Free teaching and learning resources
This page contains loads of free teaching and learning resources for download, from how to introduce Moviestorm to your class, lesson ideas across the curriculum, to specific lesson plans created by teachers, for teachers.
Introducing Moviestorm to a class
To help you and your students get going quickly with Moviestorm, below are a couple of Introduction lesson plans, created by teachers.
How to introduce Moviestorm to a class - A lesson plan for ages 11 to 16
Written by the respected and inovative media teacherand digital educational tools advisor, James Durran, this guide:
- outlines how to introduce Moviestorm for the first time;
-
provides practical sessions aimed at deliverables to demonstrate an understanding of filmmaking and the software;
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provides tools to help students benefit from time spent practicing skills individually or in teams outside of the classroom
It will help if you familiarize yourself with the software and film-making process beforehand. There is a How To and References section in this guide to help you review the main points.
This lesson plan recommends a series of demonstrations and student practice sessions. Students will benefit from spending time between each demonstration to practice that skill, individually, or in teams.
How to introduce Moviestorm to your students - A practical guide for ages 16 to 18
Written by the forward-thinking sixth form media teacher Steve Thorne, this guide outlines how to introduce the Moviestorm tools for the first time, with practical sessions aimed at deliverables that will demonstrate their understanding of the software and the filmmaking process.
Students will benefit from spending time outside of class to practice their skills individually, or in teams.
Collaborative movie-making with Moviestorm - A guide for schools
This well-structured guide is essential reading for collaborative movie-making, explaining how to approach and be successful at such projects:
- Making your first movie
Explains the roles in a movie crew and helps you decide who's going to do what.
- How Moviestorm makes it easier
Understand how to get the best out of Moviestorm.
- Before you start filming
Save you a lot of time further along the process.
- Creating your film with Moviestorm
Key information for the key movie-making roles
Cross-curriculum lesson outlines
In order to help you integrate Moviestorm into your teaching, our education users have compiled a selection of lesson outlines and ideas suitable for a range of different courses, ages, and curricula.
English and Drama | History, Geography and Current Affairs | Arts and Music | Foreign Languages | Computers| Science and Mathematics | Religion | Health Education | Physical Education | Career Development and Business Studies | Miscellaneous
The 
symbol indicates that there are downloadable resources, typically a Moviestorm file that students can use as part of their work.
These suggestions have been developed in association with teachers around the world, educational organisations, and members of the Moviestorm Education Academy. More lesson ideas are being provided by teachers all the time and added to the Lesson Outline resources listed below *.
Please check back regularly to see what's new.
NB Names for subjects or courses vary in educational systems throughout the world, as do the ages at which they are taught and what is considered appropriate.
| Topic | Age | Summary |
|---|---|---|
|
English, Drama & Media Studies | ||
| 4+ | Create simple videos that demonstrate adjectives. | |
| 11+ | Students create a short 30-45sec clip advertising either a product or a favorite TV show to understand the techniques used by advertisers to manipulate their audience. | |
| 14+ | Take a scene from a set play and present it in movie form. | |
| 14+ | Create a film interpretation of a poem. | |
| 12+ | Review a book. Explain what it's about, and comment critically on it. If it's a classic book, explain why it's significant in literature. | |
| 14+ | Do a chat show style interview with a character from a book or play. Get the character to talk about their background, their motivations, and explain their actions | |
| 14+ | Create a short film about a famous author. Tell the story of their life, and explain why they and their books are significant. | |
| 14+ | Create a commercial for a book, and try to persuade people to buy it. | |
| 8+ | Create a short film based on a popular myth or legend, or write your own myth. | |
| 14+ | Write a short story, or choose a set text. Then adapt it to a film. | |
| 13+ | * Students recontextualize a hero myth in a contemporary context. They then must find a creative way to present their transformed myth. | |
