This week had me thinking about how stories come together and why some of them are memorable. As I started working through this project, tornadoes kept coming back to mind. We just experienced a series of storms last night, and keeping my family and students safe is top of mind. Living in Oklahoma, that is just part of life. Storm season shows up every year, whether we are ready or not. I have seen how fast things can change, and I have also seen people freeze up because they are not sure what to do in that moment. That is what pushed me toward this topic.
The story I am building will focus on tornadoes and tornado safety. I want it to walk through what a tornado is, how it forms, and which signs people should watch for when the weather starts to turn. From there, it will move into what someone should actually do when a warning is issued. I am not trying to pack it full of extra information. The goal is for it to be understood. Students need to recognize what is happening and respond without hesitation. When a warning hits, there is no extra time to figure it out step by step.
Ohler’s work helped me keep this from becoming scattered. He breaks a story down into a problem, what unfolds from it, and its resolution (Ohler, 2013). That made sense right away. The problem is the danger tornadoes bring and the fact that some people are not prepared. What follows is the point where the sky changes, warnings go out, and decisions have to be made quickly. The resolution comes back to preparation. When someone already knows where to go and what to do, that situation plays out differently.
When I started putting it together, I thought about how it would feel to go through it for the first time. It needs to make sense without jumping around. Ohler (2023) talks about mapping things out so the story stays connected, and that helped me settle on an order. It will start with a basic explanation of tornadoes, then move into warning signs like dark skies, rotation, hail, and sirens. After that, it will focus on actions to take in a home or school. I will close by going back over those steps again so they are easy to remember.
This fits naturally in a classroom. It connects to science, but it also gives students something they can actually use outside of school. It also gives them a chance to build their own digital stories, which helps them take what they learn and do something with it. That lines up with ISTE standards like Knowledge Constructor and Creative Communicator, where students gather and present information using digital tools (International Society for Technology in Education, 2026).
For tools, I am keeping it simple. Images, diagrams, narration, and basic editing software will do what I need. I also want to place text directly on images so the important points stand out as someone moves through it. That helps keep attention where it needs to be. Sound will be there, but it will stay in the background so it does not take over.
When it comes to grading something like this, it really comes down to whether the message is clear. The story needs to be organized, accurate, and easy to follow. Ohler (2013) makes the point that it is not about how much is added, but how well everything works together. A simple rubric that looks at clarity, organization, accuracy, and how well the visuals match the message would be enough.
Working through Ohler’s material helped me move this from an idea into something I can actually build out step by step. It gave me a way to think through it without overdoing it (Ohler, 2013; Ohler, 2023). At this point, I know where this is going and how I want to finish it.
References
International Society for Technology in Education. (2026). ISTE standards for students. https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-students
Ohler, J. (2013). Digital storytelling in the classroom: New media pathways to literacy, learning, and creativity. Corwin Press.
Ohler, J. (2023). How to make a story - Process notes. http://storyconcepts.blogspot.com/
Hi Nelson--You are a very talented writer! You drew me in right away with your story concept. I liked how you said you wanted to the goal to be understood and you are right on the money. As a New Englander, to get that information about tornadoes will be really interesting to me. We had a tornado about 15 years ago which ripped through our city and left it in shambles. It was so sudden and so strange, as they rarely form up here. We were out of school for a week, as it knocked out most of the power lines. My husband, a firefighter, was called into duty around the clock for days, cleaning up debris and trees, and clearing downed power lines. I was with my three-year-old and pregnant, and waiting to hear from him every day as he described the absolute chaos, which was very memorable! To make a long story short, I look forward to your story.
ReplyDeleteHi Nelson,
ReplyDeleteI like how you applied Ohler's framework in such a meaningful way. Framing tornado safety as a problem and discussing the lack of preparedness, discussing the unfolding events, and ending with being prepared and knowing what to do, will create an interesting digital story. It makes the learning part of the story feel less like just memorizing information and more about enjoying it. I also think you were very intentional about your audience. Thinking about what it would feel like to go through this for the first time is such an important perspective, especially for younger students who may not have any prior experience with severe weather. Thanks for sharing!
Hello Nelson,
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate how you understand such a crucial aspect of life in Oklahoma which is to be weather aware. As someone who did not grow up here in Oklahoma, my first storm season came with significant worry and uncertainty when trying to read and understand the weather reports and warnings. Your story sounds like it is very sound with what it would cover and teach with a clear problem, transformation, and solution. I look forward to reading about it when our stories are completed.