Subject / DANCE / DRAMA / MEDIA / MUSIC / VISUAL ARTS

Unit Title:

/ The Adventure / Year 3
Achievement Standard / By the end of Year 4, students describe and discuss similarities and differences between media artworks they make and view. They discuss how and why they and others use images, sound and text to make and present media artworks.Students collaborate to use story principles, time, space and technologies to make and share media artworks that communicate ideas to an audience.

Learning Intention and

Success Criteria

/ Learning Intentions:
I can
  • Produce a 4-6 page digital story
  • Complete a storyboard
  • Use a camera to take basic shot types, frame a subject using focus, size and rule of thirds
  • Apply text which is suitable for the purpose of the photo
  • Use sound to create a sense of environment including narration and background music
Success Criteria:
I can produce a 4-6 page digital story.
  • completed a storyboard
  • Used a camera to take basic shot types, frame a subject using focus, size and rule of thirds
  • Applied suitable text
  • Used narration to create a sense of environment
I understand how and why I have used the above effects in a digital story
Learning Framework / ☐Community Contributor
☒Leader and Collaborator / ☒Active Investigator
☒Effective Communicator / ☒Designer and Creator
☒Quality Producer
Cross Curricular Priorities / ☐Catholic Ethos
☐Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures / ☒Social Emotional Learning
☐Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia / ☐Inclusive Education
☒Sustainability Education
General Capabilities / ☒Literacy
☒Critical and Creative Thinking / ☒Numeracy
☒Ethical Behaviour / ☒Information and Communication Technology
☐Personal and Social Competence
Content Descriptions / Elaborations
Use media technologies to create time and space through the manipulation of images, sounds and text to tell stories (ACAMAM059) /
  • experimenting with the camera and framing the subject, using basic shot types, angles and lighting to control picture space
  • experimenting with applying text to accompany still or moving images, such as credits in a title sequence, and selecting appropriate fonts, colour and length of time for display suitable to the purpose of the artwork
  • practising recording sound on a variety of devices to explore volume, layering and the use of voice to create a sense of environment

Plan, create and present media artworks for specific purposes with awareness of responsible media practice (ACAMAM060) /
  • storyboarding and filming a short sequence showing a conflict, selecting camera angles, lighting and costume to convey meaning without dialogue

1

Session / Learning and Teaching Activities / Resources / Assessment
1 / Pre-production, scriptwriting, storyboarding, sketching, planning, research / Activity 1: (Whole class)
Ask the students whether they have ever read a digital book and lead a discussion on digital books.
Introduce the activity
The students (in groups) will become authors of a digital story and produce a 4-6 page digital book using their favourite toy as the subject, an adventure that the toy experiences as the context and their fellow classmates as the audience. Explain that for this digital book they will be taking photographs of the toy in different poses and environments, adding text and narrating the story.
They will be using an iPad App. Teachers are free to choose their own App, Web 2.0 tool, or PowerPoint.
Vocabulary
pre-production, script, storyboard, digital story
Introduce an example of a digital book
Watch the story The artist who stole bits of the world which can be downloaded free using the App The Artist Mortimer ( or any other digital story.
How you download will depend whether the students view this as a whole class, in groups on digital devices or individually on digital devices
As a whole class brainstorm the elements of a digital story:
  1. Overall purpose
  2. Point of view
  3. Dramatic question/questions
  4. Choice of content
  5. Clarity of voice
  6. Pacing of the narrative
  7. Meaningful soundtrack
  8. Quality of the images
  9. Economy of story detail e.g. use photos to say more
  10. Grammar & language used.
Teacher resource:
What is digital story telling
The seven elements of Digital Storytelling

