosen soundtrack complements the narrative, emphasizes key moments, and can influence the audience's emotional response.

6. Economy: Digital stories should be concise and to the point. The economy of the story refers to using just enough content and detail to tell the story effectively without overwhelming the audience. It's about striking the right balance between what's included and what's left to the audience's imagination.

7. Pacing: The rhythm and speed at which the story unfolds play a crucial role in keeping the audience engaged. Pacing involves the timing of the narrative's progression, the duration of scenes, and the flow between story elements. Proper pacing ensures that the story maintains its momentum and holds the audience's attention throughout.

Multimedia Creation

• Heyzine (https://heyzine.com/) - Create engaging flipbooks with text, images, audio, and video.

• Biteable (https://biteable.com/) - Make animated explainer videos and presentations with ease.

• Adobe Spark (https://express.adobe.com/page/9bPqZ/?tp=1) - Design engaging social media posts, videos, and web pages with stunning templates.

• Storyboard That (https://www.storyboardthat.com/) - Design engaging storyboards and comics online.

• Powtoon (https://www.powtoon.com/) - Turn complex topics into animated presentations and video explanations.

• Canva (https://www.canva.com/) - Design eye-catching posters, infographics, and other visual content for your stories.

• Pixton (https://www.pixton.com/) - Build engaging comic strips and graphic novels with diverse characters and settings.

• ThingLink (https://www.thinglink.com/) - Create interactive images and videos with embedded text, audio, and links.

Audio Storytelling

• Anchor (https://anchor.fm/) - Record and publish high-quality podcasts easily, perfect for audio narratives.

• Voice Memos (iOS) / Sound Recorder (Android) - Simple tools for recording audio clips and adding basic effects.

• Audacity (https://www.audacityteam.org/) - Free and open-source audio editor for creating sound effects, adding music, and mixing audio.

• GarageBand (macOS) / BandLab (iOS/Android) - Create original music and sound effects to enhance audio stories.

• Spreaker (https://www.spreaker.com/) - Powerful platform for recording, editing, and distributing podcasts with advanced features.

Interactive Storytelling

• Twine (https://twinery.org/) - Create interactive fiction and choose-your-own-adventure stories with no coding required.

• Kudzu (https://www.amazon.com/Kudzu-Queen-Mimi-Herman/dp/1646033108) - Build interactive branching narratives with multimedia elements.

• Articulate Rise (https://www.articulate.com/360/rise/) - Professional tool for creating interactive eLearning courses and presentations (freemium version available).

• Buncee (https://buncee.com/) - Build interactive presentations and animations with text, images, audio, and videos.

• ThingLink 360 (https://www.thinglink.com/blog/how-to-make-a-360-virtual-tour/) - Create interactive virtual tours and immersive storytelling experiences.

Collaboration and Sharing

• Padlet (https://padlet.com/) - Create online bulletin boards for collaborative brainstorming and story planning.

• Google Docs (https://docs.google.com/) - Write and edit stories collaboratively with real-time document sharing and feedback.

• Book Creator (https://www.bookcreator.com/) - Create and share beautiful digital flipbooks and ebooks collaboratively.

• Sutori (https://www.sutori.com/en/) - Build multimedia timelines and presentations collaboratively.

• BookDash (https://bookdash.org/) - Create and publish custom printed books together as a class.

Download the Storytelling Rubric