Teaching Dry Bones
Welcome CTE attendees! Thank you for attending my presentation: “Teaching Documentary Storytelling Through Local History: Lessons from DRY BONES” and for stopping by. Below you’ll find a few tips for teaching documentary storytelling that I hope you’ll find useful in your classroom. Feel free to comment and share more tips and insights!
Why Teach Documentary Film?
Documentary storytelling teaches students how to:
Research and interpret local history.
Develop interviewing and listening skills.
Practice technical production (audio, video, editing).
Engage critically with issues of community, justice, and representation.
Top 5 Classroom Documentary Exercises
Everyday Interview (15–20 minutes): Pair students up. Each asks the other a simple question: 'Tell me a story from your neighborhood or family.' Record on a phone or tablet. Practice listening, follow-up questions, and framing a shot.
Photo-to-Film Storytelling (30–45 minutes): Students bring 2–3 personal or family photos. Narrate a short story over the images using voice recording. Edit together in free software (iMovie, Adobe Express, Capcut).
Community History Mini-Doc (1–2 class periods): Identify one local story (e.g., a landmark, protest, cultural event). Assign small teams: researcher, interviewer, cinematographer, editor. Produce a 2–3 minute film that introduces the story.
Soundscape Storytelling (15 minutes): Students record sounds around the school or neighborhood. Layer sounds to create an 'audio portrait' of a place. Discuss how sound communicates mood, history, or identity.
Editing Challenge (30 minutes)": Provide 5–6 raw video clips (e.g., street shots, interview bites). Students must edit into a 1-minute story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Compare how each group shapes the same material differently.
Teaching Tips
Start small: 1–2 minute projects build confidence.
Emphasize process, not polish: Focus on storytelling and interpretation.
Connect to community: Encourage students to ask about stories close to home.
Reflect together: After screenings, ask, 'Whose story is being told? How is it told?'
