Luther Jackson Middle School, Falls Church, VA

LJ Diaries 2007-08

A Grade 7 Multimedia Digital Storytelling Photocast Project

LJ Diaries is a Grade 7 M2P Multimedia Digital Storytelling Photocast project. The students were asked to think about conflicts that had developed with peers during their first year here at LJ. These stories had to be true. Their topic choices were - rumors, misunderstandings, and bullying.

We began with private talk and improvisation acting. As with diary or journal writing, the students independently were to talk through the conflict issues, and then improvise, with a partner, the development and resolution phases of the story in order to bring the story to life.

One storyline was selected for each partnership. A concept was identified and names were changed to maintain privacy. A resolution and a moral to their story were determined.

The media formats employed to produce the LJ Diaries project prior to the Photocast phase were - Storyboarding, Photography, PowerPoint, Text Messaging Language (as Captions), Brochure, Narrative Writing, and Direct Dialogue.

Students whose work clearly demonstrated the project goals were given the opportunity to present their work in Photocast format. Digital Storytelling, Voiceover Performance and use of copyright-free Music, as well as full TV studio technical production, rounded out their presentations.

The photocasts below are in Windows Media format. Please click on the thumbnail to open or download either the video or the brochure.

Two Times The Mess

by Kitty and Andie

It All Started With A Rumor

by Brennan and Rob

Ruined By Rumors

by Elizabeth and Shegofa

Split Up

by Kathy and Dina

The Joke That Killed

by Lizzy and Jacqueline

Secret Betrayal

by Melanie and Molly

The ROAR Card Thief

by Michael and Salim