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Oral Histories and Podcasts Digital East St. Louis

Digital East St. Louis 1

Place-Based Digital Humanities Programming for Middle-School Aged Participants

https://eaststlouisculture.siue.edu/omeka/

History of the Project Digital East St. Louis, a three-year, NSF-funded project, engaged students in grades 6-9 in the creation of a content-rich, digital humanities website about the history and culture of their city.

A collaboration between Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s STEM Center and the IRIS Center for the Digital Humanities, the program, which met over a three year period for five weeks during the summer and for sixteen Saturdays during each school year, encouraged newfound interest in technology among African American students via a place-based approach to the digital humanities. Students learned about their city while gaining valuable technological skills, including:

• Videography • Video Editing • Web Design and Development • Sound Editing • Podcasting • Computer Programming • Metadata Standards

Place-Based Learning Place-based education is the study of a place (local or regional) using a pedagogy that emphasizes students asking questions, solving real-world problems, and using field work to gather information in a local setting (Smith, 2002; Sobel, 2004; Semken, 2005; Semken & Freeman, 2008; Endreny, 2010). Gruenewald (2003) argued that “place-based pedagogies are needed so that the education of citizens might have some direct bearing on the well being of the social and ecological places people actually inhabit” (p. 3). Place-based educators promote a pedagogy that “relates directly to student experience of the world, and that improves the quality of life for people and communities (p. 7).” Digital East St. Louis takes the stance that place-based learning in an urban environment empowers students to connect to their community and increases student engagement and understanding. Urban settings offer equally rich learning opportunities to rural settings through examination of the relationship between humans and the built environment and cultural and environmental city histories. Such learning also has the potential to contribute to community well-being. In the case of Digital East St. Louis x students reported increasing their knowledge about the community and its history. Anecdotally, students often shared that they took more pride in their community, and that they relished sharing their own stories about East St. Louis with others who only heard negative opinions about their city and its occupants.

https://eaststlouisculture.siue.edu/omeka/

https://www.siue.edu/stem/

https://iris.siue.edu/

Digital East St. Louis Oral Histories and Podcasts

2 Digital East St. Louis

The Digital Humanities The digital humanities and social sciences is an innovative methodology for analyzing longstanding research questions in related fields. This digital research is often interdisciplinary in nature. It can involve the creation of dynamic scholarly archives or the development of new digital tools for analyzing languages, literature, images, spaces, and historical periods. These projects use the digital medium to offer audiences new insights. The digital humanities and social sciences foster an overlap between theory and method. They allow students to tackle complex questions via digital project design while providing them with cutting edge applied skills to take with them into professional environments. The Digital East St. Louis project combined the digital humanities with a place-based approach to interest students in content first in order to inspire their use of digital tools. For instance, one participant realized that a map/timeline combination would be the best visual and interactive approach for demonstrating the local school district’s history. Another group realized that a google map could be an appropriate way to display the quality of water sample they had taken throughout the city. In this way, students explore their interest in technology in order to most effectively share what they have learned about content with others.

A Word or Two about Content We have designed this curriculum into modular units so teachers, youth group organizers, and after-school program coordinators can pick and choose activities based on interest. Though the place-based model was a central element of our project design, any topic that gets students excited about using technology to communicate with others is a useful place to start. For example, two recent uses for the curriculum in different programs have adapted the content to focus on audio remixes of African American poetry, visual remixes of images from the film Black Panther, and podcasts about school sports. As a group, we had the most success when participants had some freedom in choosing topics that mattered to them and what methods they would use to share them with broader audiences.

Documentary Films Digital East St. Louis


Making Documentary Films

Documentary films are an exceptional way to provide students with an opportunity to use their voice in a new and creative way. This curriculum module takes students through the process of developing ideas and stories about their city that they want to tell into documentary films. Included are unit-level goals and skills to be learned, lesson plans, and accompanying online and written resources. Students begin by learning about documentary films as a medium. While the students have undoubtedly watched and created untold numbers of videos, they learn to look deeper into what stories are being told, and how the medium lends itself to being both informative and personal. Looking deeper, kids learn to see how the documentaries were shot, and how details in those shots and the production of documentaries plays a role in learning from them. Additionally, students find themselves behind the camera practicing creating these shots in a scavenger hunt. After learning to see more in films, students begin to plan their own documentaries by researching locations relevant to shoot. At this time, students decide on a story to tell about somewhere near them. Regardless of location, there is history and a story to tell, and students find themselves in the role of documentarian seeking to tell a story to a wider audience. What does it mean to live here? What’s unique about here? What would an outsider find interesting about where I live? These questions and more are leveraged to build a compelling documentary film. In planning to create and shoot their documentary films, students make scripts and shot lists to guide their days of shooting. Plans include interview questions and skills to get firsthand information from someone local, whether that is an adult or the students themselves. Finally, students use tutorials and experiment with video editing software to put together their documentary films. The structure of these lessons include skill building in autonomy and collaboration, as students are placed into the shoes of documentarian teams. With a common goal in mind, students practice self-direction to complete their tasks and function independently to produce a film together. This module provides students an opportunity to practice Common Core Standards skills in interpreting diverse media and developing an artifact of their own. Students also practice planning and writing for the film, and practice International Society for Technology in Education practices including making positive, socially responsible contributions for their community.

Digital East St. Louis Documentary Films


Documentaries

Table of Contents

Making Documentary Films ............................................................... 1

Curriculum Goals .............................................................................. 3

Broad Unit Goals .............................................................................................................. 3

Key Knowledge and Skills to be Gained ........................................................................ 3

Standards Addressed ...................................................................................................... 3

Evidence of Learning ........................................................................ 5

Performance Tasks .......................................................................................................... 5

Final Project Rubrics ....................................................................................................... 5

Curriculum Overview and Pacing Guide ........................................... 6

Introduction to Video Production ....................................................... 8

Video Recording Scavenger Hunt ................................................... 10

Video Recording Scavenger Hunt ................................................................................ 11

Location Research .......................................................................... 12

Documentary Location Selection ................................................................................. 14

Documentary Shot List .................................................................................................. 15

Documentary Script Writing ............................................................ 16

Script Guiding Sheet ..................................................................................................... 17

Documentary Storyboarding ........................................................... 18

Developing Interview Skills ............................................................. 20

Preparing to Shoot .......................................................................... 21

Documentary Shooting .................................................................... 23

Video Editing Tutorials .................................................................... 25

Windows Movie Maker Basic Skills .............................................................................. 26

Creating Documentaries ................................................................. 35



Curriculum Goals

Broad Unit Goals

Essential Questions Enduring Understandings

• What is a “documentary”?

• How can documentaries be used to share history and culture?

• How are documentaries different from other forms of media?

• What sorts of topics suit themselves to documentaries?

• Documentary films are movies that are made to be informative.

• Documentary films can be used to record historical events, or to preserve information.

• Documentary films can convey some information in a special way because they include both audio and video.

Key Knowledge and Skills to be Gained

Students will know… Students will be able to…

• Key Terms: documentary, A roll, B roll, close up, wide shot, establishing shot, bust shot, tilt, pan, zoom, shot list

• The value of documentaries.

• Interview techniques.

• Write open-ended interview questions.

• Record an interview clearly.

• Plan/storyboard a documentary film.

• Create a documentary film using video editing software (Windows Movie Maker, OpenShot, Shotcut, WeVideo).

Standards Addressed International Society for Technology in Education Standards for Educators

• 3a - Create experiences for learners to make positive, socially responsible contributions and exhibit empathetic behavior online that build relationships and community.

• 5a - Use technology to create, adapt and personalize learning experiences that foster independent learning and accommodate learner differences and needs.

International Society for Technology in Education for Students

• 1b - Students build networks and customize their learning environments in ways that support the learning process.

• 3a - Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.

• 3b - Students evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of information, media, data or other resources.

• 4a - Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems.

• 4b - Students select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that considers design constraints and calculated risks.

• 6b - Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.

• 6c - Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.



Common Core English-Language Arts

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.2 - Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.1.C - Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others' questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2 - Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.



Evidence of Learning

Performance Tasks • Documentary Scripts – Students will create a script for each part of their documentary

before recording. These scripts will include interview questions, narrative for when they are on screen, and voiceover recordings.

• Shot Lists – Students, in planning their films, will create a list of shots they will need to collect to tell their story. These shot lists will be based on research on relevant locations done separately.

• Documentary Storyboards – Students groups will complete storyboards while planning their documentaries. These storyboards should be updated throughout the project.

• Documentary Films – Students will create documentary films as the summative project. These documentaries will include video editing skills, video recording skills, planning skills, as well as collaboration and a variety of writing and speaking skills.

Final Project Rubrics Documentary Film

Score Plan Interview

Questions Video Editing

Organization and

Presentation Video Recording

Quality

2

_Topic, purpose,

and audience are

mostly clear

_Most components

are relevant to the

topic and appropriate

_Most interview

questions reflect

documentary topics

_Most interview

questions are open-

ended and relevant

for interviewee

_Most video

effects are

appropriate and of

high quality

(cutting/trimming,

transitions, volume

level, voice-overs,

title, credits)

_"Shot list" (clips

and ordering of clips)

conveys a mostly

clear, logical

progression of

thoughts

_Most of the video

is of high quality

(framing, focus,

lighting, steadiness)

1

_Topic, purpose,

and audience are

somewhat clear

_Some

components are

relevant to the topic

and appropriate

_Some interview

questions reflect

documentary topics

_Some interview

questions are open-

ended and relevant

for interviewee

_ Some video

effects are

appropriate and of

high quality

(cutting/trimming,

transitions, volume

level, voice-overs,

music, title, credits)

_"Shot list" (clips


conveys a somewhat

clear, logical

progression of

thoughts

_Some of the

video is of high

quality (framing,

focus, lighting,

steadiness)

0

_Topic, purpose,

and audience are

unclear

_Few or no

components are

relevant to the topic

and appropriate

_Few or no

interview questions

reflect documentary

topics

_Few or no

interview questions

are open-ended and

relevant for

interviewee

_Few or no video

effects are

appropriate and of

high quality

(cutting/trimming,

transitions, volume

level, voice-overs,

music, title, credits)

_"Shot list" (clips


conveys little or no

clear, logical

progression of

thoughts

_Little or none of

the video is of high

quality (framing,

focus, lighting,

steadiness)



Curriculum Overview and Pacing Guide

Day Curriculum Section Objectives/Assessments

1 Introduction to Video Production

• List video recording best practices

• Define types of shots

• Sample recordings

2 Video Recording Scavenger Hunt

• Record different types of shots

• Critique shots of other students

• Scavenger Hunt Sheet

3 Location Research

• Identify an appropriate location

• Start a shot list

• Documentary Location Selection sheet

4 Documentary Script Writing

• Create a script for the intro, outro, informational speaking, and interview

• Script Guiding Sheet

• Scripts

5 Documentary Storyboarding

• Identify an appropriate audience

• Create a storyboard plan for a documentary

• Storyboards

6 Developing Interview Skills

• Use professional interview skills

• Evaluate interview skills of another student

• Interview recordings

7 Preparing to Shoot

• Identify role in shooting the documentary

• Group check ins



8 Documentary Shooting

• Shoot recordings

• Documentaries

10 Video Editing Tutorials

• Explain basic video editing software functions

• Create an edited video recording

• Sample recordings

11-13 Creating Documentaries

• Make supplemental recordings.

