Computer Science
Grade 3
20 min
Creating a Storyboard: Planning Your Multimedia Project
Learn to create a storyboard to plan the flow and content of a multimedia project.
What you'll learn
- Explain what a storyboard is and why it's helpful for planning a multimedia project, using at least two sentences.
- Identify and draw at least three different scenes for a short story on a storyboard template, including a brief description of what's happening in each scene.
- Describe the purpose of at least three elements of a storyboard, like scene number, visual sketch, and description, in their own words.
- Apply the concept of sequencing by arranging their storyboard scenes in a logical order to tell a complete, understandable story.
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define what a storyboard is and why it's a useful plan.
Identify the key parts of a storyboard panel: the picture, the action, and the sound/words.
Sequence events for a simple story in a logical order (beginning, middle, end).
Create a 3-panel storyboard for a short story idea.
Use simple drawings and short sentences to describe each scene in their storyboard.
Explain how their storyboard plan will help them create a digital story or animation on a computer.
Have you ever wanted to make your own cartoon or video game? 🎬 Let's learn the secret first step that all the pros use to plan their amazing creations!
Today, we're going to learn how to use a special map for our stories called a storyboard. A storyboard is like a comic strip that he...
2
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
StoryboardA plan for your story made of a sequence of drawings, like a comic strip. It shows what will happen and in what order.A page with six boxes drawn on it. The first box shows a cat looking at a tree, the second shows the cat climbing the tree, and so on.
Panel (or Scene)One single box on a storyboard. Each panel shows one specific moment or action in your story.In a story about a birthday party, one panel might just show a kid blowing out the candles on a cake.
SequenceThe order that your panels go in. A good sequence tells the story from beginning to middle to end.1. A girl gets a new bike. 2. She learns to ride it. 3. She rides happily through the park. This is the correct sequence.
ActionWhat the characters are doing in a panel. It's the movement or a...
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Core Syntax & Patterns
The Story Sandwich: Beginning, Middle, End
Every story needs a beginning, a middle, and an end.
Use this rule to structure your storyboard. The first panel(s) should be the beginning, the next few the middle, and the last one(s) the end. This makes sure your story makes sense.
One Big Idea Per Panel
Each panel should show only one important action or moment.
Don't try to fit too much into one box. If a character runs and then jumps, use one panel for running and a second panel for jumping. This keeps your plan clear and easy to follow.
Show and Tell Notes
Draw the picture (Show) and write short notes for sounds and words (Tell).
Your drawing shows what's happening. Below the drawing, write down any important sounds (like 'CRASH!') or what a charac...
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Challenging
You are making an interactive quiz game about animals. Which storyboard plan would be the most helpful for the programmer who will build your game?
A.storyboard with only pictures of animals.
B.storyboard that shows each question, the answer choices, and notes on what happens IF the user chooses the right or wrong answer.
C.list of all the animals you want to include.
D.single drawing of the game's start screen.
Challenging
Imagine a storyboard is like a recipe for baking a pizza. What part of the storyboard is like the list of ingredients (flour, tomato, cheese)?
A.The notes section that lists the needed sounds, characters, and backgrounds.
B.The numbers on each panel.
C.The final, finished digital story.
D.The box you draw the picture in.
Challenging
Your team can't decide if the story's hero should be a brave knight or a clever scientist. What is the BEST way to use storyboards to solve this problem?
A.Make one very long storyboard that includes both characters.
B.Quickly sketch two short, separate storyboards, one for each idea, to see which story is more interesting.
C.Have a vote without making any drawings.
D.Start programming the story with the knight and see if you like it.
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Frequently asked questions
What grade level is "Creating a Storyboard: Planning Your Multimedia Project"?
Creating a Storyboard: Planning Your Multimedia Project is a Grade 3 Computer Science lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in Creating a Storyboard: Planning Your Multimedia Project?
You'll be able to: Explain what a storyboard is and why it's helpful for planning a multimedia project, using at least two sentences; Identify and draw at least three different scenes for a short story on a storyboard template, including a brief….
Is "Creating a Storyboard: Planning Your Multimedia Project" free to practice?
Yes. You can read the tutorial preview for free, and signing up for a free ExcelOS account unlocks the full tutorial and all practice questions with instant feedback.
How many practice questions are included with Creating a Storyboard: Planning Your Multimedia Project?
This lesson includes 27 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.