Overview

Students in grades 7-8 will collaborate in groups of up to three to create an original or recreated short movie using the CoSpaces Edu platform. Each group will design a CoSpace project with three interactive scenes that tell a coherent story, including character movement, dialogue, and audio elements. This project supports critical STEM skills including digital literacy, coding basics, storytelling, and collaboration.

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Common Core Standards Alignment

English Language Arts (ELA)

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3
  Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1
  Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.5
  Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.

Mathematics (for computational thinking aspects)

• CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP4
  Model with mathematics.
• CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP5
  Use appropriate tools strategically.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) (Tech integration)

While not Common Core, relevant NGSS connections for computational thinking and technological design can be referenced as a STEM enhancement.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this 5-day unit, students will:

• Collaboratively plan and storyboard a 3-scene short movie within CoSpaces Edu.
• Use problem-solving and computational thinking to design and animate scenes, incorporating movement and dialogue.
• Add and manipulate audio to enhance storytelling.
• Communicate story concepts using effective narrative structures.
• Present their digital short movie to the class using appropriate multimedia tools.
• Reflect on teamwork and technical challenges during digital creation.

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Materials Needed

• Computer or tablet with internet access and CoSpaces Edu account
• Project planning worksheet (storyboard template and task checklist)
• Scriptwriting worksheet
• Headphones with microphone (optional for audio recording)
• Teacher presentation slides on CoSpaces basics and digital storytelling
• Rubric for assessing collaboration, creativity, and technical skill

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Daily Plan

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Day 1: Introduction & Planning (60 minutes)

I Do (15 minutes)

• Teacher Presentation: Introduce CoSpaces platform functionalities (scene creation, object placement, basic scripting, and audio recording). Share short demo video clip of a sample CoSpace project.
• Introduce the project brief: Create a short, 3-scene movie (fiction or reality-based, school-appropriate). Discuss storytelling elements: character, plot, conflict, resolution.
• Walk students through project and assessment rubric.

We Do (20 minutes)

• As a class, brainstorm a simple story idea. Teacher models storyboarding on worksheet: three scenes with descriptions and key actions including dialogue and audio notes.
• Demonstrate planning characters, camera angles, scene props on worksheet.

They Do (25 minutes)

• Students form groups of 3 and start brainstorming their own story ideas using the planning worksheet.
• Teacher circulates to support ideas and ensure story feasibility. Groups begin drafting their storyboard.

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Day 2: Building the World (60 minutes)

I Do (10 minutes)

• Quick refresher walkthrough on building a scene in CoSpaces: adding objects, positioning characters, environment settings.
• Demonstrate adding basic animation (e.g., character walking) and setting camera movements.

We Do (15 minutes)

• Guided practice: Teacher and class together build a sample scene remodeling the Day 1 storyboard scene one with basic movement and camera control.
• Discuss adding audio cues.

They Do (35 minutes)

• Groups start creating their first scene in CoSpaces based on their storyboards.
• Begin adding characters, props, and lay groundwork for animation sequences.

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Day 3: Scene Animation & Dialogue (60 minutes)

I Do (10 minutes)

• Demonstrate how to use CoSpaces’ block coding or text coding to animate characters and trigger dialogue/audio playback.
• Show examples of timing and synchronization of scenes and audio.

We Do (15 minutes)

• Together, create a simple animation sequence with dialogue in the teacher’s sample CoSpace.
• Practice recording and inserting audio clips.

They Do (35 minutes)

• Groups code animations and add dialogue/audio soundbites to their first or second scene.
• Use scriptwriting worksheet to finalize character dialogue before recording.

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Day 4: Complete Remaining Scenes & Polish (60 minutes)

I Do (10 minutes)

• Tips on scene transitions and storytelling flow in CoSpaces.
• Emphasize importance of pacing, audio clarity, and user engagement.

We Do (10 minutes)

• Class collaborates on improving teacher’s sample second and third scenes with audio polish and scene transitions.

They Do (40 minutes)

• Groups finish their final scene and finalize all animations, audio, and transitions.
• Peer feedback rounds: groups present scenes-in-progress to another group for constructive feedback.

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Day 5: Presentation & Reflection (60 minutes)

I Do (5 minutes)

• Model how to present using screen share and narrate projects, highlighting important design decisions.

We Do (10 minutes)

• Volunteer groups present their finished CoSpace scenes followed by brief Q&A from peers.

They Do (30 minutes)

• Remaining groups present their projects to the class.
• Complete a self and peer evaluation worksheet focusing on collaboration, creative choices, and technical challenges.

Closure (15 minutes)

• Whole class discussion reflecting on learning outcomes and favorite parts of the project.
• Teacher distributes certificates or digital badges for participation and skill mastery.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment via observation of group work and worksheet completion.
• Summative assessment through rubric evaluating:
  • Story coherence and creativity (ELA W.7.3)
  • Use of digital tools and animation (MP4, MP5)
  • Collaboration and presentation skills (SL.7.1, SL.7.5)
  • Audio integration effectiveness
• Peer and self assessments to foster metacognitive skills.

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Extensions & Differentiation

• Advanced coding: Students desiring challenge can use CoSpaces’ JavaScript coding feature to add custom interactions.
• Supports for struggling students: Provide template scenes and guided scripting prompts.
• Cross-curricular tie-ins: Connect storyline development with social studies or science topics for greater relevance.
• Home extension: Encourage students to share their movies with family or use as digital storytelling for other classes.

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This engaging, standards-aligned unit leverages cutting-edge technology to fuse creativity, teamwork, and STEM skills for a meaningful project-based learning experience.