• Create a documentary film

• Completed documentary films

Introduction to Video Production Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW In this first activity, students learn to see deeper into the production of videos. They will have seen quite a lot of footage, but to disaggregate them into individual videos that were shot and planned to tell a story may be new. Students will learn how they can plan their own videos, including how to plan different shots.

Objectives: Students will be able to… Opportunities for Assessment

List video recording best practices. Student responses.

Define types of shots and footage, including long, close, bust and wide shots, panning, tilting, and zooming, and A and B roll.

Class discussions and Scavenger Hunt on following day.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

• ISTE.4b - Students select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that considers design constraints and calculated risks.


PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Discussion – Play a video of a local news story. Guiding questions:

a. What footage did they show? b. What was the camera person doing in each shot? c. Why was each shot included?

Activity Body 2. Discussion – Play the Types of Shots video 3. Play through the first time entirely. 4. Play the video again and stop at each shot and discuss how students might use the

shots and techniques. a. Close ups: Focusing attention b. Bust shots: Interviews c. Wide shots: Establishing setting d. Medium/Two Shots/Over-the-Shoulder: Dialogue

5. Rewatch the news story or other videos and point out each type of shot and its purpose.

a. Note tilting and panning. b. Note the difference between A roll and B roll.

i. A roll: the focus of the video in which people are talking or telling a story.

ii. B roll: establishing shots without actors providing a sense of setting.

Closing 6. Individually, or in pairs, allow students to practice the types of shots on their own.

Unit Topic - Lesson # - Lesson Subject

PREPARATION

Materials Used

• Recording devices (camcorders, phones, etc.)

Resources Used

• Types of Shots Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICcE72RwEyc

Preparation Instructions Review the Types of Shots video to be prepared to lead the discussion. These shots are used in a variety of ways, so allow students to come up with the answers of how they might be used. You only need to point out vocabulary, primarily. You will also need to find local news story videos. Local newspaper and news sites generally have a variety of videos. It’s best to choose local stories because they help students see how you can tell a story with a video, especially a local one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICcE72RwEyc


Video Recording Scavenger Hunt Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW After learning about the different shots and recording techniques, students learn how to create them in this lesson. In being given the task to create them, they are afforded the opportunity to practice their knowledge and learn through trial and error. This activity serves as good practice for when students are shooting their own documentaries.


Create video recordings to meet specific stipulations

Scavenger Hunt recordings.

Critique video clips based on recording technique and achieving specific shots.

Scavenger Hunt recording evaluations.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED


PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Discussion – Replay the Types of Shots video and review shot types.

Activity Body 2. In pairs, students complete the Video Recording Scavenger Hunt.

a. The more time to experiment, the better. b. It’s best to be able to leave the classroom and explore spaces. This will be

especially helpful when they are shooting in different places to record their own documentaries.

c.

Closing 3. Discussion – Review videos with class and critique them.

PREPARATION

Materials Used


Resources Used

• Types of Shots Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICcE72RwEyc

• Video Recording Scavenger Hunt sheet

Preparation Instructions It is most important to find a space for the activity. Any large space is fine, but the more varied, the better. It is especially beneficial to give kids an opportunity to try outside shots if they will be outside shooting their documentaries.




Video Recording Scavenger Hunt Use your camera to record a clip for each task on the list.

Recording # Recording Task Notes

Record a long shot of you saying your class schedule.

Record a close up of your partner saying their class schedule.

Record a bust shot of a one question interview with your partner somewhere outside.

Record a wide shot of a one question interview with your partner somewhere inside in a big space.

Record a close up of a one question interview with your partner somewhere inside in a small space.

Record answering a question while being too loud.

Record answering a question while being too quiet.

Record a moving object with a long shot while keeping the camera completely still.

Record a moving object that is close up while keeping the camera completely still.

Write down a question and your answer. Make a recording saying what you wrote down.

Explain what your favorite class was last year and why with bust shot with good lighting.

Tell a scary story in a close up with bad lighting.

Make a recording with the camcorder while walking.

Make a recording while panning and tilting.

Location Research Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW Before shooting documentaries, students will need to research locations relevant to their documentaries. In this lesson, students will determine a topic for their documentaries, and identify locations to shoot at in order to generate a set of recordings to edit and eventually create their documentaries. They will also begin working on a shot list for their documentary.


Identify an appropriate location for a brief documentary.

Documentary Location Selection sheet

Create a “shot list” to get all needed shots for documentaries.

Shot List Sheet

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

• ISTE.3a - Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.

• ISTE.3b - Students evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of information, media, data or other resources.


PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Discussion – Topics appropriate for documentaries. Play a video of a documentary.

a. The example documentary listed in the Resources section is a trailer from one that captures necessary details.

b. Note that the topic is personally, or locally relevant. c. Highlight different types of shots and segments, such as B roll, interviews, and

establishing shots.

Activity Body

2. In groups of 3 or 4, students determine topics for documentaries that they could make about something locally.

a. It is recommended to break groups into those with similar interests and varied skillsets. Considering that some students will need technical prowess and some will need to be on screen interviewing, the group makeup should reflect that.

b. If there are preset topics, such as about a restaurant or school, this would be the time to assign those to groups.

3. In groups their documentary groups, students research relevant locations to shoot their documentaries.

a. The “Documentary Location Selection” sheet is designed to guide students’ thinking.

b. Students should use the internet to find some related history for the location in addition to their prior knowledge.

4. Given time, students can begin working on a “shot list” with the Shot Planning Sheet. a. Be sure that they include B roll.


Closing 5. Discussion – Groups share topics with class, and get any feedback or suggestions.

PREPARATION

Materials Used


Resources Used

• Example documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulRl7_8t2ys

• Documentary Location Research sheet

• Documentary Shot List sheet

Preparation Instructions Before starting the lesson, determine your limitations for going to different locations and topics. Providing these limitations, like that they must be within walking distance, or within the building, is important to frame students’ work, or they may end up preparing a documentary that they’ll never be able to make. They may also need to interview each other, which is beneficial to demonstrate the stories and knowledge they have.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulRl7_8t2ys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulRl7_8t2ys

Documentary Location Selection Fill out this sheet as you look for possible documentary locations.

Location 1 - 1. Give a brief description of the location.

2. Why would this location make an interesting documentary for your exhibit’s audience?

3. Who could you interview at this location?

4. How does the location relate to your group’s topic?

Location 2 -

1. Give a brief description of the location.


3. Who could you interview at this location? 4. How does the location relate to your group’s topic?

Location 3 -

1. Give a brief description of the location.


3. Who could you interview at this location?

4. How does the location relate to your group’s topic?


Documentary Shot List Fill out this sheet to plan all the shots you will need to take at your locations.

Location Type of Shot (Close up, Establishing, Interview)

Purpose of Shot

Documentary Script Writing Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW Before storyboarding their documentaries, students should write out scripts for specific portions of their documentary. In this activity, students complete a guiding sheet to determine what each portion of the script will be about, then they write their scripts.


Create a script for a documentary Script Guiding Sheets, scripts

STANDARDS ADDRESSED


PROCEDURE

Opening 1. In groups, students review storyboards and make any additions they may need.

Activity Body 2. In their documentary groups, students fill out the Script Guiding Sheet to prepare to

write documentary scripts. a. This time is meant to be where they decide what each portion of their

documentary will be about. 3. After completing their Script Guiding Sheets and getting them checked by the

instructor, students write their scripts. b. This should include intended questions for interviews. c. Have students review their Documentary Location Selection sheets to remind

them of their research and the story they want to tell.

Closing 4. Group review – Have groups run through the scripts they’ve written to this point.

PREPARATION

Materials Used

• Documentary Location Selection sheets

• Paper for scripts

Resources Used

• Script Guiding Sheet

Preparation Instructions Review students’ Documentary Location Selection sheets prior to this lesson. This would be a good time to make any adjustments and to inform students which shots/locations/interviews will need to be changed.


Script Guiding Sheet Fill out this sheet while you write your script.

Who -

What -

When -

Where -

Why -

Intro Ideas

Interview Question Topics

Content 1 - _____________________

Content 2 -______________________

Conclusion Ideas

Documentary Storyboarding Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW In order to keep groups on the same page and have an agreed-upon central plan, students make a storyboard in this lesson. After creating their storyboards, students can work largely independently or in smaller groups within the group to complete their documentaries, allowing them to work more efficiently.


Identify an appropriate audience for their documentary.

Class discussion

Create a storyboard that represents a documentary plan.

Storyboards

STANDARDS ADDRESSED


• ISTE.6b - Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.

• ISTE.6c - Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.


PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Discussion – What is the audience for our documentaries?

a. Who are we making them for? b. This will be a question to continually refer back to. While making their

documentaries, students should always keep their audience in mind, and make sure that it will be interesting for their audience.

Activity Body 2. Each group will work together to plan out their documentary using a big poster board

and post-it notes with specific plans for content. Each color of post-it will represent a different kind of feature (student voice, interview clip, music, B roll):

d. Intro e. Interview clips f. Transitions g. B roll h. Music i. Outro j. NOTE: Students should note where their research can add information

3. Groups return to Documentary Shot List sheets to update them and prepare for shooting.

Closing 4. Group review – “What pieces will we need to write a script for?”


PREPARATION

Materials Used

• Documentary Location Selection sheets

• Poster board

• Post it notes

Resources Used

• Documentary Shot List sheet

Preparation Instructions Prepare materials for students to make storyboards and review tasks.

Developing Interview Skills Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW To prepare for conducting the “official” interviews, students will need to practice conducting interviews and developing questions. In this lesson, students will think critically about how to conduct proper interviews, practice on each other, and develop their questions.


Use professional interview techniques Practice interview activity

Evaluate the interviewing skills of another student

Practice interview activity

STANDARDS ADDRESSED


PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Discussion – What are “open-ended” questions?

Activity Body 2. Discussion – What makes a good interviewer?

a. Recommendation: Model good and bad interviewing b. Good Interviewing:

i. Silent after asking a question ii. Asks open-ended questions iii. Waits 5 seconds after interviewee answers before they ask another

question iv. Uses nonverbal cues to make interviewee comfortable and feel like

they’re interested 3. In groups of three, students practice being interviewers.

a. One person is the interviewer b. One person is the interviewee c. One person monitors the interviewer and “buzzes” them when they

demonstrate poor interviewing skills (cutting the interviewee off, making noise, etc.)

Closing 4. In their groups, students review their scripts and make adjustments and additions to

any interview questions they have.

PREPARATION

Materials Used

• Buzzers, such as from the game Taboo are great, or anything that makes noise

Resources Used

•


Preparing to Shoot Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW This lesson serves as the first lesson in which students in groups function largely independently. Each student will have a specific role in the group, and will work on their task accordingly in preparation for shooting the documentary.


Identify their role in shooting the documentary.

Group discussion.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

• ISTE.4a - Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems.




PROCEDURE

Opening 1. In groups, students choose roles for the following days of shooting.

a. On camera personality: These students will conduct interviews, record any speaking parts, and prepare the script.

b. Video crew: These students will plan shots and make any recordings.

Activity Body 2. On camera personalities will:

a. Complete and practice scripts. b. Practice interviewing skills in pairs.

3. Video crew will: a. Practice recording in pairs. b. Complete shot lists.

4. Documentary groups will: a. Practice recording the interviews on camera. b. Review and update Storyboards.

Closing 5. In their groups, students review their scripts and make adjustments and additions to

any interview questions they have.

