Mission 4 of 5 · about 10 minutes
Add Pictures & Words
Your story needs things to read and things to see. In this mission you'll use the add content block button to drop in rainforest facts from the Station and photos from Wild Files — with sources and credits, just like real researchers.
1
Find the + button
In your story, click the + button — that's the add content block button. It's how everything gets into your story: words, pictures, even maps.
You'll use + a lot in this mission, so make friends with it.
2
Add a Text block and paste a fact
Click + and choose Text. Then paste a fact block you copied from the Station. Look closely — the Source line came along with it. Keep it! Real researchers never share a fact without showing where it came from.
Text blocks can be paragraphs, headings, or bullets. Pick the Heading style for a big section title and the Paragraph style for your facts.
3
Add an Image block
Click + again and choose Image. Upload a photo you downloaded from Wild Files. A story with no pictures is like a rainforest with no rain.
4
Caption it and give credit
Below your photo, click +, choose Text, and type a caption — one sentence that tells readers what they're seeing. Then add the photo credit at the end, like Photo: National Park Service. Every photo in Wild Files lists who took it, so the credit is right there waiting for you.
A good caption answers two questions: what is this, and why is it in my story?
5
Build out the rest of your story
Now repeat the pattern: + → Text for a fact, + → Image for a photo, then a caption with credit. Aim for at least two facts and two photos so your story has a rhythm — words, picture, words, picture.
No save button needed — StoryMaps autosaves as you work.
🎉 Mission 4 complete — your story can show AND tell!
Facts with sources, photos with credit: that's real researcher work. Next stop is Mission 5, where your story gets a map of its very own.