Harriet's WR #7
Progress? Accomplishments? Starts? Gaps? Filling gaps?

I am proud of the digital storytelling wiki. Tracy formatted it and added some great links, but I think I am getting the hang of adding links now, and there are some fab resources there. In the process, also with a nudge (or shove) from Tracy, I have found some go-to folks online. Not sure how responsive some will be, but they are there and I know where to find them. There is even a great digital story explaining wikis!

I've seen quite a variety of digital story projects. I will start out with a whole class story about our individual hopes and wishes for the year. Since I'm structuring it, there will be less for the students to do, but we can get it done for back to school night (I think I can, I think I can...), thus wowing the kids and their families. It will make their own stories easier, because they will have participated already and know what to expect. It might garner me some family help with future projects.

Here's the plan:
1. We'll talk, draw and write our hopes and wishes for the year. (We do this anyway.)
2. I'll photograph or scan them.
3. I'll photograph each student.
4. I'll record each student reading their piece.
5. We'll put it all together, and add music (possibly kid created).
6. We'll add whatever else the kids come up with.
7. Once I get over the newness of burning to iDVD (there's help available, I know, I just have to do it), it's time to pass the popcorn.

My hope is that each student produce a personal digital story, because the personal part is my passion. It is going to take a while to get our class "cooperated" so that I can work one-on-one with students, and I probably will be working solo. My other concern is equipment--for most of last year I did not have a functioning computer. I am hoping that the superintendent will be jazzed enough to find some money for this project. I just need a newer Mac, hopefully laptop, with some memory space. Easy. I think we need a projector also--they are getting pretty cheap yet there are still few available on loan.


I have an assignment from the Teaching American History (TAH) Class--to post digitally info about our Underground Railroad Trip (funded by TAH, and to do a presentation. This will be a snap with my new wiki skills! (I know where to find you, Tracy, and I'm not afraid to use you!) I was planning to make some digital stories about my trip, and I also found many student-generated stories, and a great site with links from the Smithsonian and Library of Congress, linked with a program to produce stories. Very cool.

I still need to practice uploading images and video, and burning dvds. It'll happen.

I really needed something to be passionate about this school year. I've found it, and so much more from working with you all.