PREPARATION

Materials Used

• Buzzers, such as from the game Taboo

• Storyboards

Resources Used

•

• Documentary Shot List sheets

• Scripts

• Recording equipment (camcorders, phones)


Documentary Shooting Recommended Time: Two 50 Minute sessions OVERVIEW Finally, the students will shoot their documentaries on location. Students work in groups to act out their scripts and record all the shots they have been planning.


Create recordings from shot lists and scripts to be used in a documentary film.

Documentaries.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED


PROCEDURE

Opening 1. In groups, students review their roles and prepare equipment.

a. On camera personality: These students will conduct interviews, record any speaking parts, and update the script.

b. Video crew: These students will update the shot list and make any recordings.

Activity Body 2. On location, students record footage for their documentaries.

a. Each situation will be different, but it’s best to lay out rules beforehand, and to have as many adults as possible.

b. It’s a good idea to double and triple check equipment and that the students have everything they need, including their scripts and shot lists, before leaving.

Closing 3. In their groups, students review their work and upload whatever recording files they

have. These should be kept in as many accessible places as possible, and should be collected before leaving.

a. Google Drive b. Dropbox c. Servers d. Hard drives e. Flash drives

PREPARATION

Materials Used

• Documentary Shot List sheets

• Scripts

• Recording equipment (camcorders, phones)

• Storage for video files

Resources Used

•

Preparation Instructions Students and groups should check in with the instructor to make sure that they have all of the recording equipment, scripts, shot lists, and anything else that they may need. Also prepare to collect video files yourself, in addition to wherever the students may be keeping them. If they leave the room, there’s a good chance that they won’t return.

Scout the shooting locations and interviewees first, if possible. This requires some set up and scheduling, but senior centers, government locations, staff, and parents are good places to look.


Video Editing Tutorials Recommended Time: 50 Minute periods OVERVIEW In this lesson, students record a practice interview, then learn how to use video editing software. This is meant to introduce students to video editing software outside of the pressures of creating their documentary. The remainder of the curriculum is essentially a more elaborate version of what they’ll work through in this lesson.


Record an interview with another student Video recordings.

Explain the basic functions of video editing software.

Class discussion, teacher questioning, and completed video projects.

Create a unique edited video recording using effects.

Completed video project.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED




PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Discussion – Give an overview of the lesson.

a. Introduce the software that you’ll be using.

Activity Body

2. In pairs or small groups, students conduct interviews based on some simple questions.

a. What’s your name? b. What’s your favorite after school activity? c. Any simple questions work.

3. Students work through Video Editing tutorials to create an edited video recording.

Closing 4. Discussion – Share some edited clips with the class, discussing how they were made.

PREPARATION

Materials Used

• Speakers or headphones

• Computers

Resources Used

• Video editing tutorials.

Preparation Instructions Run through the video editing tutorial before using them with students. The included tutorial was made for Windows Movie Maker and should introduce students to the software on its own. There are many different types of video editing software online, such as OpenShot, Shotcut, KineMaster, and WeVideo. Choose one of these before starting the lesson and try it out. Each has its benefits, and all have tutorials online as well.

Windows Movie Maker Basic Skills Windows movie maker is a fun and simple tutorial for movie making which helps to make and perform several operations on a video. Add videos from computer to movie maker: To upload videos from your computer, click on add videos and photos option in the home section.

Now navigate to the desired location in the explorer and select the video to upload the video in the movie maker.

Import video clips into windows movie maker: For importing videos from flip camera, Click on the “File” option and select “Import from Device”


Edit video clips in windows movie maker: Splitting: Movie maker helps to split a video at the times we have chosen and creates two separate clips.

To cut any video, navigate to the Edit tab and locate split button.

Before you start splitting, watch the video and make a note of what you want and what you don’t in terms of time. That is to make note of what all footage you want to be removed. Please find the example below.

1. 00:00 – 00:38 ———— OK

2. 00:38 – 01:45 ———— Remove

3. 01:45 – 01:57 ———— OK

4. 01:57 – 2:14 ————- Remove

5. 02:14 – end ————- OK

Note that this single video is shown as one continuous icon in the storyboard on right side. Now from this video we want to remove those above mentioned portions. So we want to split this movie into 5 portions.

So for splitting the movie, let us begin with the 1st split point, where we want to keep portion from 00:00 – 00:38 sec. For doing this, drag the ‘vertical line’ in the storyboard till the ‘Current location in the Movie’ shows 00:38. The above image will guide you for doing this.

Once the Vertical line is dragged till that 1st split point, click on the ‘Split’ button in the Edit tab to get what’s shown below. Now you see 2 icons in the Storyboard. First icon is the first 38 sec of the video and the 2nd icon is the rest of the video.

Next, again drag the Vertical line as per the 2nd noted point,

00:38 – 01:45 ———— Remove

So drag the Vertical line till 01:45 and click on the Split button.

Follow the same procedure for rest, splitting the portion as was noted down. So in the end, we get 5 smaller videos as shown below. I have also added the text with timings against each portion just to make it clearer.


Once it’s done, we want to remove the video clipping 2 and 4 as was required. So click on the 2nd video to select it, now keeping the ctrl button pressed, also click on the 4th video to select it. Now both are selected. Now right click on any of the selected videos and click the Remove option.

After removing the unwanted video portions, we now have :

The video can be previewed by clicking on the ‘Play’ button in the Preview pane on the left side. Now, if everything is fine and you are getting what you wanted then you can save the video. Click on File option, then hover the mouse on save movie and select For computer and navigate to the desired folder to save the movie.

Trimming: Movie Maker’s Trim tool allows you to select a clip within your sequence and trim as much out of the middle of the clip as you want and it will join the beginning and end to form a new sequence. The trimmed part of the clip does not delete, rather the program hides what you’ve trimmed and will not show up during playback. Click on the Edit Menu in the Video Tools section.

Select the video which you want to trim, drag the Vertical bar to the time you want to set the new

start point and click on the Trim tool.


In the preview pane you can see the play bar which has that has handle on each end. If you drag the left handle, it’ll move the start point of the video farther. And dragging the right handle will clip the end of the video. So you can move either one or both handles as per your requirement. And after that if you ‘Save trim’, you’ll get the video between those handles, trimming the start or end or both as you had done. The start and end point can also be adjusted by changing the values in the Start and End Point boxes, its kind of fine tune. Either use the Up/Down arrows provided or enter your own values.

After you have set new Start/End points, do not forget to Click on ‘Save Trim’ else click on cancel to start again. Once you have Saved, you’ll again be returned to main Storyboard. So save the movie in the required format.

Adding Transitions: Windows Movie Maker has an incredibly user friendly way of creating seamless transitions for any of the clips in your sequence. To add these transitions just select the clip you’d like to use a transition on and click on the Animations tab on the ribbon toolbar to bring up the dozens of transition choices. Hovering your mouse over a specific transition runs an example of what it looks like in the preview window. Once

you’ve decided on which transition you’d like to use just click on it and it becomes attached to the clip. You’re also given the ability to adjust the duration of the transition from a quarter of a second to two seconds.

Adding Effects: Windows Movie Maker also comes stock with a deep set of visual flair to add to your sequence via effects. Located under the Visual Effects tab on the ribbon toolbar previewing the wide number of effects is like previewing the transitions. Just hover your mouse over a specific effect and the player displays a preview of what the effect will look like in your movie. Once you find the effect you’d like to use just click on it to attach it to desired clip.

Removing Transitions and effects: Removing transitions and effects from your timeline is just as easy as attaching them. For transitions scroll to the clip which has one attached and navigate to the Animations tab. Scroll to the top of the list and select No transition and your clip will return to its original state.

To remove an effect scroll to the clip which has the effect attached and click on the Visual Effects tab. Scroll to the top of the effects list and select No Effect and your clip will go back to its original looking form.


Text functionality: Add a movie title: To add a title page click on the clip you want the title page to precede and under the Home tab select Title. This adds a black page and an editable caption slide in front of the clip you’ve selected. Just add your desired title in the text box then click out of the slide and you’ve just created a title page.

Add a caption: If you want to just add a line of text to any clip, clicking on the Caption button under the Home tab will insert a text box over the top of an existing clip. Once added you can alter the text as you see fit and you’ll also have access to the Text Tools resources to perfect the look and feel of your new caption or title.

References: http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-to-use-windows-movie-maker/#ixzz4MpzkMC9C


Creating Documentaries Recommended Time: Three 50 Minute sessions OVERVIEW The remainder of the program can last almost any amount of time, but at least 3 sessions is best. Students work on their documentaries as groups, parallel from other groups. This system of having them meet and end with their groups each day is most time-efficient, and helps students maintain a sense of ownership. It also provides instructors with an opportunity to check in with groups daily and to monitor their progress efficiently.


Make recordings of intros, outros, and transitions

Documentaries

Create a video documentary. Documentaries

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

• ISTE.1b - Students build networks and customize their learning environments in ways that support the learning process.






PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Group review – “What am I going to do today to help complete our documentary?”

a. Have students review the task sheet and coordinate their responsibilities for the day. Some students may work individually, and some may work as a group. Different groups collaborate differently.

Activity Body 2. Students work on various required tasks to complete the documentaries, including:

a. Identifying, clipping, and adding video from prior recordings b. Recording intro, transitions, and outro for the documentary c. Finding music (this can kill productivity, so set a time limit) d. Joining clips together in video editing software e. Adding transition effects transitions f. Updating storyboards

Closing 3. Share documentaries on the last day.

PREPARATION

Materials Used Resources Used


• Computers

• Storyboards

• Video editing software (Windows Movie Maker, OpenShot, Shotcut, etc.)

• Video Editing Tutorials

• Documentary Task Sheets

Preparation Instructions It is helpful to structure how students work in their groups to fit your space. Checking in with groups each day to monitor progress and guide them is key to students being able to complete the documentary.

Documentary Tasks to Complete

Task Who Description Completed

Storyboard Plan your documentary with your group. Make a storyboard with a poster and post-it notes with all of the content that your documentary will need.

Write the Intro Make a script for the introduction of the documentary. This should include your names, a bit about the project, and the topic of your documentary.

Record the Intro Record the scripted introduction, then upload it. Make sure to name it correctly.

Write the Outro Make a script for the end of the documentary. It should include a brief summary and a goodbye.

Record the Outro Record the scripted outro, then upload them.

Write Transitions Make a script for the transitions between clips, if needed.

Record Transitions Record the scripted transitions, then upload them. Make sure to name them correctly.

Choose the Interview Clips

Choose the interview clips that you’ll have in your documentary.

Combine Video Clips

Import and join together all of the video and sound clips you have for the documentary. Make sure you check the storyboard for their order.

Add Transition Effects

Add any Transition effects that you’ll be using.

Find Appropriate Music

Find relevant music that you can use for the documentary. One place to look is freemusicarchive.org. You can also use short segments of other music

Blend Music and Voice Recordings

Make the music that you chose work with the voice recordings that you’ve imported into the project.

Add Intro Effects Add an intro effect or title screen to your project. This may play under your intro audio.

Add Credits Add credits to your video at the end.



Making Oral Histories and Podcasts

Oral histories provide firsthand experiences and insight from ordinary people, yet many students have only experienced history through the lens of “official” sources. Conducting oral history interviews of their own teach students the value of everyone’s experience and help them learn about the area around them from people they may know and each other. Using podcasts to analyze and then create from the interviews gives students voice and can empower them to view themselves as both technologists and historieans.

