Photostory 3 is a FREE download from Microsoft for Windows XP operating systems. Macs have programs that can create the same movies, but they all have the same attributes-- images and audio files of some sort. You can create a Photostory with just images, or a combination of images, narration, text, and music files... it's up to you!

One of the first projects I did with Photostory was a sequence of photos showing the building of a patio area for my mom. It worked really well with the before, middle, and end pictures. I added some narration, text and music, and there it was-- a production! The next project was recording the events of our family reunion. My sister and I took all the pictures and when everyone left, they took with them a CD with a photostory of the weekend and pictures of everyone. I know if we had only taken the pictures and said we'd send them to each other, we never would have done so.

My sister teaches 5th grade and has used it many times, but one of the best examples was last year when she had her students take pictures of their mothers and\or grandmothers and then they put the photostory together and she played it during their Mother's Day Tea. She's doing it again this year, but has a song about hands and one of the pictures the kids have to take is a picture of their mothers' hands. I can't wait to see this!

Photostory can be used to tell digital stories... a wonderful project for the classroom. One thing to remember about Photostory is that it uses still images, not movie clips. You'll have to use Moviemaker for that-- another FREE download from Windows.

The purpose of this tutorial is:

1. to help you learn to use the program
2. to give you examples of how photostory can be used both personally and in the classroom
3. to show you how easy the program is and convince you that your STUDENTS can do this!
4. to interest you in digital storytelling
5. to let you have some fun!!!

Ideas for Photostory Projects

Photostory 3 Resources

Photostory 3 Examples