Basic Productivity Presentation Tool

Lesson Idea

Lesson Idea Name: Creating a Digital Narrative Story

Grade Level/Content Area: Second Grade Writing
Content Standard Addressed: ELAGSE2W3 Write narratives in which they recount a well-
elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and
feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.
ISTE Technology Standard Addressed:  What would you like students to know and
be able to do by the end of this lesson:
1.6 Creative communicator – Students
communicate clearly and express themselves By the end of this lesson, students should be
creatively using the platforms, tools, styles, able to use PowerPoint to write a narrative,
formats, and digital media appropriate. recounting an event. The narrative should
1.6.d Students publish or present content include details to describe actions, thoughts,
that customizes the message and medium for and feelings; students should also be able to
their intended audiences. use temporal words in their narrative.

What is the student learning goal for this lesson idea?

1. I can write a narrative story about an event or sequence of events; I can describe
actions, thoughts, and feelings in my narrative story.
2. I can create a digital story using PowerPoint.

Selected Instructional Software Tool: PowerPoint, YouTube

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7jmKm5EuRs

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy Level(s):

X☐ Remembering X☐ Understanding X☐ Applying X☐ Analyzing X☐ Evaluating X☐ Creating

How will this lesson be implemented? Check all that apply

X☐ Teacher-directed: There is no student voice and choice in the activities. Students are guided by
the teacher's direction and expectations.

☐ Student-Led: Students are given voice and choice in the activities. They may select the topic for
presentation and/or determine the tool they will use to meet the learning goal. Products of
learning will be uniquely designed. Teacher simply facilitates the learning in a lesson like this.

X☐ Project-based and/or Publishable: Students are completing projects to demonstrate their

 Basic Productivity Presentation Tool
Lesson Idea

learning and the projects can be shared outside of the classroom. This objective could be reached
by displaying the project on the school’s morning newscast, posting the project to the classroom
blog, presenting it to another class, or publishing it via an outside source.

Lesson idea implementation:

Part 1:
To begin this lesson, I will read the book Ralph Tells a Story by Abby Hanlon. Afterwards, we
will briefly discuss what we noticed in the book. Following this discussion, I will introduce
narrative writing to the students. I will first ask students what they know about narrative
writing; I will note student responses on the whiteboard. We will then watch the YouTube
video “What Is Narrative Writing?” to learn more about narrative writing. This will teach the
students what narrative writing is as well as the structure and components (characters,
setting, beginning, middle, end). Following the video, we will discuss what we learned from
the video and write down important information on chart paper. We will also expand on the
information to discuss how we use temporal words in our writing as well as details to
describe actions, thoughts, and feelings. We will then watch my digital story as a class.
Following the video, we will go through my story to identify: characters, setting, beginning,
middle, end, temporal words, actions, thoughts, and feelings.

Part 2:
Next, I will explain to students that they will each be writing a narrative story. At this point, I
will make students aware of their first goal in this lesson. I will give the class three prompts to
choose from to write their story. I will give the students an organizer to help in planning their
narrative story. Once students have completed the organizer, I will give verbal feedback
before students begin creating a rough draft/script. I will also help students to correct
grammatical mistakes, providing written feedback if/when needed. Once students have
completed their rough draft, I will give written feedback before students begin creating their
digital story. I will assist students as needed throughout the entire writing process.

Part 3:
Before students begin creating their digital story, I will make students aware of their second
goal in this lesson. I will walk the students through how to add words and pictures to the
slides as well as how to audio record. I will also assist students as needed during this process.
I will use a rubric to provide feedback to the students regarding their digital stories. The
rubric will assess students’ use of beginning, middle, and end, temporal words, and details.
To conclude the lesson, students will get to share their narrative story with the class.

Managing engagement: Describe a way to use this technology in a way that gets students
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Lesson Idea

actively involved in authentic tasks and contexts?

Throughout the span of the lesson, students are actively focused on reaching their learning
goals. In parts 1 and 2 of the lesson, students are focused specifically on their first learning
goal; they are learning about narrative writing and writing a rough draft (script) in
preparation for their digital story; this helps students to organize their ideas so that they can
transfer their writing from the script to the PowerPoint efficiently. In part 3, students are
given time-on-task with continued focus on their second learning goal; students will be using
PowerPoint as a form of technology, allowing them to extend their learning about narrative
writing through hands-on experience, helping them to bring their writing to life. For this part,
I would set a time limit of approximately 30 minutes. However, if students experience
technological difficulties, this time limit can be extended.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

The use of PowerPoint in this lesson enhances students’ learning of narrative writing, helping
to support the representation component of the UDL framework. PowerPoint offers multiple
ways of customizing the display of information; information can be provided via audio,
visuals, and/or written text. PowerPoint gives students creative freedom to decide how they
want to present their stories; therefore, students can decide what works best for them.
PowerPoint also has a built-in system that helps to clarify vocabulary. The activity that
students are doing for this lesson will help them to apply and expand on their knowledge of
narrative stories.

Reflecting on enhanced learning:

I feel that this activity will really help students to understand narrative writing, as it allows
them to express their creativity in writing and publishing a story. I think using PowerPoint for
their narrative writing keeps the students engaged in the lesson. I look forward to teaching
the students how to use PowerPoint to create their stories and seeing how their narrative
writing comes to life.