Digital storytelling combines images, drawings, and voice narration to create stories that can be shared. The document provides guidance on using digital storytelling to support comprehension of central themes, details, and text structure. It discusses how digital stories can be used in the classroom, provides examples addressing Common Core standards, and gives step-by-step instructions for creating digital stories using VoiceThread, an online tool. Sample student projects created with VoiceThread are also shared.

1. Chicago Public Schools
Department of Educational Technology
CPS DETAIL TECHNOLOGY TRAINING
Digital Storytelling to Support Comprehension
of Central Themes, Details, and Text Structure

2. What is digital storytelling?
Digital stories combine images, drawings, and voice narration to create stories
that can be shared with others. These stories can be narrative in form or
contain research-based information from across the curriculum. Students
develop skills in creating central story themes, establishing supporting details,
and writing scripts that demonstrate an understanding of text structure while
leveraging literary devices to improve the story. Students develop speaking and
listening skills by creating the audio component. They build information and
visual literacy skills, artistic sensibilities, and technology skills while making
digital photo selections, adding drawn content to the images, and incorporating
narration.

3. Digital Stories in the Classroom
Teachers can use digital stories to
• Share research as a digital story
• Develop writing and speaking skills
• Foster collaboration between peers
• Cultivate visual literacy skills
• Integrate educational technology with the
curriculum

4. Using Digital Stories to Address CCSS
(Primary Example)
Digital stories can be used to address a very wide range of CCSS.
• A primary grade teacher creates a unit of instruction on nutrition. The students take
notes about healthy eating habits based on books they read and instructional videos
they watch. The classroom teacher collaborates with the librarian, so part of the
notetaking is done in the library. Using a simple, teacher-created, two-column
graphic organizer, the students write short reports about what they have learned,
breaking them into discreet segments in the right column, creating a storyboard of
the planned digital story. Next, in collaboration with the computer teacher, the
students identify and download pictures that illustrate each segment of their report.
The students upload their images and comment on them, using their report scripts,
at the VoiceThread website
Selected related anchor CCSS: R2, R7, R10, W1 > W10, SL2, SL4, SL5, L1

5. Using Digital Stories to Address CCSS
(Intermediate Example)
Digital stories can be used to address a very wide range of CCSS.
• A middle grades social studies teacher creates a unit on “Sub-Saharan Africa”. In this
unit, small groups of students research various aspects of the topic, such as the
politics, history, geography, identity, and culture. They use various print and
electronic sources to get knowledge, leveraging their time in the library, as well as
the classroom. The notes are used to create the scripts of their digital stories. In the
classroom or computer lab, students download appropriate images to illustrate their
stories. They use the images and scripts to create their VoiceThread digital stories.
As a follow-up, students perform peer assessment by commenting appropriately on
each other’s VoiceThreads.
Selected related anchor CCSS: R2, R7, R10, W1 > W10, SL2, SL4, SL5, L1

6. Using Digital Stories to Address CCSS
(High School Example)
Digital stories can be used to address a very wide range of CCSS.
• A high school history teacher creates a unit of study on the topic of “Immigration &
the Progressive Era”. Students research component topics, such as politics, history,
identity, and culture of the time period. They use print and digital resources from
their library to get background information. They also use a museum fieldtrip to
analyze artifacts of the time and to listen to recorded oral histories of immigrants.
They use this information to compare and contrast the experiences of immigrants in
that time period with modern immigrants to Chicago based on interviews of people
they know and additional research. At each step, they build a collection of relevant
images. They prepare formal research papers to share the results of their research
and, also, create a companion VoiceThread to tell the fictionalized story of an
immigrant of that era who played a unique role in society.
Selected related anchor CCSS: R2, R7, R10, W1 > W10, SL2, SL4, SL5, L1

7. Samples of CPS Digital Stories
“Wilma Rudolph” - Byrne Elementary School
http://voicethread.com/?#q.b1019998.i5438613
“Poverty in Africa” – Inter-American Magnet Elementary School
http://voicethread.com/#q.b1202237.i6484572
“Tamales” in Spanish – Westinghouse High School
http://voicethread.com/?#q.b1050940.i5606694
“The Life Cycle of a Plant” – Pirie Elementary School
http://voicethread.com/?#q.b1168171.i6294666
“Brazil” – Daniel Hale Williams Prep
http://voicethread.com/#q.b1733064.i9119290

8. Using VoiceThread
Digital stories can be told by using a variety of technologies,
including edited video, narrated slideshows, and software
programs. This tutorial uses the online tool VoiceThread. Its
advantages include:
• Applicability to K – 12 educational environments
• Multiple commenting format to meet various student
needs
• Easy online accessibility
• Shallow learning curve
• Ability to safely monitor student activity
• Availability of a free teacher version

9. Preparing to Make
the VoiceThread

10. Step 1: Identify the Purpose of the Story
Determine the Common Core State Standards and curriculum
objectives that you need to address with this assignment. Pay
particular attention to writing and research-related standards.
Identify content-related standards that can also be
incorporated into the assignment. Use this information to
create the scope of the assignment for your students.

11. Step 2: Research & Information Gathering
Research-related stories
• Plan for the research process
• Incorporate print and digital resources
• Leverage the librarian, computer teacher, literacy specialist or
other partner teachers who can collaborate in the process
• Use graphic organizers or other note-taking devices to help
students keep track of their work
• Monitor the process to help student summarize their research
effectively and cite their sources
Creative stories
• Plan for the research process, if needed
• Help students create a story map or outline to assist in
the planning of their stories
This step can be a distinct part of the assessment and grading process.