This curriculum module takes students through the process of conducting oral

histories, authentically analyzing them as a professional would, and developing ideas and stories about their city that they want to tell from the interviews into podcasts. Included are unit-level goals and skills to be learned, lesson plans, and accompanying online and written resources. Students begin by learning about oral histories as a medium for documenting history. Students learn to look at what stories are being told, and how the medium lends itself to being both informative and personal. Looking deeper, kids learn interview skills, such as asking open-ended questions and the technical aspects of recording. Students plan their own interviews by researching local history. At this time, students decide on a story to tell about somewhere near them. In the case of Digital East St. Louis, students chose to tell about specific aspects of their city, including: food, the environment, education, music, and sports. These topics are used to help generate questions for oral history interviews. Regardless of location, there is history and a story to tell, and students find themselves in the role of historian seeking to tell a story to a wider audience. What does it mean to live here? What’s unique about here? What would an outsider find interesting about where I live? These questions and more are leveraged to build a compelling podcast from the oral history interviews.

In planning to create podcasts, students use audio engineering software to add metadata indices with information about what’s contained in the oral history recordings. Using these indices, groups of students storyboard podcasts with post-its to create a living plan for them to implement. Finally, students use tutorials and experiment with audio editing software to put together their podcasts. The structure of these lessons include skill building in autonomy and collaboration, as students are placed into the shoes of historians and podcasts. With a common goal in mind, students practice self-direction to complete their tasks and function independently to produce a film together.

This module provides students an opportunity to practice Common Core Standards skills in interpreting diverse media and developing an artifact of their own. Students also practice planning and writing for the film, and practice International Society for Technology in Education practices including making positive, socially responsible contributions for their community.



Oral Histories and Podcasts

Table of Contents

Place-Based Digital Humanities Programming for Middle-School Aged Participants .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

History of the Project ........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Place-Based Learning ......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

The Digital Humanities ........................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

A Word or Two about Content ............................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.


Broad Unit Goals .............................................................................................................. 4

Key Knowledge and Skills to be Gained ........................................................................ 4

Standards Addressed ...................................................................................................... 4


Performance Tasks .......................................................................................................... 6

Final Project Rubrics ....................................................................................................... 6


Section 1 – Oral History Interviews (8 Days) ................................................................. 8

Section 2 – Creating a Podcast (## Days) ...................................................................... 9

Introduction to Oral Histories and Evaluating Them ........................ 10

Listening for the Story Worksheet ............................................................................... 11

Open-Ended Questions ................................................................... 12

Audio Recording Scavenger Hunt ................................................... 19

Recording and Audio Editing Tutorials ............................................ 21

Developing Interview Skills ............................................................. 22

Conducting Interviews ..................................................................... 25

Indexing Oral History Interviews ..................................................... 26

Podcast Research ........................................................................... 28



Finding Information in Books ....................................................................................... 30

Finding Information in Newspapers ............................................................................. 31

Finding Information on the Radio ................................................................................. 32

Finding Information on Websites ................................................................................. 33

Finding Information Using a Virtual Reference ........................................................... 34

Podcast Storyboarding .................................................................... 35

Creating Podcasts ........................................................................... 37



Curriculum Goals

Broad Unit Goals


• What is a “podcast”?

• How can podcasts be used to share history and culture?

• How are podcasts different from other forms of media?

• Podcasts are an audio files released in series and available online, and immediately downloaded by subscribers.

• Podcasts allow for sharing information over time with subscribers.

• Podcasts have a wide range of purposes and topics, and the formats can be customized to fit a unique purpose, topic, or audience.



• Key Terms: podcast, interview, clip, split, join, absorption

• The value of oral histories.

• Interview techniques

• Write open-ended interview questions.

• Record an interview clearly.

• Index an audio recording.

• Plan/storyboard a podcast.

• Create a podcast using audio editing software (Audacity).

Standards Addressed International Society for Technology in Education for Educators

• 3a - Create experiences for learners to make positive, socially responsible contributions and exhibit empathetic behavior online that build relationships and community.

• 5a - Use technology to create, adapt and personalize learning experiences that foster independent learning and accommodate learner differences and needs.

International Society for Technology in Education for students

• 1b - Students build networks and customize their learning environments in ways that support the learning process.

• 3a - Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.

• 3b - Students evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of information, media, data or other resources.

• 4a - Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems.



• 4b - Students select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that considers design constraints and calculated risks.

• 6b - Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.

• 6c - Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.

Common Core English-Language Arts






Performance Tasks • Interview questions – Students will generate a set of questions to ask during oral

history interviews. These questions will reflect their understanding of open-ended questioning techniques.

• Oral History Interview Recordings – Students will generate oral history interviews, demonstrating their skills in audio recording, as well as indexing and interview techniques, such as providing enough time for answers and follow-up questioning.

• Podcast Storyboards – Students groups will complete storyboards while planning their podcasts. These storyboards should be updated throughout the project.

• Podcasts – Students will create podcasts as the summative project. These podcasts will include audio editing skills, planning skills, as well as collaboration and a variety of writing and speaking skills.

Final Project Rubrics Oral History Interview

Score Interview questions Questioning Skills Recording Quality Organization and

presentation

2

_All interview

questions are open-ended and relevant for interviewee

_Several follow-up questions are asked to clarify or deepen answers

_All interview

questions are asked clearly

_Student remains quiet during entire interviewee answer

_Student waits after each question for interviewee to finish

_Voices are clear

and understandable throughout recording

_Few, if any, non-interview sounds can be heard on recording

_All relevant

interview data are added to Omeka

_Presentation of data is clear and organized

1

_Some interview

questions are open-ended and relevant for interviewee

_Few follow-up questions are asked to clarify or deepen answers

_Most interview

questions are asked clearly

_Student remains quiet during entire interviewee answers

_Student often waits after each question for interviewee to finish

_Voices are

somewhat clear and understandable throughout recording

_Some non-interview sounds can be heard on recording

_Some relevant

interview data are added to Omeka

_Presentation of most data is clear and organized

0

_Interview

questions are not open-ended and relevant for interviewee

_No follow-up questions are asked to clarify or deepen answers

_Few or no

interview questions are asked clearly

_Student does not remain quiet during entire interviewee answer

_Student does not wait after each question for interviewee to finish

_Voices are not

clear and understandable throughout recording

_Many non-interview sounds can be heard on recording

_Little or no

relevant interview data are added to Omeka

_Presentation of little or no data is clear and organized



Podcast

Score Podcast plan Interview questions Audio Editing Organization and

presentation

2

_Podcast topic,

purpose, and audience are clearly stated

_All podcast components are relevant to the topic, and appropriate

_All interview

questions reflect podcast topics

_All interview questions are open-ended and relevant for interviewee

_All clip transitions

are smooth (quality, volume, occur at natural language borders)

_Clips and ordering

of clips convey a clear, logical progression of thoughts

_Student added content is relevant and frames the podcast (intro, outro, transitions)

1

_Podcast topic,

purpose, and audience are somewhat clearly stated

_Some podcast components are relevant to the topic, and appropriate

_Some interview

questions reflect podcast topics

_Some interview questions are open-ended and relevant for interviewee

_Some clip

transitions are smooth (quality, volume, occur at natural language borders)

_Clips and ordering

of clips convey a somewhat clear, logical progression of thoughts

_Student added content is somewhat relevant and frames the podcast (intro, outro, transitions)

0

_Podcast topic,

purpose, and audience are unclear or not stated

_Few or no podcast components are relevant to the topic, and appropriate

_Few or no

interview questions reflect podcast topics

_Few or no interview questions are open-ended and relevant for interviewee

_Few or no clip

transitions are smooth (quality, volume, occur at natural language borders)

_Clips and ordering

of clips do not convey a clear, logical progression of thoughts

_Student added content is not relevant and does not frame the podcast (intro, outro, transitions)




Section 1 – Oral History Interviews (8 Days)


1 Introduction to Oral Histories and Evaluating Them

• Describe an oral history.

• Compare and contrast aspects of different high quality oral histories.

• Oral History Comparison sheets

2 Open-Ended Questions

• Contrast open and close-ended questions

• Create good interview questions

• Lists of questions

3 Audio Recording Scavenger Hunt

• Evaluate a recording for quality.

• Consider factors to create a good recording environment.

• Sample recordings.

• Scavenger Hunt Sheets

4 - 5 Recording and Audio Editing Tutorials

• Record an interview with another student

• Create a basic audio recording with editing

• Audio files created through tutorials

6 Developing Interview Skills

• Use professional oral history interview skills

• Evaluate interview skills of another student

• Practice interview activity

7 Conducting Interviews

• Conduct an oral history interview

• Interview recordings



8 Indexing Oral History Interviews

• Select important parts of interviews

• Summarize interview answers

• Oral history interview indices

Section 2 – Creating a Podcast (## Days)


9 Podcast Research

• Define podcast

• Identify a “Podcast Theme Question”

• Initial podcast plans

10 Podcast Storyboarding

• Identify an audience for podcasts

• Create a storyboard for the podcasts

• Storyboards

11 - 13 Creating Podcasts

• Choose and export relevant audio clips

• Make scripts and recordings for a podcast

• Create a podcast with music and audio effects

• Completed podcasts

Introduction to Oral Histories and Evaluating Them

Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW In this lesson, students experience oral histories and learn about why oral histories should be valued. Students begin by creating a brief history of their own, then listen to oral histories and evaluate them, determining what their key components are.


Define oral history Student responses.

Consider aspects of oral histories Class discussions and evaluation sheets.

Compare aspects of high quality oral histories Class discussions and evaluation sheets.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED


PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Discussion – Give a brief introduction to groups about oral histories including:

a. Discussion – What is “history”? What sources can we use to learn about history? (see Resources)

Activity Body

2. Sharing stories from when they were a baby activity (see Resources) 3. Students listen to oral histories from the Griot Project (StoryCorps)

a. Students answer a few brief questions about oral histories: i. Who do you hear talking? ii. What are they talking about? iii. Why did someone make this interview?

Closing

4. Class discussion – “What are characteristics of good oral histories?” PREPARATION

Materials Used

• Speakers

• Computers

Resources Used

• https://storycorps.org/discover/griot/

• https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/using-history/procedure.html

• https://www.tenement.org/files/oral_history/Oral%20History%20Lesson%20Plan%20-%20Lower%20Elementary.pdf

• Listening for the Story Worksheet

Preparation Instructions

Look over Resources section. It also may be helpful to familiarize yourself with the Griot Project to help students navigate the site. Truly, almost any oral histories can be used.

https://storycorps.org/discover/griot/

https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/using-history/procedure.html



https://www.tenement.org/files/oral_history/Oral%20History%20Lesson%20Plan%20-%20Lower%20Elementary.pdf




Listening for the Story Worksheet Complete the tables below for each of the interviews you are assigned. Be sure to include significant time stamps next to the bits of information you list below. Circle the name of your three favorite interviews; you’ll share these with your group.

Interview 1

Name:

Sound quality:

Ambient noises:

Interesting facts/details:

Places mentioned:

Things you’d like to know more about:

Interview 2

Name:

Sound quality:

Ambient noises:

Interesting facts/details:

Places mentioned:

Things you’d like to know more about:

Open-Ended Questions Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW In order to conduct oral history interviews, students will need to practice writing the sorts of questions that lend to a good interview. Asking “open-ended” questions is essential to getting the most out of interviewees. Students practice this skill on each other and come up with their own best practices.


