Students create “mind maps” of their stories, look for new ideas and connections, and create a storyboard based on their findings.
LEARNING GOALS
Students will learn to look for new and surprising aspects to their stories and understand how a story can change when told from a fresh perspective.
MATERIALS
- Chart paper
- markers
TIME
60 minutes
Note: This exercise should be used after students have spent a few weeks reporting on a story: they’ve conducted a handful of interviews, have gathered research, and are starting to draft their projects. Alternately, this exercise can be used after students have completed a first draft and want to rethink their approach.
Process
Exercise
Step 1:
Explain what this activity will be about: students will use “mind maps” to take a fresh look at the stories they’ve been working on and identify new elements or connections to pursue. Then, they will create storyboards based on these new ideas.
Step 2:
Begin mind-mapping. First, have students write down their topics in the center of chart paper or whiteboard space. Then give them ten minutes to add names, keywords, images, or any other facet of the story that they can think of around the topic.
Step 3:
Have students take a step back and look at the mind map they just created. Are there any connections between the various things they’ve written down? Give them five minutes to draw lines showing those connections.
Step 4:
Have students pair up and share their mind maps with one another. They should spend five or so minutes looking at their partner’s mind map, asking questions, and providing feedback. Questions they should consider:
- Which elements or ideas seem the most rich?
- Which connections should the reporter explore further?
- Which elements or connections seem the least compelling? Can those be further developed, or should they be excised from the story?
Step 5:
Taking this feedback into account, have students spend a few minutes considering their stories and deciding which new aspects of the story they want to pursue.
Step 6:
Give students 20 minutes to create storyboards, keeping these new ideas and connections in mind. They should sketch out their stories in a series of frames, as if they were comic books or movies. It doesn’t matter how well they draw — stick figures are great.
Step 7:
Ask a few student volunteers to briefly share their storyboards with the rest of the class, explaining how the new ideas and connections from their mind maps may have changed or affected the story’s structure and focus.
Step 8:
Assign homework for the next class session: students must find a member of their target audience, show them their storyboards, and ask them what they see. Have students document the audience member’s reaction and feedback, and bring it into the next class to share.
Have questions? Feedback?
We’d love to hear about your experience using these activities in your classroom, get your thoughts on what we could improve. Email us at resources@journalismdesign.com or fill out this form.