Transfroming Information with the Help of Technology

Today, the project classes began transforming the information they gathered into storyboards. The 5th and 6th grades began basic iMovie. There are many iMovie tutorials. Click here to take one. The older students learned how to :

1. create titles
2. download images to iPhoto
3. record a narration. In Mrs. Schwartz's class, the students also learned how to insert a background soundtrack and manipulate the sound levels.
   

The 3rd graders are also making movies. They already know how to add titles and images.

Mr. Vyas class began their work on PowerPoint. They learned how to create slides and add text. They also viewed their wiki webpage. Busy, busy, busy.

Junior Producers and Directors at Work!!!

The Project Students are planning and gathering. Mr. Vyas students are working on a storyboard for their PowerPoint presentation on Wars. Mr. Weiss and Mrs. Schwartz' students worked on learning new movie vocabulary. Then they looked at student movies critically for their techniques. Based on their critiques, they created a checklist of features that they believed would make a good movie.
Ms. Doxee's and Ms. Scarcella's students began their iMovies this week. The third graders are taking movie making step by step. This week the students created a simple storyboard of two scenes. Then they began to construct this scenes in iMovie. They did a great job. Lights, Camera, Action!!!

Storyboards and Templates

In order to begin movies or slideshows, students have to learn to use storyboards to plan out their movie. Mr. Weiss, Ms. Schwartz, and Ms. Scarcella will be making movies. They will be learning and using new movie vocabulary words such as: video, audio, transitions, narrations, script, titles, effects, playhead, mp3's, credits, timeline, storyboard, volume, Ken Burns, and more. Through the creation of this products, PS 102 students are being transformed into producers.
Mr. Vyas students will be creating multimedia PowerPoint presentations. They will be planning their slideshow using a template that helps them focus their work.

Organizing Groups and Topics

This week the project teachers formed working groups of students. Teacher finalized their main topics and essential question. Different members of the groups would focus on a subtopic directly related to the main topic. Students began to do some preliminary research on their topics.

Teachers also selected the type of product they would like their students to build to not only demonstrate their learning but also teach others. Their presentations should be educational yet entertaining.

Teachers will develop a checklist and a rubric to guide what they expect their students to do for the project.

Getting Organized with Inspiration!

This week the project classes learned how to use Inspiration. This program helps students organize and categorize their thoughts and ideas. Every class created a graphic organized related to their projects. Mr. Weiss' class created a graphic organizer about the Americas. Ms. Swhartz' class worked on world problems. Mr. Vyas students created one about American wars. And Ms. Scarcella's students created one about the world communities they are going to study.

Students learned skills such as using rapid fire to create a bubble map, arrange symbols, and add graphics. Students had fun learning and experimenting with the program.

Projects Off to a New Start! A PBL Start!

Welcome to our special educational blog created for the participating teachers, support personnel and administrators of PS 102. This blog will serve as a bulletin board where you can log in and read about the progress of the projects.

This year four new teachers will be participating in the PBL experience (Project Based Learning). Through this blog, teachers will be able to stay connected and share information. You can voice your opinion or just write your thoughts or ideas with each other by adding 'comments'. It will be like an electronic and interactive bulletin board. It will also serve to document the steps of the project as they develops.

Project Steps

Step 1 - Plan
Topic selection. Develop an Essential Question adapted to your curriculum. Teachers choose and coordinate subtopics.

Step 2 - Gather
Teachers guide students research and note-taking.

Step 3 - Build
Converting notes into their own words and creation of products.

Step 4 - Present
The students become the teachers as they 'show off' what they learned.

Sounds like something you can do, right? Don't worry, I will be there every 'step' of the way!

Some of the things you can do until the next visit:

1. Decide what topic your students will research. Check your standards and curriculum, choose a topic that you have to cover.
   
2. Try to come up with an essential question that will drive your project. If you can't come up with one, I will help you.

Looking forward to working with you!

Teachers and administrators, please 'comment' what your project expectations are! Just click on Comments to begin!

Karen