Story principles

The story principles in media arts are structure, intent, characters, setting, points of view, and genre conventions (ACARA, 2013, p. 84). Using media arts in the classroom, students will explore these principles as they engage in the making of their work. These are principles that extend further than the arts curriculum, however; they have a strong link to literacy and the English syllabus (DfES, 2003). Integrating knowledge and learning can be an effective method for teachers planning for learning outcomes; tying them together creates a connection which might help students to see the relevance of what they are learning.

Storyboard for our photo story

As students progress through primary school, they should be gaining a more thorough understanding of these principles and how they affect what they are creating in the media arts classroom. In a lesson involving storyboarding, for example, it's important that students make conscious decisions about these different principles in order to create a cohesive story for the audience.

References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (2013). Revised Draft Australian Curriculum: The Arts Foundation to Year 10. Retrieved from http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/draft_arts_curriculum_22_february_2013.pdf

Department for Education and Skills. (2003). LOOK AGAIN! A teaching guide to using film and television with three- to eleven-year-olds. London: bfi Education.