12. Step 3: Create the Script
Direct students to prepare a script that they plan to use in the
creation of their VoiceThread digital stories. The script can be
assess for the use of:
• Central themes, supporting details, text structure, and
employment of literary devices
• Accurate, cited information that is summarized in the
student’s own words (research-related)
• Story development (creative writing)
This step can be a distinct part of the assessment and grading process.

13. Step 4: Storyboards
Storyboards can be used to plan the digital story. This step can
be done in conjunction with the script-writing or separately.
• Use the storyboard to identify visual images needed for
the story and to separate the script into segments.
• A simple, teacher-made blank, gridded table with two
columns is often sufficient. There are many other
storyboard templates available on the Internet.
• In VoiceThread, it is possible to extend one segment of
narration across multiple visual images.
This step can be a distinct part of the assessment and grading process.

14. Step 5: Getting Images
There are a variety of ways to get images for use in
VoiceThread. Consider partnering with the librarian, computer
teacher, or another collaborating teacher for this phase. To
build digital citizenship responsibilities, make sure students use
images for which they have permission. Images with Creative
Commons licensing are the easiest to use. Have students save
the URLs of these images and include them in the final slide of
their VoiceThreads. See the following slides for more
information.
This step can be a distinct part of the assessment and grading process.

15. Step 5a: Creative Commons Licensing
Creative Commons Licensing
is a way to assign rights for
others to use your images or
other digital artifacts in a
manner you approve. Learn
more about the types of free
licenses at
http://creativecommons.org.

16. Step 5b: Use the Flickr Creative Commons
http://www.flickr.com/creativecommons

17. Step 5c: Custom Images Searches
Here’s a Google
advanced image
search which can be
filtered for usage
rights.
http://www.google.com/advanced_image_search

18. Step 5d: Your Own Images
Use your own
images taken
by your own
cameras

19. Step 5e: PowerPoint Slides
Create your slides within
PowerPoint and save the
slides as .JPGs. In this way,
images can be edited or
combined with text and
shapes, to make interesting
slides.

20. Creating the
VoiceThread

21. Step 6: Create a VoiceThread Account
Create a free K-12 VT
Educator Account at
https://voicethread.com/p
roducts/k12/educator.
Create only one teacher
account. Although VoiceThread
also has paid accounts, it is
advised to begin with a free
account. This module explains
how to use the FREE version. If
you decide to later get a paid
version, you will see different
functionality listed under “Class
Subscription”.

22. Step 6: Log Into the Account
Log into the account at http://voicethread.com
and set up your profile.

23. Step 7: Watch the Informational Video
Athttps://ed.voicethread.com/products
/k12 , watch an overview video to learn
more and familiarize yourself with the
support portal. Click on the “Browse”
link to see VoiceThreads created by
others. When ready, go to
http://voicethread.com and click on
the “Create” button. [Note: Only paid
accounts work under the
ed.voicethread.com website.]

24. Step 8: Upload Your Images
Click on the “Create” button
to be taken to the area to
make the VoiceThread.
Upload images from your
computer or other sources.
Highlight images to
rotate, add a link, add
a title, replace, or
delete.
Sort images to by
dragging and dropping
to the preferred order.

25. Step 9: Add Your Voice
Add narration by phone (3
min limit), webcam,
microphone, typing, or file
upload. A
headset/microphone device is
usually the easiest to use in a
classroom setting. Click the
arrow to advance slides. You
can add audio to each slide
individually or narrate over
slides as you advance them.

26. Step 10: Add Drawings
If desired, you can free-
hand draw over the image
while talking. Click on a
color selection, when
commenting, and move the
mouse over the image to
draw while making
comments.

27. Step 11: Share Your VoiceThread
Share your VoiceThread with your contacts or get a link
to share with others.

28. Step 12: Make Additional Sharing Decisions
Determine playback
and publishing options
or get the embed code

29. Step 13: VoiceThread Classroom Logistics
Free VT Educator accounts allow up to 50 VoiceThreads to be created under one
teacher account. With the free VT Educator account, the following classroom
procedures are recommended:
• All activities leading up to the actual creation of the VoiceThreads can
be done as full-group activities
• The VoiceThreads should be created by each student individually or by
small groups working together at one computer. The teacher should log
into the account and not share the password with students. You cannot
log into two computers with the same account simultaneously.
• It is possible to create various student identities within the main teacher
account, if desired. (See next slide)
• Monitor students as they work. Be aware that students will have access
to the work of other students. Students should be advised to only edit
their own VoiceThread.

30. Step 14: Creating Account Identities
If desired, create identities
to distinguish the work of
various students. Use first
names only. Use a picture
provided by VoiceThread or
have students use an avatar
1. Under your login name, generator to create their
click the arrow to own cartoon images.
activate the drop-down
menu and select “My
Identities”
2. Click on “Add an
Identity”
3. Type the student’s first
name or a nickname.
Select an image, if
desired.

31. Step 15: VoiceThread Mobile
Check out http://voicethread.com/mobile for information
on using VoiceThread on iOS devices

32. Step 16: More Digital Storytelling platforms
Once you’ve tried VoiceThread, you may want to continue with
this easy and effective digital storytelling platform. Other
technologies to investigate in the future include:
• Microsoft Photostory (download to computer)
• Movie Maker or iMovie or CamStudio (movie editing,
download to computer)
• PowerPoint with narration
• Various iPad apps, such as StoryKit, Toontastic, and
Screen Chomp
• PicLits, Storybird, Animoto, Zooburst, and other web-
based programs.