1-104 Let's Make a Picture!

Our class took a field trip to the American Museum of Natural History on Thursday. We decided to practice filming with iMovie by sharing our favorite parts of the trip. After recording the clips, we learned how to add text, photos, and additional sound tracks to our movies. It was a great learning experience for ALL of us. Here is our first "feature film". OMG, I heart Mac!!!!!

Week 4

Last day before vacation was busy, busy, busy.

• K-14 surprised us by being overly excited as we played the games and took pictures. It was hard to settle down after each game to write the steps and think about the math. We finished Tic-Tac-Toe, Candyland, and Bingo. We started Operation, but didn't finish. Ms. Ieong will get the bowling and soccer props. Ms. Moran will get the Sorry game. 
• 1-104 was extremely productive. They learned to add titles and credits to their movies, as well as add pictures from the Internet. The most fun was watching the mini-videos we created. Next they will work on their scripts and finish their backgrounds.
• 2-204/3-304 continued to work on their iWebs. Students collected pictures of real-world math examples and used them to create photo albums in different categories.
• 4-404 bucked down today to use what they have learned about animation to storyboard their ideas. First students thought about what they were teaching and broke each topic into components that would work in short animations. Then they storyboarded their ideas. We used manipulatives in some groups to help clarify our thinking.
• 5-504 is no longer a fifth grade class, but a fully-functioning movie studio. The producer today accepted applications and hired her behind the scenes staff for the two feature films, The Cooking Show and The Money Math Mystery. With directors, casting agents, set designers, editors, camera people, sound engineers, music directors, art directors, costume directors, prop managers, and even gaffers, everyone has an important job to do. We had a table reading of the scripts (which got Ms. Moran laughing sooooo hard). Next, the casting director will hold auditions for the on-camera positions. 

Finally, we set a training for April 9. Ms. Moran will teach all the teachers how to upload video to Eduvsion (which can be embedded on any site) and also how to upload iWeb to the PS 376 website. This will happen during our second period training. Each teacher will be responsible for uploading his/her own content after this training, relieving Ms. Catania of taking care of everyone.

K-14

We did not do anything on the computer. We did not played the assigned games but we played our section 6 Math game. I reminded the children to bring in their assigned games. So far, we have all the games except bowling, volleyball and tic tac toe.

Week 3

This week a new trainee, Cynthia Copeland, came to observe. Not surprisingly, she left extremely impressed with the quality of projects and level of student technology she saw in this school. Here is a run-down of what we did:

K-14: The kindergarten class continued to gather facts about their game or sport. Our goal was to write two or more sentences, in Keynote, that explained how each game used math. Ms. Ieong is still collected the “props” for each game or sport. Next week each student will take pictures of them with their “props” to use in their podcasts.

1-104: First grade got their first brief introduction to iMovie. First, each group used the iSight camera to record an introduction. Everyone had to be quiet, but that worked well. Then each group had to capture their video and drag it into their movie. This was much harder and will take lots of practice, but it was fun to play. Ms. Hamlin was working with students to paint their backdrops for their iMovie. Students learned a lot about scale and ratio through this activity!

2-204/3-304: The second and third grade classes spent a lot of time planning out their iWeb. Ms. Newman showed the class her sample site and demonstrated how she created a graphic organizer for her site using chart paper and post-its. Each group worked on their plan, getting more and more specific. Next week we will begin implementing these plans using the new TAG log in on the laptops!

4-404: Fourth grade students learned to use ajax animator. Students were amazed that creating a bouncing ball, which had taken 40-80 slides in PowerPoint, could be quickly and easily animated using “tweening.” We discussed how certain animations worked best in PowerPoint while others (flip-style animation) were best using the new, cool, online tool! Next, students will have to storyboard their math animations.

5-504: Fifth grade students were stalled in their script-writing tasks. They had their great ideas, but needed to turn these ideas into scripts. We spent the first part of the period outlining the movie into scenes. There was a lot of discussion, and all group members participated in customizing the original idea into a workable plan. Then, pairs of students were assigned different scenes and began scripting. Emphasis was on making the dialogue realistic and lively to keep the audience entertained. But also, to make sure the math was integrated into the story. A compete draft must be finished by next Friday to keep to our schedule!!

I also want to say I’m very proud of the teachers who have access to cameras for documenting student work and posting it on the blog using Animoto. I get a kick seeing what happens when I’m not around. Mr. Amft, we have to get you access to at least one computer with a web cam, so you can join the party!!

1-104 Works on their iMovie Scenery

TAG projects

Welcome Ms. Moran back to our class. We have had a late start due to Ballroom competitions and some testing but we got straight to work. We started working on the outlines for our scripts and getting the story writers to work. We promise to have our scripts ready for next Friday.

