Putting Story Principles into Practice

Jarrod Terry

Grade level and content area:
10
th
Grade English

Student learning objectives:
Students will show their grasp of the elements of story with a PowerPoint presentation where
they will point out all the elements of story in one of their favorite movies or books
Students will demonstrate knowledge of technology and PowerPoint by incorporating the
following in their presentation:
o At least 10 images
o Two or more video clips
Student presentations will be aesthetically pleasing to the eye, well organized, and easy to
follow.

State Standards:
Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History, Science, and Technical Subjects
Grades 9-12.
o Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question
(including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry
when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.
o Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, and sound) and visual
displays in presentations to clarify information.

ISTE standards:
3. Research and information fluency
o Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
Plan strategies to guide inquiry
Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information
from a variety of sources and media
Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the
appropriateness to specific tasks

1. Creativity and innovation
o Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative
products and processes using technology.
Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes
Create original works as a means of personal or group expression

4. Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making
o Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve
problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.


Materials:
Computer
Microsoft PowerPoint
Google Image Search
Internet

Computer functions, applications, and research and analysis:
Microsoft PowerPoint
Google Image Search
YouTube
Internet

Problem statement:
Now that you know about the basic elements of story, its time for you to investigate how universal
these elements really are across not only time, but also nations and even styles of storytelling. Today
youre to investigate your favorite film or book (which will be approved by me before you begin) and
create a presentation where you illustrate how this story incorporates all of the elements of story weve
studied. Give examples of each in your presentation.

Prior to computer:
Students will present their choice for their presentation to the teacher for approval. After
approval, they will go quietly to the computer.

At the computer:
Students will research their topic and find images and video to create a presentation that
illustrates knowledge of the literary elements of story.
After completion, they will send a file containing their presentation into an online Drop box so
the teacher may have a copy.
Students will put their presentation on an external flash drive so they may present at a later
date.
After the computer:
After shutting down, students will sign a sheet with a preferred date they would like to present
to the class.

When not at computer:
Students who finish will read quietly or work on homework.

Assessment rubric:
Assignment is worth a total of 20 points.
Below average ( 0-7 points)
o PowerPoint presentation is incomplete or full of errors
o Examples are incorrect or out of context.
o Not enough pictures or videos.
Average (8-13 points)
o PowerPoint is presented clearly and logically but with spelling or contextual errors.
o Examples are logical, but explanations are incomplete or not fleshed out.
o Correct or nearly correct number of pictures and videos that are within context.
Excellent (14-20 points)
o PowerPoint is aesthetically pleasing to the eye and logically structured.
o Examples are well thought out and explained clearly.
o Correct number of pictures and videos are presented within context.

Sample Student Presentation:
THETIMELESS STORY OF STAR WARS