Contrast open and close ended questions Student responses.

Create questions appropriate for oral history interviews

Class discussions and question lists.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED


PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Discussion – What sort of questions are good for oral histories?

a. Draw on oral histories listened to previously, or listen to an additional oral history. In that case, discuss what sorts of questions were asked.

Activity Body

2. In small groups, students ask each other a variety of open-ended and close-ended questions and compare responses.

a. PowerPoint included b. Group discussion – What makes a good interview question?

3. In pairs/small groups, students write 5 good interview questions that must get them certain information from the interviewee:

a. Name, where they live, age/grade, where they go to school, favorite classes, favorite things to do outside of school, what careers they are interested in, etc.

b. Instructors can choose any information they want, but they need to include more than 5 pieces of information that students must gather in order to force students to have to come up with open-ended questions.

c. These should be written on the board for students to reference. Closing

4. Class discussion – Share questions and make a list of “best practices for open-ended questioning.”

PREPARATION

Materials Used

•

Resources Used

• https://storycorps.org/

• Questions Powerpoint


If you will be playing an oral history at the beginning, you should find one beforehand.

https://storycorps.org/


Audio Recording Scavenger Hunt

Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW Students learn what works and what doesn’t when recording audio best by trying it out. This lesson forces students to create a variety of recordings and then to evaluate those recordings to determine how they can best record interviews.


Evaluate recording quality. Scavenger Hunt discussion

Judge a location on its suitability for recording an interview.

Class discussions and scavenger hunt recording sheets.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED


PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Discussion – Basic functioning and technical overview of recorders.

a. This will be unique to each set of recorders.

Activity Body

2. Sharing stories from when they were a baby activity (see Resources) 3. Recording Scavenger Hunt

a. Students must make recordings with specific characteristics in groups. b. Students listen to those recordings and evaluate their quality.

Closing

4. Discussion – After reviewing recordings, come up with what makes a “good recording location” for them to use when making their recordings.

PREPARATION

Materials Used

• Audio recording device (or phones)

• Headphones (optional)

Resources Used

• Audio Recording Scavenger Hunt Sheet


It is possible to use a variety of recording devices for this activity. Phones work well, but a standalone recording device, especially one that students can put headphones into, works best. Allowing students to change their recording environment based on immediate feedback from their ears is best.

Recording Scavenger Hunt Use your recorder to record a clip for each task on the list.

Record # Recording Task Notes

With MIC Sensitivity on High, answer the question “why did you join Coding for Community?” (That’s this program)

With MIC Sensitivity on Low, have your partner answer the question “why did you join Coding for Community?”

Record saying your address while far away from your recorder.

Record your partner saying their address while very close to the recorder.

Make a 2 minute recording outside.

Make a recording of a one question interview with your partner somewhere with an echo.

Record answering a question while being too loud.

Record answering a question while being too quiet.

Make a recording talking about a restaurant near someone that’s talking.

Explain what your favorite class was last year and why near a machine making noise.

Write down a question and your answer. Make a recording saying what you wrote down.

Make a recording talking to an adult.

Make a recording with the recorder sitting on a table in front of you.

Record your partner counting to 20 while moving the recorder around.


Recording and Audio Editing Tutorials Recommended Time: Two 50 Minute periods OVERVIEW In this lesson, students record a practice interview, then learn how to use audio editing software. While this represents a practice run for conducting oral history interviews, it will also inform how they conduct those interviews and give them an opportunity to see the entire process in a short amount of time. The remainder of the curriculum is essentially a more elaborate version of what they’ll work through in this lesson.


Record an interview with another student Audio recordings.

Explain the basic functions of audio editing software.

Class discussion, teacher questioning, and completed audio projects.

Create a unique edited audio recording using filters/effects

Completed audio project.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED



PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Discussion – Give an overview of the lesson.

a. Introduce the software that you’ll be using.

Activity Body 2. In pairs or small groups, students conduct interviews based on some simple

questions. 3. Students work through Audio Editing tutorials to create an edited audio recording.

Closing 4. Discussion – Share some edited clips with the class, discussing how they were made.

PREPARATION

Materials Used


• Computers

Resources Used

• Audio editing tutorials.

Preparation Instructions Run through audio editing tutorials before using them with students. The tutorials were made for Audacity and Soundtrap, and should work well on their own.

Developing Interview Skills

Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW To prepare for conducting the “official” interviews, students will need to practice conducting interviews and developing questions. In this lesson, students will think critically about how to conduct proper oral history interviews, practice on each other, and develop their questions.


Use professional oral history interview techniques


Evaluate the interviewing skills of another student


STANDARDS ADDRESSED


PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Discussion – Review of open-ended questioning.

Activity Body 2. Discussion – What makes a good oral history interviewer?

a. Recommendation: Model good and bad interviewing b. Good Interviewing:

i. Silent after asking a question ii. Asks open-ended questions iii. Waits 5 seconds after interviewee answers before they ask another

question iv. Uses nonverbal cues to make interviewee comfortable and feel like

they’re interested 3. In groups of three, students practice being interviewers.

a. One person is the interviewer b. One person is the interviewee c. One person monitors the interviewer and “buzzes” them when they

demonstrate poor interviewing skills (cutting the interviewee off, making noise, etc.)

Closing 4. Class activity – Develop a list of questions that every student will ask in their oral

history interviews. a. This is meant to help gather a variety of information from each interviewee. If

each student will be using only a single interview, then this script can act as a sort of guide. Otherwise, if students will be using a variety of interviews to make podcasts on a common subject (ie, the history of food in my city), then making sure each interview includes a question about food will be important.


PREPARATION

Materials Used

• Buzzers, such as from the game Taboo are great, or anything that makes noise

Resources Used

• Question Script example

Oral History Interview Questions Remember Good Interviewing Skills:

• Stay silent during the interview

• Pause between their answer and your next question

• Don’t forget to ask “Why?”

• Use good nonverbal communication and body language

• Speak loudly and clearly

• Speak slowly

1. For a sound check, ask the person you are interviewing to state their name, and then spell

it.

2. What was school like for you as a child?

3. What educational experiences most impacted your life?

4. How did your experience as a student at school mold you as a person?

5. What types of dishes did you and your family, or community, make growing up? Did you

have special ones for holidays and events?

6. What kind of popular restaurants were around when you were growing up and what did

they serve?

7. What music have you listened to through your years?

8. What experience have you had with any local music?

9. How have fashion trends changed over time?

10. Did being into fashion matter in your time?

11. What sports were the main focus of East St. Louis? Why?

12. Were women allowed to participate in sports in East St. Louis? If so, which ones were

allowed?

13. In your words, how would you say the government is addressing the pollution situation?

Why?

14. Has the pollution and littering benefitted the families of East St. Louis or placed burdens on

the families? Why?

15. _______________________________________________________________________

16. Is there anything that I missed?


Conducting Interviews

Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW After practicing interview skills, practicing recording audio, and seeing an overview of the full oral history process, students need to conduct the actual interviews. While it may be difficult to bring in outside people, it may be possible to have students conduct them at home, or with almost anyone. Everyone has a story to tell.


Conduct an oral history interview Interview recordings

Produce recordings with high sound quality Interview recordings

Ask appropriate follow-up questions during an interview

Interview recordings

STANDARDS ADDRESSED



PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Briefly review recording skills, technology possible pitfalls, and any script students

may be using before the actual interviews begin.

Activity Body 2. Conduct interviews

a. It may be easiest to conduct the interviews in pairs. This allows one student to be focused on the recording equipment, especially if the recorder allows for headphones to monitor the recording, and one student to interview the person.

Closing 3. Collect all recordings that you can before students leave. If that means having them

turn in recorders, plug in their phones to download the files, or sending them to you before they leave, that is your best bet. The chance of losing those recordings once they’ve left increases dramatically.

PREPARATION

Materials Used

• Audio recording equipment • Headphones, if applicable

Resources Used

• Reminders for Audio Recording sheet

Preparation Instructions It is recommended to print the reminders sheets for students and any scripts that they may be using for reference during the interviews.

Indexing Oral History Interviews Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW Indexing is the process of annotating the audio files with what content is present at different time points. Indexing is essential for both understanding the content of oral history interviews and for using them to make podcasts. After doing this indexing, students will have a better understanding of what each interview consisted of talking about, and will be able to quickly find relevant audio for their purposes without having to listen to hours of audio.


Define indexing as it relates to interviewing Class discussion and indices

Select important pieces of information from interviews

Indices

Summarize interview answers in written form Indices

STANDARDS ADDRESSED





PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Discussion – Oral History Interview Indices. Guiding questions:

a. What topics did each interviewee talk about? b. How do we quickly find information?

i. This may relate to searching online and needing “keywords” in the audio to search them.

ii. Textbooks have indices that students frequently use. c. How can we quickly find audio that we’re looking for?

Activity Body 2. In pairs, students index sample interviews

a. One student is in charge of running the computer b. One student writes c. Together they choose spots to index d. Listening to the same interview at the same time e. Use an “indexing log” with timestamp and a short summary of what is at that

point. The log should also include the name of the interviewee and interviewer.

Closing 3. Discussion – Comparing and contrasting student indexes.

a. How detailed should we be? b. Time accuracy


c. Why is this useful?

PREPARATION

Materials Used

• Computers


• Headphone splitters, if possible

Resources Used

•

Preparation Instructions You’ll need to find an efficient way for students to access the files. Google Drive, Dropbox, flash drives, or preloading them on the computers all work.

Podcast Research

Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW Podcasts are a series of audio recordings on a common theme, typically distributed online. Podcasts often contain music and audio effects, interviews, and scripted speaking. Considering the variety of podcasts currently being made, there are few hard and fast rules for them. In this lesson, students will be introduced to podcasts and begin to conceptualize what their podcast might be about. It’s possible to have students have their own topics and/or podcasts, or to have the group collectively share a theme and make podcasts that may be seen as episodes.


Define podcast Student responses.

Identify possible topics for an in-depth podcast relating to oral histories.

Group possible topics lists, and podcasts

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

• ISTE.3a - Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.



PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Discussion – “What is a Podcast?”

a. See Overview b. Play a sample podcast. Some guiding questions:

i. What did you hear? ii. What was the podcast about? iii. What question did the podcast answer?

Activity Body 2. Students list open-ended questions that could be used to make their podcasts. A core

question is chosen as their “Podcast Theme Question” after judging each based on the following criteria:

a. Is it interesting? b. Was it talked about in the oral history interviews? c. Would there be other sources to find information about it?

3. The group then comes up with a list of smaller, related research questions that they will need to research in order to build the podcast and list them on the left side of large sheet of paper. These more focused questions will help them think about the specifics they’ll need to learn. Examples:

a. What is soul food? b. Where did soul food begin? c. How has soul food changed? d. How does each region cook soul food differently?


e. What restaurants have been good places to eat soul food? f. How do the dishes prepared relate to seasons and holidays?

4. Individually, or in pairs, students research their question using guiding worksheets for each format:

a. Books b. New York Times c. National Public Radio d. Websites

NOTE: This, inevitably, won’t be the only research that students do. Introducing them to the resources available will allow them to more easily go back to find information as they make their podcasts.

Closing 5. Groups share their “Podcast Theme Question” and receive feedback from the class.

