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Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

Digital Storytelling is an innovative way to engage in writing and to consume and share knowledge. In preparation for National Author's Day (November 1) and National Novel Writing Month (November) this week's update shares a wealth of tools to support writing and digital storytelling in the classroom.

Grades 2-12

OK2Ask: Digital Storytelling 101

View this archived virtual workshop to develop an understanding of the digital storytelling process and how it can be used in the classroom. Digital storytelling can be very simple. Learn about tools that can be used to implement digital storytelling.

Grades K-12

TeachersFirst's Digital Storytelling Resources

Engage and excite your students to write with this curated list of digital storytelling tools. Use digital storytelling in all subject areas to assess, collaborate, share results, and more. Find tools for all grades and class implementation ideas.

Grades K-12

Adobe Spark in K-12

Create web pages, video presentations, and graphics using the available templates and graphics tools. The Education version provides data privacy, the ability for students to log in with an existing school id, and many lessons for all grade levels.

Simple Ways to Introduce Digital Storytelling

Explore the tools below for some easy ways to implement digital storytelling in your classroom.

Grades 2-12

100 Word Challenge

This creative writing challenge can motivate reluctant and challenge more advanced writers to improve their skills. Students write and submit 100 word responses to a weekly prompt. Participants can receive and leave constructive peer comments.

Grades 4-12

Add Text

Use of images can enhance learning in many ways. This tool allows you to add words to an image or photo and share with no registration required. Select from an image gallery or upload of your own. Includes features for customizing text and sharing images.

Grades K-5

WriteReader - Children As Creators

The interface of this cool tool is so simple even young children can successfully use it with little guidance. Kids can create their own books, including text, pictures, and voice recordings. Teachers have their own space on the page to add comments.

Cross-Curricular & Creative Tools

Digital storytelling tools can be used in all subject areas: social studies, science, world languages, and more. Encourage creativity with these unique tools. 

Grades 3-12

Elementari

Create interactive digital stories using drag-and-drop text, illustrations, and shapes. Choose from image filters, a variety of fonts, and options for interactions and animations. Interactions can play a sound, go to a new page, or animate a feature.

Grades K-12

WordsEye

This cool tool offers a simple user experience to create 3D scenes using descriptive sentences to make images. Check out the intro video to learn how to use this tool and find several classroom implementation ideas for art, world languages, ESL, and more.

Grades 6-12

Odyssey

Build interactive, map-based stories by clicking Create Story to begin. Follow the prompts to choose a template for slides, scrolling, or an animated story. You can add story content, images, links, and more. Publish when finished and share!

This Week at TeachersFirst

Today marks the beginning of this year's Globetracker's Mission (for grades 2-6) -- an interactive, engaging geography unit -- learn how to participate below. All are invited to join us on Tuesday for our weekly OK2Ask® virtual workshop and to visit the Infusing Technology blog for our latest posts. Plus, be sure to participate in this week's poll related to digital storytelling tools.