Activity 2: (individual/groups)
Students will complete this orienting activity on creating Digital Books
Vocabulary
point of view, dramatic question, voice, narration, pacing, soundtrack,
images, economy of story, / The artist who stole bits of the world

also found in Scootle / Assessment for learning:
From listening to the discussion on digital stories ascertain which students are familiar with digital stories.
Assessment as learning:
The students will keep a handwritten journal or a blog in which they will write their reflections after each activity
2 / Activity 3: (Groups of four)
(Finding congruence between literary elements and verbal/visual details.)
Form the students into groups of four (this grouping will be collaborating to produce the digital story) then give each group a copy of Handout 1 from Rosie’s Walk and they locate the following elements on the page:
  1. Setting - where is this page set and what clues has the artist given? i.e. the pictures are stereotypical of a farm yard. The barn like structures, the milk churns the wagon.
  2. Characters/Participants - who is in this story and what do we know about the character? i.e. the reader’s eyes are immediately drawn to the hen and we are told in the text that the hen’s name is Rosie. How do we know that the character is important i.e. her size, location on the page.
  3. Plot - what do the students think this story is about? i.e. the text tells us that Rosie the hen went for a walk and it implies that she may be in search of an adventure. (The students may have completed the MAG “Going for a walk” in Year 2.
  4. Mood/atmosphere - some discussion could be had as to the colours that the illustrator has chosen e.g. red often signifies danger or stop. Show the students the previous page with the fox.
  5. Vocabulary - the words explain the picture and begin to tell the story e.g. Character’s name and plot.
To complete this activity discuss the students’ findings as a whole class. Note students need to explain their point of view or reasons for their answers.
The groups of four then complete the Concept/Event Map for their story.
The students will use this completed concept/event map as a plan which will help them to draft a storyboard of their digital books.
Vocabulary
setting, characters, participants, mood, atmosphere / Handout 1 Rosie’s walk
Pat Hutchins 1968.
Rosie’s Walk, Aladdin,
New York, NY, USA.
ISBN 0020437501
Story Concept map
/ Assessment for learning:
Review concept maps for each group to ascertain which groups may need extra assistance.
3 / Activity 4
The students are introduced to the App which will be used to create the story.
Prior preparation - choose the story App
Ensure that the App and any other supporting Apps e.g. if using Book Creator the iBook App must be installed on all devices.
The students create a Title page for their digital story using the features of the App.
Apps for iPads may include:
Book Creator
Story Buddy
My Story
Little Story Maker
Activity 5
Introduce the students to the concept of storyboards and their use.
Story boards are generally used when creating movies, TV advertisements, or video clips. Authors use a storyboard as a series of pictures and words that help to visualise the digital story. The students will use one storyboard template for each of their pages.
They need to consider the following aspects for each page
The characters who will be in the photo (who)
What the background is going to look like (where)
The script which accompanies the photo (what, why)
When this story takes place
Whether other images will be used.
How they will narrate the story or read the script. (how of voice)
The students look at the title page created and make a storyboard page for the title. This is working backwards but will allow them to plan and edit their title page before continuing the storyboard.
Vocabulary
storyboard, transition / iPads
Apps for iPads may include: Book Creator
Story Buddy
My Story
Little Story Maker
Handout 2 Storyboard Template
4 / Activity 6
Photographic composition
Students learn the basic principles of composing a good photograph. (If using iPads you may want to create an Album for them on a specific iPad)
1. Divide the students into five expert groups by taking one student from each of the groups. (note for larger classes you may have two expert groups on the same topic)
The expert groups will cover one of the following topics by researching their topic, taking multiple photos then choosing one photo to report what they learned about the topic back to the class at the end of the lesson.
a)How to take photos using an iPad.
This site has some good suggestions.