| 13+ | * Students to show knowledge of novel studied through creation of a book trailer. | |
| 13+ | * Students design sets that suit the spatial needs of the production they are designing for. | |
| 11+ | * Introduce a scene from a well-known Shakespeare play, introduce the basics of using Moviestorm and show examples of the work. | |
| 11+ | * Take a scene from a chapter of a novel and tell the story in modern day language and place it in a modern day setting. | |
| 18+ | * Students to research their heritage and visualize their descendants in Moviestorm | |
| 15+ | * Create an environmental design scape montage highlighting design elements / principles in the environment and a sense of place. | |
| 13+ | * Apply a different genre to a story to understand genres. | |
| 15+ | * To explore representations we can construct through animation and then consider how these affect audience response. | |
|
History, Geography, Current Affairs | ||
| 14+ | Create a short public service announcement about a topic of your choice. The aim is to persuade people to act in a specific way. | |
| 14+ | Create a biographical film about a historical person. Tell the story of their life, and explain why they are historically significant. | |
| 14+ | Present a news show focusing on current events. | |
| 14+ | Make a short film about a historical event. | |
| 14+ | Take a famous speech, and film it. | |
| 14+ | Create a TV-style discussion on a historical topic or event, highlighting different views about it. | |
| 12+ | Create a short film re-enacting a historical event. | |
| 12+ | Create a short film about a particular region or place. | |
| 14+ | Create a news bulletin focusing on a major event in history. | |
| 14+ | Create a TV quiz show based on a specific theme, period, or topic. | |
|
Arts and Music | ||
| 7-9 | * Using Moviestorm for special needs pupils to "compose" and tell their stories in order to share them with other pupils. | |
| 14+ | Create a video report on a particular artistic style, movement, or period, and explain why they are historically significant. | |
| 12+ | Pick a piece of music and make a video for it. | |
| 10+ | Create and add your own blues music to this topical movie. | |
| 12+ | Create ambient music to accompany a soundscape depicting the seasons. | |
| 14+ | Create a biographical film about a famous artist or musician. Tell the story of their life, and explain why they are historically significant. | |
| 14+ | Create a portfolio of artwork and present it in an interesting environment. This could be the student’s own work, the work of an artist being studied, or a theme. | |
| 14+ | Make a commercial persuading the viewer to buy a piece of art. It should talk informatively about the piece, its history, the techniques involved and the artist. It should also explain the valuation and make the viewer want to buy it. | |
|
Languages | ||
| 14+ | Present the news in a foreign language. | |
| 16+ | Film a business meeting in a foreign language. This could be a presentation, negotiation or job interview. | |
| 14+ |
| |
| 14+ | Create a TV-style discussion in a foreign language, highlighting different views about a particular topic. | |
| 8+ | Create short videos in a foreign language, and ask the students what was being said. | |
| 14+ | Create a travel report from a foreign country, in the language of that country. | |
| 14+ | Create a short film based on a set play. | |
| 14+ | Create a short film based on a set poem. | |
| 14+ | Create a short film in a foreign language, depicting a typical everyday situation that a tourist might encounter. | |
| 4+ | Create simple videos that demonstrate adjectives. | |
|
Computers | ||
| 15+ | * Create a short film demonstrating the understanding of the basics of programming in C# such as conditional structure. | |
|
Science and Mathematics | ||
| 13+ | * Create a tutorial video to present a topic. | |
| 14+ | Create a short film explaining scientific method. | |
| 12+ | Create a video explaining a scientific concept. | |
| 14+ | Do an on-screen debate about green issues such as recycling, alternative fuels, global warming, or biodiversity. | |
| 14+ | Create a biographical film about a famous scientist. Explain the key elements of his or her work, and show why they are significant. | |
| 16+ | Do a weather forecast, using weather data drawn from public records. | |
| 6+ | Create simple videos that demonstrate numbers and simple mathematical operations. | |
| 14+ | Create a short film demonstrating the understanding of some element of basic statistics and how they apply to the real world. | |
| 12+ | Create a short film about a famous mathematician. Tell the story of their life, and explain why their work is important. | |
