To see the project lesson plan for students please go to this link. I have created the lesson to be in three distinct sections where they will work on the story first, then the visuals, then the audio. Assignment_ Creating an Audio Book
Lesson Plan – Creating an Audio Book
Lesson Plan: Creating an Audiobook Using Technology
Grade Level: 7
Subject: Language Arts & Digital Literacy
Duration: 4-6 weeks (depending on class schedule)
Student Demographic & Learning Context
This project is designed for a diverse group of Grade 7 students with varying literacy levels and digital proficiency. The class includes students with different learning needs, including English Language Learners (ELLs) and students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). The learning environment emphasizes collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, integrating technology to enhance engagement. The project aligns with curriculum goals in language arts, digital literacy, and creative expression.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this project, students will:
- Students will use digital tools to enhance storytelling by creating an immersive mood through sound, narration, music, pacing, and visuals.
- Students will effectively combine mixed media (text, audio, and visual) to create a cohesive and engaging multimedia experience.
- Students will demonstrate understanding of copyright laws and ethical digital media use.
Assessment
Digital literacy is the central focus of the assessment because students in this project navigate multiple technological tools to create a cohesive and engaging audiobook. The reason this is the focus is because as technology becomes increasingly integrated into education and professional fields, developing proficiency with digital platforms to enhance students’ ability to communicate, collaborate, and think critically is becoming more critical.
This is a long term project with multiple steps. Each step will focus on specific objectives for learning and assessment. This rubric prioritizes skills such as the effective use of digital tools, ethical digital use, and multimedia integration to ensure students gain practical experience in digital content creation while reinforcing their literacy and storytelling abilities.
| Criteria | Excellent 4 | Proficient 3 | Developing 2 | Beginning 1 | Missing 0 |
| Digital tools | Digital tools are skillfully used to create a compelling mood that enhances the storytelling. Sound effects,narration, music, pacing, and visuals work seamlessly to evoke emotions and immerse the audience. | Digital tools are effectively used to establish mood, with appropriate sound effects,narration, music, and visuals. Some elements could be refined for a more immersive experience. | Digital tools contribute to mood but are used inconsistently or lack strong impact. Some choices may not fully align with the intended emotional tone of the story. | Minimal or ineffective use of digital tools to enhance mood. Sound, visuals, and pacing do not contribute meaningfully to the storytelling experience. | No attempt to use digital tools to establish mood, or they are entirely absent from the project. |
| Mixed Media | Effectively integrates multiple forms of media (text, audio, visual) with advanced skill | Uses a variety of multiple forms of media (text, audio, visual) with digital proficiency. | Uses multiple media forms with some cohesion but requires additional support and direction. | Struggles to integrate multiple forms of media effectively and has great difficulty with digital tools. | No attempt to use multiple forms of media for the project. |
| Copyright and ethical Use | Consistently applies copyright and ethical considerations in all aspects of the project | Mostly adheres to copyright guidelines and ethical use of digital content | Occasionally follows copyright guidelines and ethical use of digital content | Frequently violates copyright guidelines and ethical use of digital content | No attempt to use copy right guidelines and ethical use of digital content. |
Overview of Learning Preceding Unit
Prior to this project, students will have completed:
- A unit on storytelling elements (plot, character, setting, dialogue, theme).
- An introduction to copyright and ethical digital content usage.
- Basic instruction on using digital tools such as Google Slides and Soundtrap.
- Practice activities on using AI for brainstorming and drafting radio shows.
Hi Hannah, I really enjoyed reading through this audiobook creation project! It’s ambitious, but I think you’ve laid out all the steps very clearly and provided great resources for students to use. By the end, the Grade 7s will certainly have something they can be proud of — and quite possibly something they never thought they could create on their own.
I thought your decision to utilize ChatGPT up front was bold; I really think you’ve done something proactive and interesting. By having everyone use the tool for the same stage of the project, you’ve accomplished at least three things: 1) reduced the stress of creating a coherent base story from scratch (particularly for ELL students and those with learning differences); 2) moved the learning/achievement focus more towards the media production side of things (particularly since it’s hard to save a weak story, even with solid production); and 3) shown students how A.I. platforms, rather than doing all the work (i.e., cheating), can be better used as a start-up tool upon which students must build, using their own intelligence and creativity.
My only question is what provisions you may have considered to assess students along the way, seeing that this is a long-term project? As we’ve learned, formative assessment can be great for keeping everyone on track, and also allows instructors to provide formal guidance and adjustment (Boss & Krauss, 2018, p. 83), something that might be useful for this project.
References
Boss, S., & Krauss, J. (2018). Reinventing project-based learning: Your field guide to real-world projects in the digital age (3rd ed.). International Society for Technology in Education.
Hello Jeremy
Thank you for your thoughts and your question. I do think it is important to show students how to use the technology appropriately, especially AI. I appreciate all your thoughts and agree with them all. As for your question about formative assessment, yes this is a long term project and all the variables that would need to be flushed out for a unit plan would consider this. I had not included this in the lesson plan but certainly would in a unit plan. Here are some ideas I have generated to incorporate for the process of formative assessment
STEP 1: Story Creation with ChatGPT (Student-Generated Prompt)
Peer Feedback: After generating their story outline, students can share it with a partner for constructive feedback on clarity, creativity, and coherence.
Teacher Conference: A quick 1-on-1 check-in where students explain their story idea and get feedback on plot, character development, sound effects, and alignment with their vision. and ask the students to write a short response about what they like about their story and one thing they want to improve.
STEP 2 Creation of Image Book in Google Slides
Gallery Walk: Students display their Google Slides storybooks in progress, and classmates leave sticky notes with positive feedback and questions. The teacher also participates.
Think-Pair-Share: Students explain their visual choices to a peer and discuss how the images enhance their narrative.
STEP 3 Creation of Audio Track in Soundtrap
Pair Listening & Feedback: Students listen to each other’s recordings and provide feedback on pacing, expression, and clarity.
Checklist Review: Provide a checklist that includes voice clarity, background noise, and pacing so students can self-assess before finalizing their track.
Peer Showcase & Feedback: Students present their final audiobooks, and peers provide compliments and constructive feedback using a structured template.