Making their subject the focal point by:
(Further teacher reading
b)Focus – Learn to use Depth of Field to blur out other aspects in front or behind your focal point. (You can focus an iPad by tapping on the screen. If you want the foreground in focus, tap on something close to the camera. If you want the background in focus tap a background subject.)

c)Size – making the focal point or the most important item in your photo large. You can do this by “pinching” the screen then zooming in or out as required.

d)Background– If you have a background which is distracting this may take away from the image.

e)Colour – using contrasting colours can also be a way of setting the point of interest apart from its surroundings
i)

2. Explicitly teach the following:
a)Hold the camera/iPad straight - unless students are deliberately trying to take shots on an angle.(A frame could be made up and students could use this to practice framing their photos).
b)Discuss aspects such as sitting in chairs or holding the iPad against a desk or wall to help keep the iPad still.
c)Lighting - Discuss lighting considerations that are needed when taking a photograph e.g. shadows, natural light outside, fluorescent light inside
d)Rule of Thirds - position
i)If using an iPad go to settings and allow the Grid
ii)Watch this YouTube video which explains this rule
Vocabulary
composition, focus, depth of field, size, framing, camera angle, position, close-up, background, contrasting, rule-of-thirds, pinching
At the end of this Activity the students will upload a photo to their Digital story so that they can become familiar with using the App.
Other resources on photography for teachers:
Appendix A and B p.12-p.14 of this resource for technical details re Composition and framing tips for the photos)
This is an excellent explanation of Rule of Thirds

Activity 7
The use of voice in narration:
Explain to the students how voices change depending on the story and the audience.
Read the following scenarios and then get the students to work out which scenario you narrated. Students explain their choices.
Counting from One to Ten
  • Just say it flat.
  • As if you were an angry parent who said, "I am going to count to ten and if you're not in the bedroom by the time I get to ten, you're in big trouble."
  • As a very little child just learning to count
  • As if you were very sad because you thought everyone had forgotten your birthday, but then you walked into your living room and saw ten birthday presents sitting on the floor.
  • As if you were telling someone a telephone number when the phone was not working right.
Discuss with students the microphone in the iPad, including what kind of sound it captures as well as where it is located.
  • In their groups of four the students practise using the microphone letting their voices go loud and soft, high and low and fast and slow.
  • Students need to consider background noise e.g. inside noise or noise from the wind when outside.
  • Students practice reading their Title page and uploading the sound to their digital story
  • Groups share what worked well, some of the difficulties they had when recording their sound and what they could change.
/ Focal point details:

Rule of Thirds YouTube clip:

5 & 6 / Production - capturing, recording, directing / Activity 8
  1. Review previous learning
  2. Features of a digital story including, overall purpose, point of view, choice of content.
  3. Completion of storyboards including pacing of the narrative
  4. Composition and focal points in the photos including focus, size and background, rule of thirds, economy of story detail and relevance to text
  5. Use of text
  6. Use of sound
The students collaborate to produce their digital stories.
Vocabulary
production, capturing, recording, directing,
mixing, editing, assembling,
7 / Post production - mixing, editing, assembling, laying out, distributing / Activity 9
Group sharing of the Digital stories.
The students share their work with another group and discuss possible ways of improving their work. The reviewing group would use the Criteria sheet as a basis of their review.
Groups can then edit their final digital story before uploading their final product.
Vocabulary
Post production - mixing, editing, assembling, laying out, distributing / Criteria sheet – one for each group / Assessment of Learning:
Completed digital stories
(Group mark)
Assessment as and of Learning:
Student reflections
(Individual mark)
8 / Responding / Activity 10
Students complete their reflection sheet
Sharing of all the digital stories that the class has made. / Reflection sheet Handout 3

1

Assessment Task Sheet

My favourite toy’s adventure

Student Name: / Year Level: / 3
Name of Task: / Digital story / Teacher:
Learning Area/s: / Media Arts
Date Commenced: / Date Due:
Type of Task: / ☐Oral / ☒Written / ☒Digital
Task Conditions: / ☒Individual / ☐Pair / ☒Group Work
☒In Class / ☐Homework / ☐Other
Opportunity to Access: / ☐Books / ☐Notes / ☐Library / ☒Technology
Assessed By: / ☒Self / ☐Peer / ☒Teacher

Task Description:

The students (in groups) will become authors of a digital story and produce a 4-6 page digital book using their favourite toy as the subject, an adventure that the toy experiences as the context and their fellow classmates as the audience. They will be taking photographs of the toy in different poses and environments, adding text and narrating the story. A soundtrack may also be added.