| 16+ | Create a promotional or informational video about working in a particular field of science. | |
|
Religion | ||
| 12+ | Present a Bible story or parable (or equivalent from another religion) as a video. | |
|
Health Education and Citizenship | ||
| 12+ | Create a public information program about the benefits of a good diet, or any other similar positive health practice such as smoking cessation, drug avoidance, or regular exercise. | |
| 8+ | Create a short film on a topic such as bullying or stranger danger. | |
| 16+ | Create a public information program about a topic such as AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, gender identity issues, or family planning. | |
| 13+ | * Students create scenarios of digital citizenship that can be shared and discussed by other students, to decide what is a good digital citizen today | |
|
Physical Education | ||
| 13+ | Create a movie which shows the interaction of a team members during a tactical situation. | |
| 14+ | Explain the rules of a sport. You may choose to focus on a specific rule. | |
| 14+ | Create a biographical film about a famous sporting personality. Tell the story of their life, and their role in their sport. | |
| 13+ | * Create a movie explaining the process of TOTAPS - the method used for assessing soft tissue injury. | |
|
Career Development and Business Studies | ||
| 16+ | Create a film about a company or business, explaining what it does. | |
| 14+ | Make a TV commercial for a real or fictional product. Limit yourself to 30 seconds. | |
| 16+ | Create a promotional or informational video about working in a particular job. | |
| 16+ | Create a short film demonstrating interview techniques. | |
|
Miscellaneous | ||
| 10+ | Make a video informing students of events taking place at the school. | |
| 12+ | How to use Moviestorm | |
Using Animation in Schools - A practical handbook for teachers
A downloadable version of the cross-curriculum lesson ideas, suitable for a range of different courses, ages, and curricula. These suggestions have been developed in association with teachers around the world, educational organisations, and members of the Moviestorm Education Academy.
Cross-curriculum lesson plans
Languages
Learning about French foods Grades 6/7 Students will understand that…
- Study of other languages and cultures increases awareness of the diversity both within and beyond one’s own culture.
- Communication occurs in various ways unique to each individual culture.
- Language and culture are interrelated.
- Cultures influence how people behave and respond to others.
- Cognates, borrowed words and prior experiences facilitate understanding and communication.
Students will be able to….
- Walk into a restaurant or café and get the attention of someone and place an order for food and a beverage using studied food and beverage vocabulary.
Civics / Citizenship
Learning about people and politics Grade 8 Students will understand that…
- Democratic governments carry out the will of the people.
- Political parties and interest groups seek to influence public policy.
- Media shapes and influences public opinion.
- Voter turnout fluctuates and reflects the perceived importance of the election and issues.
- How current events influence public opinion.
Students will be able to….
- Describe the process involved in running for public office.
- Analyze the role of the media in the political process.
- Assess factors that influence voter registration.
- Explain the meaning of various terms used to describe political opinions. (Liberal, Reactionary, Conservative, Moderate, Radical)
Film & media studies qualified lesson plans
Qualified teachers have started sharing their lesson plans on 3rd party sites. Here are some links to a selection of them. Keep checking back to see what's new!
Storyboarding with Moviestorm - Lesson 1
This lesson will provide an introduction to using Moviestorm for storyboarding
- Provide an introduction to the pre-production process
- Help learners to understand the benefits of pre-visualization
- Give learners the opportunity to use a pre-visualization technique
See also our guide Using Moviestorm to create storyboards
Storyboarding with Moviestorm - Lesson 2
This lesson is about producing promotional media.
- Develop an idea for promoting a service
- Use a pre-visualization technique to express this idea
- Present the idea
See also our guide Using Moviestorm to create storyboards
Narrative and Script
This lesson provides an introduction to narrative theory and using scripts. Students create an animated movie from a script using Moviestorm
- Understand the difference between narrative story and plot
- Gain an introduction to narrative theory
- Learn how to use a script
Camerawork - Camera Shots
This lesson provides will provide an introduction to camera shots and movements.