PREPARATION

Materials Used

• Computers

Resources Used

• We live here podcast - http://www.welivehere.show/

• New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/

• NPR – https://www.npr.org/

• Reasearch Guide Sheets

Preparation Instructions Find some planned places where students might look for information. The local newspaper’s website is a great resource, typically. The local NPR station also can provide local information. You’ll also need to pick out a podcast. We Live Here is a local St. Louis podcast that discusses what living in the city is like.

http://www.welivehere.show/

https://www.nytimes.com/

https://www.npr.org/

Finding Information in Books Go through one book at a time, completing the following tasks.

1. Scan the Table of Contents at the front of the book for any references to your research question

and/or search terms.

2. Look for your search terms in the alphabetical index at the back of the book.

3. There might not be something worthwhile in every book. Whenever you find an interesting fact

or detail that applies to your research question, write down the title of the book, the page

number where it occurs, and a brief description of what you’ve learned in the following chart.

Book Page(s) Information for Podcast

What can you put in the podcast from this research?


Finding Information in Newspapers

1. Go to the New York Times link in the links file.

2. Try your search terms and pairings in the search box at the top right of the screen. Make sure

you put quotation marks around terms that contain multiple words, like “Madison County”

3. Notice that at the top of the listing, you can sort the findings by Newest, Oldest, and Relevance.

You may want to sort by newest or oldest if history is a factor in your research. Otherwise,

relevance may be the most effective.

4. Scan through the list of findings, and skim those articles that seem applicable to your research

question.

5. Read more closely when you find an article that will help you answer your questions. Note that

we do not have free access to all articles.

6. Document your findings in the chart below.

Article Title Date Information for Podcast


Finding Information on the Radio

• Visit the National Public Radio link in the links file.

• Click on the search icon at the top right of the screen.

• Try your search terms and pairings in the search box at the top right of the screen. Make sure

you put quotation marks around terms that contain multiple words, like “Madison County.”

• The database has a sort by “best match” and a “sort by date” option. You may want to try both

sorting methods.

• Scan through the list of findings, and skim those transcriptions/radio broadcasts that seem

applicable to your research question. Feel free to listen rather than read if you would like.

• Document your findings in the chart below. Be sure to also add any timestamps that will help

you return to useful information.

Story Title Date Information for Podcast Timestamps



Finding Information on Websites

• Navigate to Google and try your search terms using Google’s search engine.

• Skim the listed returns for relevant information

• Add what you find to the chart below.

Website Title URL Information for Podcast


Finding Information Using a Virtual Reference

• Visit an assigned computer to try searching in the Gale Virtual Reference Library.

• In many cases you can listen as well as read.

• Add important findings in the chart below.

Article Title Reference Book Information for Podcast



Podcast Storyboarding

Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW In order to keep groups on the same page and have an agreed-upon central plan, students make a storyboard in this lesson. After creating their storyboards, students can work largely independently or in smaller groups within the group to complete their podcasts, allowing them to work more efficiently.


Identify an appropriate audience for class podcasts

Class discussion

Create a storyboard that represents a podcast plan

Storyboards

STANDARDS ADDRESSED





PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Discussion – What is the audience for our podcasts?

a. Who are we making them for? b. This will be a question to continually refer back to. While making their

podcasts, students should always keep their audience in mind, and make sure that it will be interesting for their audience.

Activity Body 2. Each group will work together to plan out their podcast using a big poster board and

post-it notes with specific plans for podcast content. Each color of post-it will represent a different kind of audio (student voice, interview clip, music/ambient noise):

a. Intro b. Interview clips c. Transitions d. Music e. Outro f. NOTE: Students should note where their research can add information to the

podcast 3. Groups review a “task sheet” that they will need to complete to complete the podcast

and assign tasks for the remainder of the day.

Closing

4. Group review – “What did I do today, and what am I going to do tomorrow to help complete our podcast?”

PREPARATION

Materials Used

• Indices from oral history interviews

• Poster board

• Post it notes

Resources Used

• Podcast Task Sheet

Preparation Instructions Prepare materials for students to make storyboards and review tasks.


Creating Podcasts

Recommended Time: Three 50 Minute sessions OVERVIEW The remainder of the program can last almost any amount of time, but at least 3 sessions is best. Students work on their podcasts as groups, parallel from other groups. This system of having them meet and end with their groups each day is most time-efficient, and helps students maintain a sense of ownership best. It also provides instructors with an opportunity to check in with groups on a daily basis and to monitor their progress efficiently.


Choose and export audio clips Podcasts

Make recordings of intros, outros, and transitions

Podcasts

Create a podcast from previous recordings Podcasts

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

• ISTE.1b - Students build networks and customize their learning environments in ways that support the learning process.





PROCEDURE

Opening 1. Group review – “What am I going to do today to help complete our podcast?”

a. Have students review the task sheet and coordinate their responsibilities for the day. Some students may work individually, and some may work as a group. Different groups collaborate differently.

Activity Body 2. Students work on various required tasks to complete the podcasts, including:

a. Identifying and clipping audio from oral history interviews b. Writing scripts for the intro, transitions, and outro c. Recording intro, transitions, and outro d. Finding music for the podcast (this can kill productivity, so set a time limit) e. Joining clips together in audio editing software f. Mixing audio together and smoothing transitions g. Updating storyboards

Closing 3. Share podcasts on the last day.

PREPARATION

Materials Used


• Computers

• Storyboards

• Audio editing software (Audacity/SoundTrap)

Resources Used

• Audio Editing Tutorials

• Podcast Task Sheets


Preparation Instructions It is helpful to structure your how students work in their groups to fit your space. You may need to only have 2 days in the lab, so you may need to complete scripts and recording earlier. Additionally, check in with groups each day to monitor progress and guide them.

Task Who Description Completed

Storyboard Plan your podcast with your group. Make a storyboard with a poster and post-it notes with all of the content that your podcast will need.

Write the Intro Make a script for the introduction of the podcast. This should include your names, a bit about the project, and your podcast theme question.

Record the Intro Record the scripted introduction, then upload it. Make sure to name it correctly.

Write the Outro Make a script for the end of the podcast. It should include a brief summary, an “answer” to your theme question, and a goodbye.

Record the Outro Record the scripted outro, then upload them.

Write Transitions Make a script for the transitions between clips in the podcast.

Record Transitions Record the scripted transitions, then upload them. Make sure to name them correctly.

Choose the Interview Clips

Choose the interview clips that you’ll have in your podcast using the index.

Gather the Interview Clips

Find the interview clips that you’ll put in your podcast using the index. Export the clips into new mp3s.

Combine Sound Clips

Import and join together all of the sound clips you have for the podcast. Make sure you check the storyboard for their order.

Find Appropriate Music

Find relevant music that you can use for the podcast. One place to look is freemusicarchive.org. You can also use short segments of other music

Find and Record Ambient Noise

Find sounds/noise that fits into your podcast and record it. Then, upload those clips.

Blend Music and Voice Recordings

Make the music that you chose work with the voice recordings that you’ve imported into the podcast.

Digital Walking Tours Digital East St. Louis


Making Digital Walking Tours

Digital walking tours provide students with an opportunity to use their voice to convey a sense of place using a different medium. This curriculum module takes students through the process of developing ideas and presenting a sense of place using images and a map. Included are unit-level goals and skills to be learned, lesson plans, and accompanying online and written resources. Students begin by learning about maps and the idea of “place.” By exploring Google Maps as a tool and its various modes they learn about how maps, especially digital ones, can be used in multiple ways to convey different information. After looking through other map-based digital projects online and learning about how maps can be used as a tool to provide a sense of place, students create a map of their home, however they may choose to define that. After learning to see more in maps, students begin learning about how images can similarly convey information. Students investigate photo essays, then create stories from sets of images. Despite seeing the same photos and using the same images to make stories, students see how images are interpreted differently and can tell many stories.

After learning basic photography skills, student groups decide on a story to tell about somewhere near them. Regardless of location, there is history and a story to tell a wider audience. Planning their locations and photos to take on their walking tours puts students in the position of providing an online audience the ability to see and feel what it’s like to be in that place. Then, students collect photos from the locations and establish the story they will tell with their photos. Finally, students use tutorials and experiment with photo editing software and Google MyMaps to make a digital walking tour. The structure of these lessons include skill building in autonomy and collaboration. With a common goal in mind, students practice self-direction to complete their tasks and function independently to produce a coherent, well-designed, and informative digital walking tour. This module provides students an opportunity to practice Common Core Standards skills in interpreting diverse media and developing an artifact of their own. Students also practice planning and writing for the film, and practice International Society for Technology in Education practices including making positive, socially responsible contributions for their community.

Digital East St. Louis Digital Walking Tours


Digital Walking Tours

Table of Contents

Making Digital Walking Tours ............................................................ 1


Broad Unit Goals ............................................................................................................. 3

Key Knowledge and Skills to be Gained ....................................................................... 3

Standards Addressed ..................................................................................................... 3


Performance Tasks ......................................................................................................... 4

Final Project Rubrics ...................................................................................................... 4


Introduction to Google Maps ............................................................. 7

Evaluating Specialized Maps ............................................................ 9

Create Maps of Their Home ............................................................ 10

Documentary Location Selection ....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Documentary Shot List ........................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

Script Guiding Sheet ........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Photo Essays .................................................................................. 12

Telling Stories with Images ............................................................. 14

Practicing Photography ................................................................... 15

Researching Locations for Digital Walking Tours ........................... 16

Taking Photos ................................................................................. 18

Image Selection and Editing ........................................................... 19

Creating a Digital Walking Tour ...................................................... 21

Curriculum Goals



Broad Unit Goals


How can a "Digital Walking Tour" be used to share history and culture in a meaningful way?

What is important enough in my hometown to include in a walking tour?

What does an external audience think of my city? How can I better inform that?

Digital walking tours can show history and culture from a more personal standpoint.

Maps can be useful when conveying historical and cultural information.

Understanding audience is a key component of developing a meaningful artifact.



Key Terms: walking tour, audience, photography terms

The value of digital walking tours. Basic digital mapping skills.

Identify a relevant audience for a product. Navigate map software effectively. Select relevant and interesting

destinations. Order destinations in a meaningful way,

and convey that information using included shapes.

Standards Addressed International Society for Technology in Education Standards for Educators

3a - Create experiences for learners to make positive, socially responsible contributions and exhibit empathetic behavior online that build relationships and community.

5a - Use technology to create, adapt and personalize learning experiences that foster independent learning and accommodate learner differences and needs.

International Society for Technology in Education for Students 1b - Students build networks and customize their learning environments in ways that support

the learning process. 4a - Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing

theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems. 4b - Students select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that

considers design constraints and calculated risks. 6b - Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into

new creations. 6c - Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a

variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations. Common Core English-Language Arts

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.2 - Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2 - Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.




Performance Tasks

Student Image Stories – Student groups use identical sets of images to create different stories, told through the images. This is both an assessment of students’ understanding of how the interpretation and ordering of images is important and a preassessment of how prepared they are to create a story through images in their digital walking tour.

Photo Collection and Editing – Students learn basic photography and video editing skills, then put them to the test.

Digital Walking Tours – Using Google MyMaps and collected photos, students create a walking tour that conveys a sense of place using images linked to locations on a map.

