Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to:

• Define what a storyboard is and explain how professional filmmakers use them.
• Structure a short story using a simple Three-Act Structure (Beginning, Middle Climax, Ending).
• Compose visual scenes in Berry Avenue using character positioning, camera angles, and backgrounds.
• Create a completed 4-to-6 frame storyboard with accompanying descriptions or dialogue captions.

Success Criteria

• My storyboard has a clear Beginning, Middle, and End.
• Each frame has an image (screenshot or sketch) showing the action clearly.
• Each frame has 1–2 sentences of description or character dialogue below it.
• My characters' expressions and actions match what is happening in the story.

The Hook: Ask the learner: "Have you ever wondered how directors of movies like Spider-Man, Toy Story, or your favorite Roblox animations know exactly where to put the camera and what characters should do before they even start filming?"

The Secret: Introduce the Storyboard! Explain that a storyboard is like a giant comic strip that maps out a movie frame by frame. It saves time, saves money, and helps everyone see the story before it's made.

Step A: The Three-Act Structure

Explain that every great story needs a simple roadmap. Write these three elements on a board or piece of paper:

1. The Setup (Beginning): Who is the character? Where are they? What is normal life like?
2. The Problem/Climax (Middle): What goes wrong? What is the most exciting or surprising moment?
3. The Resolution (End): How is the problem solved? How do things end up?

Step B: Visual Framing (How to "Take the Shot")

Demonstrate how the camera angle changes how a viewer feels. Explain these two core shots:

• Wide Shot (The Scene): Shows the whole environment (e.g., the front of the Berry Avenue grocery store). Use this to show where we are.
• Close-Up Shot (The Emotion): Zooms in on the character's face/upper body. Use this to show how a character feels (shocked, happy, scared).

Now, collaborate to design a simple 4-frame story. Use the following prompt options, or let Arrie suggest one:

• Prompt A: A mysterious package is delivered to the wrong Berry Avenue house.
• Prompt B: A pet escapes from the pet shop and runs wild in the supermarket.
• Prompt C: A standard school day takes a weird turn when a secret room is discovered.

Guided Practice Steps:

1. Select the Prompt: Let's choose the "Mysterious Package" storyline.
2. Map the 4 Storyboard Frames together:
   • Frame 1 (Setup): Arrie's character is standing outside their cool Berry Avenue house, waiting for the mail. (Wide Shot)
   • Frame 2 (The Twist): A strange glowing box is sitting on the porch, but it has someone else's name on it! (Close-Up on the box/surprised face)
   • Frame 3 (The Climax): Arrie opens the box and... a tiny pet dragon pops out! (Close-Up/Action shot)
   • Frame 4 (The Resolution): Arrie feeds the dragon a slice of pizza from the kitchen, deciding to keep it a secret. (Medium shot of them together)
3. The Prep Run: Log into Berry Avenue briefly. Together, locate the settings needed (the house porch, the kitchen) to ensure they are easy to access.

Now, it's time for Arrie to take full control as the Director! Set a visual timer for 20 minutes for game-time production.

Independent Steps for Arrie:

1. Log in and Set Up: Customize your avatar to fit your main character. Travel to the first location.
2. Act & Capture:
   • Pose your character using in-game animations/emotes.
   • Position the Roblox camera to get the perfect frame (Wide Shot or Close-Up).
   • Take a screenshot of Scene 1, Scene 2, Scene 3, and Scene 4.
3. Assemble the Storyboard:
   • If Digital: Insert the screenshots into your digital slide document templates.
   • If Physical: Draw quick, fun sketch versions of your screenshots directly onto your paper storyboard template (using the screenshots on your device as a reference).
4. Write the Captions: Under each of the frames, write 1 or 2 sentences explaining the action or adding a line of dialogue (e.g., Arrie: "What is that glowing package?").

The Showcase: Have Arrie present their storyboard, pitching it like a director pitching a movie to a studio executive (e.g., Netflix or Pixar)!

Reflective Questions:

• "Which frame was the hardest to set up in Berry Avenue, and how did you solve that problem?"
• "How did changing the camera angle (zooming in or standing back) make that scene more exciting?"
• "If we were to make Part 2 of this story, what would the next event be?"

Formative Assessment (During the Lesson): Check in while Arrie is taking screenshots. Offer feedback on camera placement (e.g., "Try zooming in closer to show how surprised your character is!").

Summative Assessment (The Final Product): Evaluate the completed storyboard against the Success Criteria checklist:

If setting up visual scenes in-game is overwhelming, focus on a 3-frame storyboard instead of 6. Provide sentence starters for the written captions (e.g., "First, Arrie went to... because..."). Have the educator act as the avatar's assistant, helping position the character while Arrie controls the camera.

The "Voiceover" Script: Have Arrie write a full script page to accompany the storyboard, detailing sound effects (SFX) and ambient music choices for each shot (e.g., "[SFX: Wind blowing softly as the door creaks open]"). Alternatively, they can use screen recording software to capture 3-second clips of each scene and edit them together with a voiceover to make a "video storyboard" (animatic)!