This week for my EME 5050 class we were given the task to create our sample digital storytelling project. This teacher created sample will be used by our students to get a better idea on what their own projects should look like. I decided to create my digital storytelling project for my 2nd grade students. It’s on a famous African American who contributed or contributes and changed the face of America. Each of my students will select a famous African American and research as much information as they can. I ended up creating two digital stories as examples for my students. On my curriculum page, I created a digital story on Ruby bridges and for this week assignment I decided to create the next digital storytelling on Jackie Robinson.
We have been asked to make our presentation on digital storytelling using Prezi or Slideshare. I decided to use Prezi to create my story because I had a few experience creating other stories. This week, the assignment was a quite easy and I was able to add more detail facts to my digital storytelling. I add background color, changing the fonts and adding different colors to my titles. I have yet to figure out how to use the shapes, but I do believe that with time and practice I would accomplish that goal as well. The most consuming part of the project was gathering the details and placing them carefully across the screen. My goal was providing enough space between each fact. I did not want my presentation to be messy. Once I organize the details, pictures and video it was smooth sailing! Now the only upsetting piece about creating this project was uploading the video from YouTube. I really do not have a problem with YouTube; it’s that Seminole County blocks access to YouTube. We are only allowed to use TeacherTube and for some reason I cannot upload videos from TeacherTube. Why is that? Is there any way that we can up load videos from TeacherTube for my presentation so that my students can watch the video? My goal for next school year is to use this presentation as an example for my students. I will be greatly disappointed that my video of Jackie Robinson will not be able to play. If anyone as any feedback on that issue, please let me know!! Well my digital story is finished and it is now ready to be viewed. Please take a look and I hope you enjoy watch it!
Carrene,
ReplyDeleteWow, you really put a lot of effort into this presentation! I enjoyed how you played visually with colors, fonts and pictures. The flow of information was very smooth and made the progression of Jackie Robinson's life very easy to understand.
I have a few concerns, however. For one, I felt your presentation was very text heavy and bit too long. Now, I do not know your 2nd graders or their abilities, but I worry that this example might set the bar a bit too high. I looked through your previous posts and couldn't determine what other kinds of parameters you would place on this project. For example, how long would they have to create this project? Would you give them a specific length/number of Prezi path points to include? Would they be given class time to review the research they found so they know if it is relevant or enough information? Would they just be creating a straight presentation or made to create at least one draft ahead of time? Without this information, I'm afraid I think that this is a bit much for 2nd graders.
Also, I felt you needed a better distribution of visuals. I love the ones you found, but they were mostly included in the back end of your presentation. They were entirely relevant and appropriate to that part of Robinson's life, but it meant that the middle of your presentation was harder to appreciate. I'm sure it was difficult to find pictures for the middle sections, but maybe this ties into my earlier concerns of the need to make your information more concise.
Overall, I think you really did a good job. This project will be a sure winner with a few adjustments. I'm sure you've already learned a bunch from making this example, and I bet in the end your students will have a ball with it.
I think your presentation had an abundance of great information presented.You mentioned that the most difficult part was researching the details and placing them well on the screen. I don't really know much about second graders, but my first reaction was that your presentation would have been for a higher grade. Again, I'm not a second grade teacher but I would envision mostly images and some text. I would think they would need a great deal of time to put together a presentation with so much detail and wouldn't be happy if parents ended up doing this project.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do think you did a great job. I think it flowed very well, had a great amount of detail and good images. I believe that your assignment is a great one for teaching your students African Americans that have not only influenced history but also changed our lives today.
I love the presentation. I thought that this was an excellent topic for Black History Month. You included lots of information about Jackie's life. I also loved how you included subtitles before introducing the next set of details. You had wonderful pictures that tied in very well with the text. It was very informative and entertaining. However, I think that it was a bit long for second grade students. I taught second grade for many years. The most important thing is to be able to keep their focus. I would maybe suggest that you add background audio music or have a narration. I would include more pictures to balance the text. Overall, I loved the project. I know that the students will love it as well.
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful that you were able to create 2 samples for your students. The material integrated technology and history, self-esteem and reflection for your students.
ReplyDeletePrezi has enough guided instructions for users to create whatever you may be hoping to create in it. I too spend hours of untracked time editing. My secret is I create graphics and text in PowerPoint in text boxes, graphics already are in a text box and select it, then save it as a picture. That way I can create anything. Try it.
It sounds like you are becoming an expert in Prezi. I was glad to hear you say how you like to create stories. Multimedia technology seems to be just right for you and your classroom.
Try embedding a video into a PowerPoint from home. You need to active your Developer Tab in 2007 versions of PPT but not 2010 it’s already there. Follow the instructions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hChq5drjQl4