Final Project Rubrics Digital Walking Tours

Score Image capture and editing

Metadata Organization and Presentation

Google MyMaps

2

_Walking tour has 7-8

images incorporated _Images have been

properly edited for size and filetype

_Metadata including

descriptions and titles for all photos is added properly

_All images are

appropriate for the tour _Images follow a clear

order to convey a sense of place

_All images are

connected by an object or feature

_Several layers, backgrounds, or other objects are used to enhance the tour

1

_Walking tour has 5-6

images incorporated _Not all images have had

editing for size and filetype

_ Metadata including

descriptions and titles for most photos is added properly

_Most images are

appropriate for the tour _Images follow a

somewhat clear order to convey a sense of place

_Most images are


_A layer, background, or other object is used to enhance the tour

0

_Walking tour has less

than 5 images incorporated _Images have had no

editing for size and filetype

_ Metadata including

descriptions and titles for few or no photos is added properly

_Images are inappropriate

for the tour _Images don’t follow a

clear order to convey a sense of place

_Few or no images are


_No layers, backgrounds, or other objects are used to enhance the tour





1 Introduction to Google Maps

List uses of Google Maps. Compare and contrast uses of Map

View and Street View in Google Maps.

Student responses.

2 Evaluating Specialized Maps

Evaluate map-based digital projects. Explain appropriate criteria for

evaluating map-based digital projects.

Website assessment sheet

3 Create Maps of Their Home

Identify key features of maps. Create a map of their home.

Student “home” maps

4 Photo Essays

Read images for narrative content. Summarize a narrative from images in

a photo essay.

Review questions

5-6 Telling Stories with Images

Order images to create a narrative. Present a story told with images.

Image story posters

7 Practicing Photography

Take quality photos. Evaluate photos based on specific

criteria.

Student photos.

8 Researching Locations for Digital Walking Tours

Plan a story to tell with images about a place.

Digital walking tours



9 Taking Photos

Determine necessary photos to tell a story about a place.

Take high quality photos.


10 Image Selection and Editing

Select appropriate images to tell a story about a place.

Edit images to prepare them for use in a digital walking tour.


11-13 Making a Digital Walking Tour

Use Google MyMaps software to import images and customize with objects and styles.

Tell a story about a place using images. Add appropriate metadata to images. Create a digital walking tour.

Digital Walking Tour

Introduction to Google Maps Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW Students learn about the variety of information found in Google Maps, and the purposes associated with the information provided. Of note is the different information conveyed in Map View and Street View, and how they may be used. Objectives: Students will be able to… Opportunities for Assessment List uses of Google Maps. Student responses. Compare and contrast uses of Map View and Street View in Google Maps.

Student responses.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED ISTE.4b - Students select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that

considers design constraints and calculated risks. PROCEDURE Opening

1. Individually, or in pairs, have students use computers to go to Google Maps. a. Write down features and how they would be used by the user. b. Share as a class.

Activity Body 1. Discussion – Pull up a Google Map of your city with a broad perspective. Guiding

questions: a. How does the topography of [your city], the natural and artificial features of the

area, shape the place itself? Guide students with examples like its proximity to other cities, its location in the country, and the impact of bodies of water, using the Google Map as a reference.

2. How might the topography of [your city] caused the founding of the city? Why might the city have been set up here?

3. Discussion - Switch to Google Street View, and pull up points that students had on their maps.

a. How does the Google Street View compare to the students’ experience of place?

b. What does Google successfully capture about individual points of interest in the city; what does it miss?

c. What can’t be communicated through Google Maps? d. How might you use Map View and Street View differently?

Closing 4. Individually, or in pairs, have students answer the question “What information can you

communicate with Google Maps?”

PREPARATION Materials Used

Computers Resources Used Google Maps

Preparation Instructions Review your city in Google Maps and take a moment to think about the topographical features of the city. What industries are nearby? Why was your city founded where it was?

Evaluating Specialized Maps Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW To introduce the variety of what can be done with maps and what can be learned from them, students explore a variety of projects. Information of myriad types are conveyed and tell a story about each place depicted, as will their digital walking tours. Objectives: Students will be able to… Opportunities for Assessment Evaluate map-based digital projects. Website Assessment Sheet Explain appropriate criteria for evaluating map-based digital projects.

Student Responses

STANDARDS ADDRESSED CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.2 - Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse

media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.

PROCEDURE Opening

1. Discussion – Project a map project like one of those in the Resources section: a. What does this map show? b. Who might want to look at this map? c. How is the purpose of this map different than Google Maps?

Activity Body 2. Discussion – Using the same map, discuss how you might assess a website using the

following criteria: a. Purpose – Why was this map made? b. Usability – Is this map easy to use to access its information? c. Content – Is there enough information on the map? Is it good information? d. Presentation – Does the project seem professional? e. Design – How does the project look and function?

3. Individually, or in pairs, have students complete the Website Assessment Sheet for other projects from the Resources list.

Closing 4. Discussion – Share takeaways from assessing the projects.


Computers Projector Website Assessment Sheet

Resources Used Civil War Washington: http://civilwardc.org Fighters on the Farm Front:

http://scarc.library.oregonstate.edu/omeka/exhibits/show/fighters

Pullman: a Company Town: http://publications.newberry.org/pullman/

Beyond Steel: http://digital.lib.lehigh.edu/beyondsteel/

Digital Harlem: http://acl.arts.usyd.edu.au/harlem/ Preparation Instructions Briefly look over the projects to get an idea of what they are.

Website Assessment Sheet Fill out this sheet as you look at each map-based online project.

Site - 1. Give a brief description of what the site looks like.

2. What information does the site convey?

3. Who might be interested in this website?

4. Why is it important that a map was used to show this information?

Site -

1. Give a brief description of what the site looks like.




Site -

1. Give a brief description of what the site looks like.




Create Maps of Their Home Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW To learn about maps and what they can convey, students create a map of their “home.” Students’ interpretation of the word “home” may be different, and maps may vary widely in scale. This idea helps lay the foundation for what can be learned about the mapmaker and the concept of “place” from what is and isn’t included in a map. Objectives: Students will be able to… Opportunities for Assessment Identify key features of maps. Student home maps Create a map of their home. Student home maps

STANDARDS ADDRESSED CCSS.MATH.Modeling – Use and create models to convey information. PROCEDURE Opening

1. Discussion – View a map as a class, either projected or physical. Discuss map features:

a. Title b. Symbols c. Legend d. Perspective e. Scale

Activity Body 2. Individually, students make maps of their home.

a. Being vague about what should be included is key. Students may choose to create maps of their city, house, neighborhood, or only include specific places of interest.

b. The more materials available with which to make their maps, the better. c. Maps need not be 2-dimensional. d. Encourage students to include features they saw on the map in the opening

activity. Closing

3. Share student maps. Example questions for students: a. What did you choose to include on the map? Why? b. How big of an area does your map cover? c. What can someone learn about you from this map?


Maps (can be local maps, printed maps on letter paper, can be those found in the back of a textbook)

Arts and Crafts materials for making home maps

Resources Used

Preparation Instructions Prepare materials for map construction. The more the better, and things like a spare cardboard box can greatly increase the creativity students demonstrate.

Photo Essays Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW The phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” is explored through various photo essays in this activity. Students grapple with the power of a single image, and how context can be extremely important. This activity provides the foundation for why a digital walking tour can be powerful with using photos to tell a story about a place. Objectives: Students will be able to… Opportunities for Assessment Read images for narrative content. Class discussion Summarize a narrative from images in a photo essay.

Photo essay review answers



PROCEDURE Opening

1. Discussion – Eckford and Bryan photo. a. Display the image for the class or pass out copies. Silently, have students look

at the image for a minute, then try to doodle the image from memory on a sheet of blank paper.

b. Have the students answer the following questions about the photo in a shared Google Doc:

i. What is pictured? ii. What is in focus? iii. How is space used?

Activity Body 1. Copy all the student-generated descriptions from the Google Doc, paste them into

http://www.tagxedo.com/app.html , and then project the resulting collaborative word cloud for the class to view.

2. Interpretation: Have students discuss the word cloud while periodically re-examining the photo. (What are the most important words? Which words do you have questions about? What messages are implicit and explicit? How do the group’s comments change how you see and interpret the photo? What do you understand now that you didn't before?)

3. Show the contemporary photo and ask “how does this image of the same people alter your reaction to the original photo?”

4. In pairs, have students view the other photo essays in the Resources section and answer the following questions:

a. What is the story told by the photo essay? How do you know? b. What do each of the photos gain by being placed together in a sequence? c. How does the ordering of photos make a difference in how you read them?

Closing 5. Group review – What is a photo essay? What can they convey?

PREPARATION

Materials Used Shared Google Doc Computers Projector or printed photos

Resources Used Eckford and Bryan photo -

http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/lt/lt_cache/thumbnail/960/img/photos/2014/01/14/32/1e/c2135ae31b2b43a793f0b32a36150873-c18be5e113894c34899dd4d36dae2050-0_1.jpg

Contemporary photo -http://www.ashford.zone/images/2007/09/Cuar06littlerock0709.jpg

Wordcloud - http://www.tagxedo.com/app.html

Photo Essay Links: o Playgrounds around the world:

http://www.wired.com/2015/04/james-mollison-playground/

o California Drought: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/05/us/california-drought-tests-history-of-endless-growth.html

o Puppies Learning to Swim: http://www.fastcodesign.com/3036127/exposure/these-are-photos-of-puppies-learning-to-swim-that-is-all#4

o 1960s New York Subway Riders: http://www.fastcodesign.com/3039717/danny-lyons-unseen-photos-of-nyc-subways-in-the-60s#4

o How People Eat: http://www.fastcodesign.com/3032975/exposure/intimate-photos-of-how-people-eat-in-new-york-city#6

o Subeterranean London: http://www.fastcodesign.com/3036614/exposure/5-illegal-photos-of-londons-abandoned-underworld-captured-by-daring-place-hackers#3

o Brown Sisters, 40 pictures in 40 years http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/10/03/magazine/01-brown-sisters-forty-years.html?_r=0

Preparation Instructions Prepare a shared Google Doc to collect answers.

Telling Stories with Images Recommended Time: Two 50 Minute Sessions OVERVIEW In this activity, students explore how images can tell a story. Using identical images, groups create different stories, showing the importance of interpretation and ordering of images to create a unique narrative. They then compare and contrast their stories with the group. Objectives: Students will be able to… Opportunities for Assessment Order images to create a narrative. Image story posters Present a story told with images. Image story posters



PROCEDURE Opening

1. In groups of three or four, give students 7-10 prepared images and have the group describe them to each other for 3-5 minutes.

Activity Body 2. In groups, students create a story with images.

a. After analyzing the pictures, students arrange the pictures in their group to tell a story using each image as part of the story.

b. Students use a large piece of white paper, or poster paper, to write out the story and attach the pictures.

Closing 3. Share image stories with the class.

a. How are the stories different, despite having the same images? b. How does the ordering of the images matter?


7-10 printed photos for each group. The photos can be of anything really, but a variety is key.

Poster paper or whiteboard space. Markers

Resources Used

Preparation Instructions Print copies of 7-10 images for each group. Each group should have the same images.

Practicing Photography Recommended Time: 50 Minutes OVERVIEW This lesson serves as the practice for taking photos that will be usable in their walking tours. Students may be familiar with the technology and taking photos, but reviewing professional photography and the purpose for the photos separates what they may do personally and what they may do professionally. Objectives: Students will be able to… Opportunities for Assessment Take quality photos based on provided criteria.

Student photos.

Evaluate photos based on specific criteria. Student responses. STANDARDS ADDRESSED ISTE.6b - Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources

into new creations. PROCEDURE Opening

1. In groups, students choose roles for the following days of shooting. a. On camera personality: These students will conduct interviews, record any

speaking parts, and prepare the script. b. Video crew: These students will plan shots and make any recordings.

