Rolling out the Red Carpet...Digital Story Premiere!

We're right smack dab in the middle of awards season.  With the Oscars looming, I can't help but imagine what it might be like to walk one of those swanky red carpets. Cue music, cameras, couture gowns, teetering heals, sparkling diamonds, and men in pristine suits.  A girl can dream, right?

Last year, I had the good fortune of walking my very own red carpet alongside my TK celebrities!  My littles worked unbelievably hard illustrating and authoring their own pages for our digital storybook.  We found some inspiration from George Ella Lyon's Poem, I am From, and reflected on the people, places, and special memories that contribute to our unique identity.

Given minimal access to technology, I scanned and uploaded students' work into LittleBirdTales, a *FREE* Web 2.0 application that enables narration, story publication, and sharing via email.  Let me assure you, this tool is a gem!  It boasts a simple interface and captures the sweet voice of childhood...time to "ooh and ahhh!"  Obviously, I had to do something fabulous to recognize the talents of my 17 budding authors, so I invited parents and special friends to attend our Digital Story Premiere.  I rolled out a makeshift red carpet, secured red, gold and black balloons around the perimeter of the classroom, and outfitted my little ones with some celebrity inspired shades!

If you'd like to learn more about LittleBirdTales, take a peak at this short, introductory video:



I found some other incredible examples of digital storytelling, using a program called PhotoStory 3...

I was very impressed by this story, introducing Helen Keller's life.  I can imagine that it would be a powerful representation for children of all ages.



And, I absolutely *heart* this precious story: The Crayon Box That Talked.  If you haven't seen this yet, you're really missing out.  Using a crayon box as a metaphor for cultural diversity, these kiddos shared a very powerful message, retelling the original story with their own set of props.



Now, I mentioned earlier in this post about a handy program called PhotoStory 3.  I'll be the first to admit that I'm no professional videographer/producer/editor/, so I need a platform that is super simple to use, yet still creates an impressive product.  Check out this step-by-step guide to PhotoStory 3.  Based on what I've read, this program is comprehensive, allowing users to import photos, add narration, customize motion and transitions, and add background music.  Best of all, it looks like this video making novice will be able to tackle it successfully.  Has anyone else experimented with PhotoStory 3?  Or, do you have another favorite video making tool?

photo credit: Out Of Chicago via photopin cc