It begins with an idea, a spark, something that matters ...
Let's explore some ideas for creating your own story.
What matters to you? Where is your story in ordinary places, old roads or forgotten persons?
Let's explore some ideas for creating stories with your students in the classroom. What curriculum area or topic can be the 'something to matter'? Where is the river or ordinary objects that will become the start of a story for your students?
What matters to you? Where is your story in ordinary places, old roads or forgotten persons?
Let's explore some ideas for creating stories with your students in the classroom. What curriculum area or topic can be the 'something to matter'? Where is the river or ordinary objects that will become the start of a story for your students?
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Link to this Linoit board here.
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What Matters to You // Me? from Jr.canest on Vimeo.  Celebrate What's Right With the World
Sometimes it takes a story to inspire a story. Finding just the right one can open up the world for your students and see how master storytellers create their memorable works. Here is one that has inspired many to 'celebrate what is right with the world' as photographer Dewitt Jones tells his story.
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Inspiration leads to hard work ... the writing process
DS writing process - good stories come first! Link to downloadable posters
The writing process comes first. It is applicable to digital storytelling and thus lends itself to instruction in classrooms. Lucy Calkins shares some important considerations about writing that applies to all genres and contexts. The five steps (as outlined here) provide a framework for creating digital media. Engaging students in creating the story about the writing process and their story creations is another way to engage them in writing about writing. Watch this clip (found on the WatchKnowLearn site) to see how this can be done.
Also for consideration are the writing traits (6+1) - these include ideas, organization, voice, sentence fluency, word choice, conventions and presentation. New scoring guides for narrative, informative and persuasive writing can be found HERE. Traits Writing is also found on Facebook. There is a LiveBinder dedicated to writing traits topics, references and resources (another Web 2.0 tool that may interest you). 
The writing process begins with brainstorming and planning. Find out more about concept mapping tools available for story writing and planning from this ECOO 2012 conference presentation.
With the addition of MINDOMO to the OSAPAC software collection, this tool is a great way to collaborate and create story plans. 
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The writing process - an important first step
There are a number of Guides to Effective Instruction that apply to the teaching of the writing process.
Best practice when teaching digital storytelling linked to the language arts curriculum includes modelling, guiding, sharing and independent work. As authors Nancy Frey and Douglas Fisher wrote, it's a model of "I Do IT, We do IT, You do IT together, You do IT alone". It STARTS with 'I do IT'!
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Writing prompts - warming up to write
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Consider the format and genre. Change it up to try new combinations.
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The Word Tamer - a site where you craft a story using the sequence to tame words, characters, plot and actions.
Use the Scholastic Story Starters adventure selection tool to set the theme, characters and plot for a creative story.
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Use a plot generator site to randomly create a unique story or set the elements to fit a story you have in mind.
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Use WRITE ABOUT to select a story idea that matches your mood. This site comes with an option for an audio prompt.
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