K-14

Last week, the children went on the internet to retrieve pictures for their games. I taught them how to go on to Ask. Type the name of the game then dragged the pictures out and put on to the screen. Then dragged it back on to the Keynote page. The lesson went on well. The first page of their project on the Keynote was completed.
As for me, I went on IMovie and created a project. I retrieved pictures from my camera; download the pictures; created the video; added on some music. My project was completed. I tried to put the IMovie on the blog but failed. I will to post the video again for viewing.

1-104 Update

This week our class began to design their background scenery for their movies. We had an interesting sidebar on perspective and scale, as many in the group found rescaling their original sketches a bit challenging. We did not have enough time to paint, but most of the layouts are complete. We also took some time to discuss how to explain some of the math ideas that we would like to highlight in our movies. We will be searching for props in the next week or so, and will begin to focus more closely on our scripts. We are loving this project!

Please Update The Team

Since there is no JDL training this week, you are working on the project on your own. Please let us know what you accomplish today and let us know what needs to come next.

Spring: Week 2

I promised to get the blog posted, so here it is. Now you have no excuses for posting an update for your class. Week 2 of our spring project demonstrated to me how well we have organized our project. Our planning meeting lasted maybe fifteen minutes, allowing everyone extra individual planning and training time. Here is an update by class:



K-14: Today we worked with students on planning out their podcast. We took the list of “Math Games” we brainstormed last week, deleting obscure topics and adding new ones. Students were paired and each group selected a different topic on which to focus. We drew pictures of the game and wrote down facts about our game. During the week, Ms. Ieong will have students type their facts into keynote and have students find pictures of the game on the Internet. She will also try to collect real-world versions of the games. Let me know if there are any games you can’t find. I will try to help with the harder ones!


1-104: Today we had visitors from Baltimore observing, and they were knocked out of their socks by the poise and confidence of the first grade class. Students brought in their lists of things around the house that use math. They how much they have learned about keynote by using keynote as a graphic organzier. They typed the objects as headings for each new page and found a picture that matched. Finally, we took a short break to show the visitors our “community helpers” podcast. This week, students will begin to work on their set design by painting scenes on butcher paper. They will also begin to discuss how the objects they selected use math.


2-204/3-304: Today was an introduction to iWeb. Students worked with partners to learn the basics of creating an iWeb page. We learned how to select a template, how to add, delete, and modify text on a page, how to add pictures from iPhoto, and from the Internet, and how to use the camera to take pictures. Students recognized how many of the tools in iWeb are the same tools in Keynote and Pages. This week students will work on their plans for group web sites. They will use post-its on large paper to identify what content will go on each page, and divide the work so that everyone has a specific task. I also suggested that we create a new log-in for the web design. Ms. Catania will work on adding that log in to the computers.


4-404: Today we broke students into groups based on math strengths and weaknesses. Each group selected a main topic on which to focus, and then worked on writing an essential question for that topic. The goal of the question was to (1) teach their peers a math topic that is difficult to understand and (2) that has a real-world application. Many groups had to revise and revise their questions, and even their topics until they were able to meet those two requirements. This week students will spend time becoming experts on their topic and make sure they understand and can explain how to solve real world problems related to their essential question. They will learn simple animation using PowerPoint to demonstrate this understanding.


5-504: Today each pair of students “pitched” their movie idea to the class. There was a wide range of topics from mysteries, to superhero adventures, to real world adventures. Each group presented their topic to the class and everyone had the opportunity to ask questions, make suggestions, and provide feedback about the pitches. Students were constructively critical of the ideas, making sure they had a solid understanding before casting their vote. We needed to select two ideas from the seven pitches. One idea was a breakaway hit, getting one vote from every single person in the room, students and teachers. This was the Money Math Mystery idea, which included rhyming clues, an organized plot, and a persuasive pitch from its creators. The class was split on the second choice idea, but after a run-off vote, the Cooking Show, which uses math to fix a disastrous recipe, was selected as the second choice. Students were randomly assigned to work with the creative team of one of these two movie ideas, and the assignment for this week is to work on the scripts so that we have something to shoot in two weeks.

1-104 Update

Hi All,

Here is where we are in the new project: We have 6 groups, and each has chosen a room of the house to explore for math usage. For homework last night, each group had to look at their chosen room, in their own homes, and find places where math is used. They brought the lists to class, and looked for photos of these things, using AskKids.com. They imported the photos into Keynote, which they are using as an organizer for their information. In the afternoon, the pairs sketched out their rooms, so that they can work together next week to paint backdrops for their movies. They are also writing down explanations of each math object found so that they can incorporate the information into their scripts. We are all psyched! This is going to be an awesome project!

Lisa