The students will complete an individual reflection discussing how and why they have used images, text and sound in their digital story.

Procedure:

In your groups:

  1. Select a favourite toy that you will be able to easily photograph.
  2. Decide on an adventure that your toy will experience remembering that the image for your digital book will be a photograph.
  3. Write a short script for your toy’s adventure.
  4. Complete a storyboard for each page of your digital story which includes your toy in a pose or situation that you will be able to photograph and is relevant to the text.
  5. Take photos of your toy for each page. Use the photo techniques that you have researched in class.
  6. Add text to accompany the photo for each page. You can use different fonts, size, colour, background or positioning of your text.
  7. Narrate the story using voice which matches the picture and text. You may also add a soundtrack to your story
  8. Add a title page for your story.
  9. Publish your digital story

Individually

  1. Complete a reflection sheet discussing how you used the particular images, sound and text in your story.
  2. Complete a reflection sheet discussing why you used the particular images, sound and text in your story.

Resources:

iPads

Camera

Internet

Concept map

Storyboard

1

Criteria Sheet The adventure
Name: / Year: / Date:
The learner’s work demonstrates evidence of:
Assessable element
(ACAMAM059) (ACAMAM060) / Above Criteria / Meets Criteria / Developing-Below Criteria
Digital story / A 4-6 page digital story was completed / The completed digital story was less than 4-6 pages
Storyboard / Storyboard included all required elements: image, characters, script, voice and choice of background, other images, background music, all in clear and precise detail / Storyboard included all required elements: image, characters, script, voice / Storyboard included few required elements: image, characters, script, voice
Use of photographs
Focus / Depth of field has been very clearly used to highlight the focal point / Depth of field has been used to highlight the focal point / Depth of field was not used to highlight the focal point
Size and background of the focal point / The viewer’s attention is clearly drawn to the focal point due to its framing, size and background / The viewer’s attention is drawn to the focal point due to its framing, size and background / The viewer’s attention is rarely drawn to the focal point due to its framing, size and background
Rule of thirds / The rule of thirds has been clearly used to place images / The rule of thirds has been used to place some images / The rule of thirds has not been used to place images
Use of text / Text is both suitable and relevant to the image and conveys a deeper meaning / Suitable and relevant text has been used to support the image / Text is neither suitable nor relevant to image
Use of sound / The pace of the narration (rhythm and voice punctuation) is matched to the image and is engaging for the audience. An appropriate soundtrack has also been included. / The pace of the narration (rhythm and voice punctuation) is matched to the image and is engaging for the audience / Little attempt has been made to match the narration (rhythm and voice punctuation) to the story
Individual student reflection on Point of View
How images, sound and text have been used / Student provides a detailed discussion of how they have used images, sound and text in their digital story. / Student discusses how they have used images, sound and text in their digital story. / Student does not discuss all three elements of how they have used images, sound and text in their digital story.
Why images, sound and text have been used / Student provides a detailed discussion as to why they have used the images, sound and text in their digital story. / Student discusses why they have used images, sound and text in their digital story. / Student does not discuss all three elements of why they have used images, sound and text in their digital story
Comments:
Planning for Differently Abled Students
Student/s / Different Ability / Australian Curriculum addressed / Learning and Teaching Strategies / Assessment Strategies
Reflection on Unit / Identify what worked and how it worked during the unit
●Learning activities that worked well and why
●Learning activities that could be improved and how
●For, Of and As assessment that was effective and why
●For, Of and As assessment that could be improved and how
●Common student misconceptions that need, or needed, to be clarified.

Handout 1