Field Test of My Digital Story

This past week I was able to field test my digital story in my practicum  class, 6th grade English Language Arts. I developed an entire lesson plan around my digital story on Helen Keller. The object of my lesson was to teach about heroism. The students were surprised that I had made a digital story. While they viewed the digital story you could hear a pin drop; the students were totally engaged. I had one hour to complete my lesson. I opened with a book box strategy that I learned in my Children's Literature Class. In the box were items that pertained to the digital story. When the digital story was over, I took out one item at a time and asked the students to tell me what part of the digital story it pertained to. They were quick to answer and knew all the answers, which showed me how intensely they paid attention to the digital story. We continued with a group discussion about different questions I posed to them on heroes. I had a hands on activity for them in which they created a Class Quilt out of construction paper and pictures, quotes and character words that describe Helen Keller. The lesson was a complete success. From this experience I learned that today's students are digital learners and I must be a digital teacher in order to make connections with my students.