Unleash Your Story Workshop Series

Type: Active
Age: High school
Optimal size: 11-20
Estimated cost: $100+
Planning time: 5+ hours
Frequency: Weekly

Learning outcomes

Through these workshops teens will have the opportunity to:

• Learn about art history
• Practice creative thinking and problem solving
• Practice writing skills
• Practice public speaking
• Work together in teams
• Learn new software and equipment
• Practice planning skills

Instructions

1. Art Studio
   1. Supplies Needed:
      1. Art Paper or Canvas
      2. Various Art Supplies
      3. Narrative Art Handout
   2. Instructions:
      1. Discuss the history of Narrative Art, from Ancient Egyptians to modern cartoonists
      2. Challenge participants to create their own Narrative Art piece using the supplies
2. Creative Writing Workshop
   1. Supplies Needed: 
      1. Composition Books for the teens to keep
         1. OR Writing Paper
      2. Pens or Pencils
      3. Creative Writing Handout
      4. Random Titles (Try the B Movie Titler from Seventh Sanctum)
      5. Dice
      6. The Writer's Toolbox by Jamie Cat Callan
      7. Royalty Free Pictures (I used Pixabay)
      8. StoryCubes Set
      9. The Storymatic 
   2. Instructions:
      1. Roll to Write
         1. Give each teen: a composition book, a pen or pencil, a dice, and a random title.
         2. Each teen writes the title on the top of the page and rolls the dice
         3. The teen then writes the number of words that they rolled to start their story
         4. When the teens are all finished writing their first sentence, have them pass the notebooks to the next person.
         5. The next person rolls the dice and adds that many words to the story.
         6. Play continues for about 15 minutes or until you are ready to move on
         7. Give participants the opportunity to share their stories
      2. The Writer's Toolbox
         1. Use the First Sentence, Non Sequitur, and Last Straw sticks to give the teens an idea for a random story.
         2. Give the teens about 15 minutes to write
         3. Give them the opportunity to share their stories
      3. Free Writing with Pictures
         1. Each teen picks out a picture then writes a story based on it
         2. Allow the participants to write for about 5 minutes
         3. Share stories
      4. StoryCubes
         1. Have the teens play with the StoryCubes and write a story based on the images that they roll
         2. Give participants time to write
         3. Share stories
      5. TheStorymatic
         1. Follow the directions in the Storymatic to have teens start a story based on the cards they draw
         2. Give participants time to write
         3. Share stories 
3. Video Club
   1. Supplies Needed:
      1. Cameras (like these Vivitar Cameras)
      2. Video Club Storyboarding handout
      3. Pencils/Pens
      4. Laptops/Computer Terminals for video editing (I used: Shotcut)
   2. Instructions:
      1. Teach participants the basics of using the cameras and go over any rules
      2. Participants use the Storyboard to plan their video
      3. Participants shoot the video
      4. Help the teens edit the video using the software of your choice
      5. Time permitting, watch the videos. 
         1. Make sure to save the videos and hand out your library's/school's release form if you want to put the videos online.
4. Stop Motion Animation
   1. Supplies Needed:
      1. HUE Animation Studio (at least 2)
      2. Laptops (at least 2 - one for each Animation Studio)
         1. Equipped with video editing software
      3. Clay 
         1. We liked Magic Clay, which felt like butter slime and air dried well
      4. Construction Paper
      5. Other Art Supplies as needed
      6. Toys like action figures or LEGOs. 
      7. Stop Motion Animation Handout
   2. Instructions:
      1. Have the teens create a character using the clay and art supplies OR borrow some toys to use in their animation
      2. When finished, teens can take turns creating movies with the Animation Studios. 
      3. After filming their animation, allow teens time to edit their movies if needed
      4. Time permitting, watch the movies together as a group
      5. Allow teens to take their creations home
5. Screening Event
   1. Supplies Needed:
      1. Snacks
      2. Laptop/TV Display to show videos
      3. Supplies and games from previous events
   2. Instructions:
      1. Welcome everyone and show the work from all the previous sessions
      2. Allow teens to hang out and talk about what they created
      3. Give teens the opportunity to experiment with activities they may have missed

Evaluation

Evaluation of this program is based on Attendance and Evaluation Surveys. We repeated some of the sessions at an after school program with our Middle School with great success. Evaluation surveys reveal that the teens' favorite programs were the Creative Writing Workshop and the Stop Motion Animation Studio. They also suggested the following programs for future events: Chopped, Acting Program, Cook Off, and more Video Club. 

Our Attendance Totals:

• Art Studio (3 Sessions): 39
• Creative Writing (3 Sessions): 43
• Video Club (1 Session): 9
• Stop Motion Animation Studio (3 Sessions): 53
• Screening Event (1 Session): 15

Other resources

Creative Writing:

• Creative Writing Prompts
• Writers Digest Prompts
• 365 Creative Writing Prompts
• Write or Die
• Seventh Sanctum Generators

HUE Animation

Stikbot Animation

Shotcut: Free Video Editing Software