Activity Body 2. Discussion – Basic Photography presentation covering:

a. Focus b. Composition c. Lighting d. Balance e. Glare

3. In pairs, students practice taking pictures of: a. Still objects b. Candid pictures of people c. Posed images of people d. Photos of areas

Closing 4. Share student pictures and review for quality and suggestions, using the criteria from

the PowerPoint presentation. PREPARATION Materials Used

Cameras Resources Used Photography presentation

Basics of Photography

Adjustment of the

lens to make the

subject of an image

sharp.

Focus

The illumination of

subjects to be

photographed by any

sources of light.

Lighting

Unwanted reflection

off of a shiny or

glossy surface.

Glare

The arrangement of shapes, colors, or areas

of light and dark that complement each

other.

Balance

The arrangement of

visual elements in a

photograph.

Composition

Researching Locations for Digital Walking Tours Recommended Time: 50 Minute session OVERVIEW Students research locations in their area to prepare to make a walking tour. The message they’re sending to the audience is of utmost importance, and students prepare to capture the images they’ll need for their tours. Objectives: Students will be able to… Opportunities for Assessment Plan a story to tell with images about a place. Digital walking tours

STANDARDS ADDRESSED ISTE.3a - Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and

other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits. ISTE.6c - Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using

a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.8.8 - Gather relevant information from multiple print and

digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

PROCEDURE Opening

1. Establish groups for the project. a. Group size should not exceed four. b. If may be useful to establish roles for each student in the group, such as:

navigator, task master, recorder, organizer, etc. Activity Body

2. In groups, students should brainstorm what they know about their city. a. History or historical places. b. Places they like to go. c. Famous places that may be interesting to a broader audience.

3. On computers, have students pull up a map of places you would be willing to take them to create walking tours.

a. This could be limited to the property you’re on, or broader to the rest of the area.

b. Each student should come up with a story or two they might be able to tell in a walking tour on the map.

c. Students may need to look at what those places are or to do additional research.

4. In their groups, have students share their ideas and come to a consensus on what story they want to tell in their digital walking tour.

a. Who is the audience for this story? What would they be interested in? b. Additionally, students should begin to talk about what photos they think they

might need to take to tell their story. Closing

5. Groups should have their idea checked off with the teacher, and notes collected.


Computer or map of area for walking tours

Resources Used Google Maps

Preparation Instructions Determine where your students walking tours can be. You will need to take them to those places to collect photos, so this is unique to your area and requires some logistic thinking.

Taking Photos Recommended Time: Dependent on logistics OVERVIEW In this lesson, students begin by reviewing their plans for their walking tours and review what makes good photos. Then, students travel to their walking tour locations and capture the photos for the tours. Objectives: Students will be able to… Opportunities for Assessment Determine necessary photos to tell a story about a place.

Digital walking tour

Take high quality photos. Digital walking tour STANDARDS ADDRESSED ISTE.6b - Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources

into new creations. PROCEDURE Opening

1. Discussion – Before leaving to take pictures, explain that the goal of the outing is to create a walking tour with images that go beyond just a map of what buildings are on what street. Instead, students are setting out with the goal of finding images that communicate the personality, its sense of place, and what it is like to live there, or go to school there. Their images should provide greater context and content than Google’s Street View. Remind students of the discussions about place during previous days.

Activity Body 2. In groups, students take walking tour photos on location.

a. Taking more photos is generally a good idea. b. Remind students that anything that gives them the “feeling of being in that

place” is worth taking a picture of. c. Students should take turns taking photos to get multiple perspectives. d. Note the path that students take while taking photos, though the photos will

almost certainly have geotags. Closing

3. Collect ALL photos before students leave and store them in a central location or on a shared drive, organized by group.


Cameras Shared drive or storage space.

Resources Used

Preparation Instructions Plan for taking students to locations for them to take the pictures for their digital walking tours. Prepare and charge cameras and whatever else you may need. Check the settings on whatever will be used to take pictures to make sure that the location is also stored on them. This will be tremendously helpful and will often be in the settings. This may not automatically be on in the settings for smartphones, but it is worth checking.

Image Selection and Editing Recommended Time: Three 50 Minute sessions OVERVIEW Student groups plan their digital walking tours by discussing the message they want to send and selecting images that help meet that goal. After selecting images, students begin to edit the images to prepare them for their walking tours, including cropping, resizing, and making them web-ready. Objectives: Students will be able to… Opportunities for Assessment Select appropriate images to tell a story about a place.


Edit images to prepare them for use in a digital walking tour.


STANDARDS ADDRESSED ISTE.4a - Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing

theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems. ISTE.4b - Students select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that

considers design constraints and calculated risks. ISTE.6b - Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources

into new creations. ISTE.6c - Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using

a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.2 - Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse


PROCEDURE Opening

1. Group review of the plan for the story they want to tell in their walking tour. a. What message do we want to get across? b. Who do we want to be the audience for this tour? c. What do we want people to see and learn about the area?

Activity Body 2. Discussion – What images should we choose to use?

a. No people in the pictures (no selfies) b. Pictures from across the street or from a distance are better c. Clear photos d. Follow the goal of the walking tour

3. In groups, students select the photos that they would like to use for their walking tour. 8-20 photos are appropriate, depending on student age and group size.

a. Photos should be accessible to entire group. b. Photos should be renamed using a standard protocol, such as

“groupname_##_original.jpg” or something similar that is unique and identifiable.

4. Students follow the Image-editing Tutorial to prepare photos for use in the digital walking tour. Students will learn how to:

a. Archive

b. Crop c. Resize d. Make web ready

Closing 5. Save images and double check with teacher to make sure that nothing has gone

wrong with saving. PREPARATION Materials Used Computers

Resources Used Image-editing tutorial Photo editing software (GIMP)

Preparation Instructions GIMP is a free and relatively easy to use photo editing software. Download and install it for students, or some similar software. Prepare a space for students to save their work, such as in a Google Drive folder.

Editing Images for the Web with GIMP

Archiving Photos

Archiving photos is the process of preserving the original photos for future use. Once you have uploaded the photos from the camera onto Google Drive in the “Images” folder with the proper name, you will NEVER edit that file again. This original must be preserved.

Preparing Files for Archiving

Archived files are stored in a special file format called a TIFF (.tif) file. These files maintain their quality longer than most other filetypes.

1. Right click on the image file that you want to change to a TIFF and select edit.

2. After Paint comes up, go to “Save As…” under the menu tab.6

3. Use the dropdown menu to select TIFF.

4. Add “TIFF” at the end of the filename so that you know which image files are TIFFs (this isn’t necessary, but will help a ton later. Click Save.

Uploading Photos

1. In Google Drive, go to “Coding for Community” -> “Project Files” -> “Archive” and then open the folder with the location at which your picture was taken. Drag your photo from the file on the camera into the folder.

2. The file will upload into the Google Drive file.

3. Right click on the image file and click “Rename”.

4. Name the file in the format sitename_studentlast_studentfirst_isodate_##.tiff (ISO format is YYYYMMDD). This file will now never change.

Opening and Using Archived Photos

Because we never changed archived photos, we will make a new copy of the photo that you will move from Google Drive onto your computer.

1. Right click on the photo you want to edit, and click on “Download”.

2. To open a picture in GIMP, go to File -> Open.

3. Find the file you want from the folders on the left side, and double click it.

NOTE: You can also drag and drop the file directly into GIMP as is shown below.

Saving an Image After Editing

1. After editing a file in GIMP, you will want to save the image. To do that, go to the “File” tab -> “Export as…”.

2. Select the folder where you want to save the file to.

3. Change the file name using the convention.

4. Make sure the filename ends in “.jpg”. This will make it a JPEG file, which is the most common online image filetype.

5. Click “Export” at the bottom.

6. Upload the exported file to your Google Drive in the “Coding for Community” -> “Project Files” -> and then into whatever project and site your image is from. See uploading instructions above.

Making Images Web Ready

We will need to edit images for several reasons throughout the Coding for Community project. Remember, we don’t edit archived images, we copy archived images and edit the copies.

Cropping Images

Cropping means to cut part of the image off. You won’t be able to see that part of the image anymore.

1. Select the Crop Tool by going to the “Tools” tab -> “Transform Tools” -> “Crop”.

2. Click and drag a rectangle on the image that you want to keep.

3. Adjust the rectangle however you want using the boxes in the corners and on the sides of the crop box.

4. Hit enter and the image will cut away the darkened portion.

Adjusting Image Size and Quality for the Web

Most images need to be prepared for the web because they are usually much larger than is necessary for the web. Remember, only change a new copy of an image, not the archived one!

1. Select the Scale Image tool by going to the “Image” tab -> “Scale Image”.

2. Click the chain buttons to lock the proportions of the picture in place. It should look like an unbroken chain after you click it. If you don’t do this, you might accidentally stretch the image.

3. Change the width or height number to the desired width or height.

4. Change the X and Y resolutions to 72 px/in. This will lower the quality of the image to what works on the web.

5. Click “Scale”.

Creating a Digital Walking Tour Recommended Time: Three 50 Minute sessions OVERVIEW The remainder of the program can last almost any amount of time, but at least 3 sessions is best. Students follow a Google MyMaps tutorial and work on their digital walking tours as groups, parallel from other groups. This system of having them meet and end with their groups each day is most time-efficient, and helps students maintain a sense of ownership. It also provides instructors with an opportunity to check in with groups daily and to monitor their progress efficiently. Objectives: Students will be able to… Opportunities for Assessment Use Google MyMaps software to import images and customize with objects and styles.


Tell a story about a place using images. Digital Walking Tour Add appropriate metadata to images. Digital Walking Tour Create a digital walking tour. Digital Walking Tour

STANDARDS ADDRESSED ISTE.1b - Students build networks and customize their learning environments in ways that

support the learning process. ISTE.4a - Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing

theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems. ISTE.4b - Students select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that

considers design constraints and calculated risks. ISTE.6b - Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources

into new creations. ISTE.6c - Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using

a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.2 - Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse


PROCEDURE Opening

1. Discussion – Introduction to Google MyMaps a. Quickly lead students through the Google MyMaps tutorial in the Resources

section, highlighting a few key points and establishing your project requirements:

i. How many pictures do they need at a minimum? ii. Students will need to connect the points added using lines or polygons. iii. Students will need to order points to create a “tour” of the area. iv. What writing requirements will you have for students? What information

do they need to include. Activity Body

2. In groups, students create their digital walking tours, referencing the Google MyMaps tutorial.

a. Set a starting point.

b. Import photos. c. Add metadata to photos including names and descriptions for them. d. Add style and objects to enhance the tour. e. Groups overachieving can add multiple layers. f. Customize the tour to make it their own. g. Use presentation questions in next step to help guide student work.

3. Present digital walking tours when students are done. a. What story are you telling? b. Who is your audience? c. What will people know about this area after they go on this walking tour?

Closing 4. Each day, assist with saving and check student progress.

PREPARATION Materials Used Computers Edited images

Resources Used Google MyMaps Tutorial -

https://www.google.com/earth/outreach/learn/visualize-your-data-on-a-custom-map-using-google-my-maps/

Preparation Instructions It may be helpful to set up shared MyMaps for groups in advance, as well as helping to organize their images with them. Presenting to someone outside of the class (parents, other teachers or adults, guests from the community) adds to student self-efficacy and provides motivation for the project.

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