Lesson Plan - Create Story Maps Using PowerPoint

Visual Story Maps in the Classroom

What is a Story Map?

Story maps are graphic representations of the various components and sequence of events of a story, which clearly outline the relationships to each other. Components are usually the setting, the characters, the problem, the plot and the resolution.

Story maps can be used as an outline for creating a story or to summarize the story events. They help students visualize the people, places and events of the story. In a creative writing exercise, students use story maps to help with the initial process of organizing their thoughts before proceeding with the story writing. As a post reading exercise, students can reflect on the story and summarize it using a story map.

PowerPoint can be a very useful tool to create story maps. This is a fun way to integrate technology and literacy in the classroom and all the while students will be learning how to use PowerPoint.

Here is a Sample Story Map Using PowerPoint for you to download and review. A special thanks to my teaching friend, Cathy Moreau, for the example text of this sample story map.

What Do I Need to Know About Using PowerPoint for Story Maps?

You may not believe this, but PowerPoint is one of the easiest software programs to use. Not only that, it is fun to use too. What is helpful for the first time user of PowerPoint is to know a few of the most common PowerPoint terms. This article will take you through the 10 Most Common PowerPoint Terms to get you started.

How to Create the PowerPoint Story Map

The following two PowerPoint tutorials will take you through the steps to make a basic story map. Along the way, students will be acquiring many basic skills to use PowerPoint as a presentation tool.

• Part 1 - Create Story Maps Using PowerPoint
  • This PowerPoint tutorial will show you how to use a radial diagram to show the relationships between the components of the story map. This will become the Story Map Legend.
  
  
• Part 2 - Create and Hyperlink Additional Pages of the Story
  
  • Enhance and Hyperlink the Story Map Slides
    • This PowerPoint tutorial will show you how to add clip art and action buttons to hyperlink to the various topic slides in the story map.
  • Importing Media into PowerPoint
    • This quick PowerPoint video will show you how to add clip art, pictures or other media into PowerPoint.

  Enhance the Story Map Further

  The above two PowerPoint tutorials are quite quick to complete. Students will be enjoying the process and may wish to enhance their story maps further. The following tutorials will take you through the steps to add some pizzazz to the story map.
  • Add Colored Backgrounds in PowerPoint
    • Enhance your story map by adding a colored background to the individual slides. There are many different options for adding color to PowerPoint slides.
    
    
  • Change Font Styles and Colors
    • Choose font colors, styles and a font size that will make it easy for your audience to read what is on the screen, no matter where they are seated.
    
    
  • Applying a Design Template in PowerPoint
    • Using design templates in Microsoft PowerPoint gives a uniform look to your presentation. All slides will look like they are part of a package.
    
    
  • Add Music, Sounds or Narration to PowerPoint Presentations
    • Sounds can start immediately or timings can be set so that music will play over a number of slides. Play a CD track to accompany your PowerPoint presentation.
  More Presentation Software Quick Tips