Project Introduction

🎬 Our School … Our Story

Belonging Through Video Storytelling

Project Goal

Using Google Vids, you will create a 60–120 second video about what belonging means to you at our school.

You already captured powerful ideas in your Google Keep notes — your favorite teachers, your strengths, and what belonging means to you. Now it's time to bring those ideas to life as a real video.

What Your Video Must Include

✅ A written script with a clear beginning, middle, and end

✅ A voiceover recording of you reading your script

✅ On-screen text to highlight key points, captions, or section labels

✅ Photos or video clips that support your story visually

✅ Background music that sets the mood (volume balanced so your voice is heard)

✅ Transitions between every scene (minimum 2–3 different types)

Before You Begin: The Planning Template (Google Docs)

Great videos don't happen by accident — they start with a strong plan. Open the Google Docs Planning Template from Google Classroom and complete all 4 sections:

Video Outline — Map out your 5 sections (just like a 5-paragraph essay)
Full Script — Write the exact words you will say in your voiceover
Visual Planning — Decide what images, clips, or text will appear in each section
B-Roll Planning — List supporting footage ideas that show what you're talking about

Tip: Open your 3 Google Keep notes in a separate tab while you work. They are the raw material for your script!

Structure Your Video Like an Essay

Think of your video as a 5-paragraph essay — but instead of writing it on paper, you're building it as a video.

Section

What It Does

Where to Find Your Ideas

1. Hook / Intro

Grab the viewer's attention. What does belonging mean to you?

📝 "What Belonging Means to Me" Keep note

2. Body 1 — The People

Who makes you feel like you belong? Teachers, friends, mentors.

📝 "My Favorite SMS Teachers" Keep note

3. Body 2 — The Places & Activities

Where at school do you feel most like yourself?

📝 "Things I Am Good At" Keep note

4. Body 3 — Your Vision

What could make belonging even better at our school?

Your own ideas

5. Conclusion

Why does belonging matter? End with a powerful final message.

Pull from all 3 Keep notes

Key rules for structure:

Begin with a strong hook — your first sentence should make someone want to keep watching
Develop 3 distinct middle sections that each focus on a different idea
End with a compelling conclusion that ties everything together
Maintain a clear central message throughout your entire video

Understanding A-Roll and B-Roll

A-Roll is your main story — the primary visuals that directly match what you're saying in your voiceover.

Ask yourself: What is my main story? What visuals will the viewer see while I'm speaking?

B-Roll is your supporting footage — extra images, video clips, or photos that add visual interest while your voiceover plays.

Ask yourself: What images or clips can I add to make my story more visual and interesting?

A-Roll (Main Story)

B-Roll (Supporting Visuals)

What it is

The primary visuals that match your voiceover

Extra footage shown while your voice keeps playing

Examples

You speaking on camera, a title card

Photos of school hallways, clips of activities, images of friends

Purpose

Tells the main story

Adds depth and keeps it visually interesting

Open Google Vids from Google Classroom

Your Google Vids project template is in Google Classroom under "Our School … Our Story." Open it and start building scene by scene.

Your video should have 5 scenes — one for each section of your essay:

Scene 1: Title Slide — your name + project title + design
Scene 2: Hook/Intro — opening voiceover + attention-grabbing visual
Scene 3: Body 1 — People who make you belong
Scene 4: Body 2 — Places and activities
Scene 5: Conclusion — Why belonging matters + final message

Write Your Script and Record Your Voiceover

Writing Your Script

Start with a compelling hook: "The moment I walked into the art room, I knew I had found my place."
Structure it with a clear beginning, middle, and end
Include specific examples — don't say "school is great," say what makes it great for YOU
Keep sentences short and conversational
Time yourself — read it out loud. It should be 60–120 seconds

Recording Tips for Professional Results

Find a quiet location with minimal background noise
Position yourself 6–8 inches from the microphone
Speak clearly and at a moderate pace
Practice reading your script 3 times before you hit record
Record multiple takes until you capture the right tone
Listen back with headphones to check quality

Spice Up Your Story with Audio and Effects

🔄 Add Transitions (10 points)

Use a variety of transitions — minimum 2–3 different types (fade, dissolve, slide, wipe)
Make sure they feel smooth and appropriate for your content
Don't use the same transition between every scene

🎵 Add Background Music (10 points)

Choose music that fits the mood of your belonging message
Keep the volume LOW — your voiceover is the star
Use fade in at the beginning and fade out at the end
Balance levels so your voice is always clearly heard over the music

📝 Add On-Screen Text

Use text to highlight key points, add captions, or label sections
Make sure text is large enough to read and stays on screen long enough

🎬 Design Your Title Slide (10 points)

Include your name and the project title
Add a background image or color that sets the tone
Consider adding a simple animation
Make it look professional and polished

How You Will Be Graded (100 Points)

Submit Your Video

Open Google Classroom
Find "Our School … Our Story"
Make sure your Google Vids project is attached
Click Turn In

Your Google Docs Planning Template should also be submitted separately — it counts toward your overall grade.

✅ Final Success Checklist

Before you submit, make sure you can check off every item:

[ ] My video is 60–120 seconds long
[ ] I have a written script with a clear beginning, middle, and end
[ ] I recorded a voiceover of myself reading my script
[ ] I included on-screen text to highlight key points
[ ] I included photos or video clips that support my story
[ ] I added background music that does not overpower my voiceover
[ ] My video has 2–3 different transition types
[ ] My title slide includes my name and the project title
[ ] My video has a clear belonging message with a personal perspective
[ ] My video is structured like a 5-paragraph essay (hook, 3 body sections, conclusion)
[ ] I submitted my Planning Template in Google Classroom
[ ] I submitted my Google Vids project in Google Classroom