Learning target:
Yesterday we talked about the dramatic question. This has to do with what the story is about and how you can use that question to your advantage as a storyteller to keep the viewer interested.
Today we’re going to keep talking about the plot or structure of your story. Most good stories build up to a moment of change. We’ll read the story “The Flowers” by Alice Walker. In making sense of this story, I want you to focus on how it switches back and forth between what we’ll call “scene” and “summary.” In a scene, you are living the moment with the character. You are getting the action as it happens through description of what the characters see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. Dialogue is surest sign that you are in scene. Scene happens in a specific time and place.
In summary, you are getting the action after the fact. In summary, the author tells what a character did in a general way and tells what a character was feeling. Summary is useful when you are transitioning from one scene to another. Summary allows you to provide straight up background that can add depth and meaning to a story. You will switch between scene and summary in your digital story. One isn’t better than the other. But to add an emotional impact to your story, use scene for the moment of change. What is the moment of change in “The Flowers”?
Most often stories build up to this climactic scene, this moment of change, with other scenes that gradually increase the tension. This creates the “arc” of the story (see above).
After going through the story, you’ll pair up and share your story again. Help each other identify the moment of change or potential change in your story. Brainstorm how you can really expand this moment. Think about how you can build up to this moment with other scenes or with summary that will make the moment of change more meaningful.
The rest of the time you’ll have to work on your story.
Homework due Wednesday, September 3rd
Revise your draft of your story. Make sure the dramatic question is clear in your head. Expand your moment of change so it’s vivid relative to the rest of the story.
- We can explain integrate a moment of change into our digital story
Yesterday we talked about the dramatic question. This has to do with what the story is about and how you can use that question to your advantage as a storyteller to keep the viewer interested.
Today we’re going to keep talking about the plot or structure of your story. Most good stories build up to a moment of change. We’ll read the story “The Flowers” by Alice Walker. In making sense of this story, I want you to focus on how it switches back and forth between what we’ll call “scene” and “summary.” In a scene, you are living the moment with the character. You are getting the action as it happens through description of what the characters see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. Dialogue is surest sign that you are in scene. Scene happens in a specific time and place.
In summary, you are getting the action after the fact. In summary, the author tells what a character did in a general way and tells what a character was feeling. Summary is useful when you are transitioning from one scene to another. Summary allows you to provide straight up background that can add depth and meaning to a story. You will switch between scene and summary in your digital story. One isn’t better than the other. But to add an emotional impact to your story, use scene for the moment of change. What is the moment of change in “The Flowers”?
Most often stories build up to this climactic scene, this moment of change, with other scenes that gradually increase the tension. This creates the “arc” of the story (see above).
After going through the story, you’ll pair up and share your story again. Help each other identify the moment of change or potential change in your story. Brainstorm how you can really expand this moment. Think about how you can build up to this moment with other scenes or with summary that will make the moment of change more meaningful.
The rest of the time you’ll have to work on your story.
Homework due Wednesday, September 3rd
Revise your draft of your story. Make sure the dramatic question is clear in your head. Expand your moment of change so it’s vivid relative to the rest of the story.