Imagine that we can share stories about the people, places, traditions, and objects in our lives to help us understand that we all share common experiences, and that we are much more alike than we are different. By sharing our stories, we can connect with each other in special ways.

Imagine that we could support and extend our stories by using technology to enhance our voices with imagery and music.

What if we could record our stories from the past for the future? What if we could tell stories of the future today?

Fourth grade students interviewed parents and grandparents to find out about a "family treasure" and the story behind it. By doing so, they took part in an oral and material history project. We are proud of the process they went through to complete this project! They had to:

• Learn interviewing techniques
• Interview relatives
• Translate the interview into a story
• Combine images and music
• Transform images, music, and their narration into a digital movie

What is Digital Storytelling?

Center for Digital Storytelling tells us that “Many individuals and communities have used the term "digital storytelling" to describe a wide variety of new media production practices. We all have stories about the events, people, and places in our lives. In a group process, the sharing of these stories connects people in special ways.”

“A Digital Story is a 3-5 minute "mini-movie" based on a real person's experiences, usually focusing on a single important event, object, person, etc. in that person's life. Digital Stories can combine the storyteller's own voice with images, music, and sound effects to grab the audience's attention and help bring the person's experience to life.
Digital Stories are produced as a part of a collaborative process. Students will be provided with the necessary production skills and tools while the storyteller (a family member or person from the community) provides his or her personal recollections and the experiences, lessons, and values they contain.
Why are they important?
Digital Stories preserve and pass on valuable experiences and lessons to other members of the community. These stories can educate, sustain and inspire the rest of us in our own lives, and help build understanding, tolerance, and compassion amongst people of all ages and backgrounds.”
–Digital Clubhouse of NYC

To get started, click on the links in the navigation bar under "Digital Stories."