Creating a Photostory

I just finished creating my photostory last night.  I had a blast doing it.  It was refreshing to do an assignment that was so creative, multi-layered and personal to boot.  And the fact that we end up with a finished product that looks like a mini movie is pretty darn cool.  Here is my movie.  I can't say that I finished it, only that I finally gave up editing it.  I could have gone on editing it for hours but I have other things I need to do, like spend time with my poor neglected family. 

What a cool project for students to do!  Kids (most of them anyways) always want an audience, so lets give them a stage.  There were so many layers to this project, layers that incorporate many of the EALRs that we need to touch upon anyways.  First there's the writing.  Some of the EALRs for writing is to write for a variety of audiences and purposes, write descriptively, and analyze and edit content.  Well, I can tell you right now that I did all of those things when writing this story.  Since I had to record my story as well, I was forced to constantly revise my writing in order for it to flow when read out loud. 

Then there is the analytical work that goes into choosing images for my photostory.  When should my images be literal?  When should they be metaphorical?  What helps move the story along?  What hinders it?  How should I use transitions and movement in my photostory?  So many things to think about.  In a unit long lesson plan, think of all the cool and in-depth journaling that the kids can do while working on this project. 

Then there is abstract and critical thinking.  What is the mood of the story?  How do we convey that mood with music?  What about your tone and the inflections of your voice during certain parts of the story?  Will your audience be able to discern the messages and subtleties of your stoy? 

Of course, at the same time, the students are learning about technology, theatre, and music.  What a fun tool to use to help our students learn!  This is definitely something I will take into my own classroom.