REncina's+DSL+Lesson+Plan

There seems to be no limits to how I could incorporate digital story-telling into my Spanish class. It is an engaging tool that allows “students to share their stories through video, pictures and other media” (Laureate, 2009). As one can imagine, a foreign language class was made for digital story-telling to help with reading, writing, communication and creativity skills. In the final lesson of this Immigration unit, I will incorporate digital story-telling as best to my ability. The actual topic has made it so that I’ve had to think hard on how to include it. As the student’s continue to research the effects of immigration in our society and the new laws implemented by the state of Arizona, story-telling will be the method to reflect and share what they have learned. The students can narrate their research findings and personal opinions as they share pictures, videos, or newspaper headlines of what is happening in the U.S. due to Arizona’s decision. Spanish 1 Grade 8 New York State LOTE Standard 2: Students will develop cross-cultural skills and understandings. __** Goal: **__ Students will collaboratively design, develop and present a short documentary about what they have encountered and learned during their research about immigration. The final project must be a digital story using their recorded voices describing the pictures or video they are showing to their target audience. __** Action: **__ This is not just an assignment for students with strong technology skills. Those without proficient skills can use PowerPoint to present pictures and record their final reflections to present. PowerPoint is a program that is very simple to use and is very familiar to all of the students at this time in their educational careers. Those with very strong technology skills can use digital audio or video-editing software to present a short movie or panel discussion on their final reflections. __** Monitor: **__ Students will be assessed while they identify and gather resources and synthesize information. A formal assessment can be made during the student presentations as well as to the response and questions it generated. __** Evaluation: **__ Student engagement can be high during assignments using technology. Students can learn problem solving skills, technology skills, how to be self directed and how to work in groups and collaborate with others. It is important to always remember to refer back to the goals and standards to keep the focus on learning the content as well. Reference: Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore: Author.
 * Students will discuss in groups what they feel are important findings to present and vote on what to use or omit.
 * Students will search for images or video that will be included in their presentation.
 * Students will create a storyboard using presentation, concept mapping or word processing software and write scripts about the images or video they will be presenting.
 * Students will organize and sequence their ideas.
 * Students will create their presentation and record themselves narrating their scripts giving each student an opportunity to contribute to the final product.
 * Students will present the rough draft to the teacher and other students to accept suggestions for improvement.
 * Students will refine their presentation.
 * Students will present the documentary to the class and other teachers for input. Discussion and questions are encouraged.