- Identify common types of camera shot
- Describe common camera moves
- Create a short animated movie that uses close ups/longs shots/a mixture of shots
See also our guide Making Better Movies with Moviestorm Vol 1: Basic Camerawork
Camerawork - Static v Moving Cameras
This lesson will provide an introduction to using static and moving cameras.
- Identify and use common types of camera movement
- Identify and use a range of camera angles
- Explain the purpose of using static or moving cameras
- Create a movie using static, moving and a mixture of static and moving cameras
See also our guide Making Better Movies with Moviestorm Vol 1: Basic Camerawork
These lesson plans support the following qualifications:
- ABC Certificate in Preparing to Work in Creative Media
- AQA GCSE Media
- City & Guilds Diploma in Media Techniques
- BTEC Creative Media Production
- Edexcel BTEC Certificate in Creative & Digital Media
If preferred, this series of Lesson Plans can be downloaded from a number of external teaching resource sites:
- Slideboom
- Slideshare
- Scribd
- TES
- Media Film
- British Council - BBC - Teaching English
- Guardian Professional - Teachers Network (search for 'Moviestorm')
- Promethean Planet
- HP Teacher Experience Exchange
Filmmaking e-guides
A range of self-guided e-books, with exercises designed to improve filmmaking skills using Moviestorm.
Making Better Movies with Moviestorm - Volume 1: Basic Camerawork
This book, designed for self-guided study, enables students to develop their skills through filming scenes in several different ways.
Exercises cover common situations such as:
- Walks
- Conversations
- Phone calls
Students are also asked to experiment with filming techniques including:
- Static vs moving cameras
- Close-ups
- Focus
- Reveals
“Spot on. The exercises are set up in a very logical, progressive way.”
James Martin, University of North Texas
“Excellent - great for schools and colleges alike. The tone of the writing is perfect - neither patronising or too authoritative.”
Jezz Wright, Blockhouse TV
Download workbook of exercises
Making Better Movies with Moviestorm - Volume 2: Staging
Exercises cover common situations such as:
- Doorways
- Action scenes
- Dramatic conversations
Students are also asked to experiment with filming techniques including:
- Different size sets
- Using extras
- Showing the passage of time
- Deep staging
“If someone goes through the book and does the exercises, they're going to come out a better filmmaker, no question”
Hugh Hancock, Guerilla Showrunner
“A really good primer for any film student, especially all crammed into 40 pages.”
Andrew Segal, Carshalton College
Download workbook of exercises
Making Better Movies with Moviestorm - Volume 3: Sound and Lighting
Exercises cover techniques such as:
- Ambient noise
- Working with music
- Shadows and silhouettes
- Night-time filming
“A very fine job on sound and lighting.”
Ricky Grove, Machinimator, sound designer and actor
Download workbook of exercises
Making Better Movies with Moviestorm - Volume 4: Editing
Exercises cover techniques such as:
- Split cuts
- Establishing shots
- Cutting on action
- Montage
“ Anybody making not just machinima, but any sort of live action or animated films, will benefit from this informative series of books.”
Kate Lee, Chat Noir Studios
Download workbook of exercises
The Moviestorm guide to previsualisation
Previsualisation is a powerful pre-production technique that has the potential to reduce production and post-production costs and also help you make better movies. Some proponents of previsualisation claim that this technique can reduce shooting time by up to 50% and cut post-production time by up to 25%.
Using Moviestorm to create storyboards
Explains the basic process for creating a storyboard from Moviestorm and the key concepts of animatics and storyboards
Identifies two different approaches to animatics and how to choose which is right for you, then explains how to generate your animatic with Moviestorm, and convert it into a storyboard.
Index
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Introducing Moviestorm to a class
Cross-curriculum lesson outlines
