What’s Your Story?
I’m writing a hands-on, elementary grade science issues for Science Weekly. My topic is the Science of Movies. Yet, how do you teach this topic when every schools may not have available classroom video cameras? Movies are just individual pictures on frames that flash by at very fast rates (typical speed is  24 frames/second). To teach how movies are created, and allow students to create their own movies, teachers can demonstrate using clay animation.

Let the students develop their own script, create their own clay figures, take digital pictures, and upload the pictures on PowerPoint (PPT). By either saving as a PowerPoint presentation, or saving as a movie file in PPT, teachers and students begin to understand the technology involved in creating movies.

Why Offer This Activity?
1. Combines art, technology and science.
2. Incorporates the “T” and “E” from STEM (Technology and Engineering)
3. Allow students to be creative, helps build their understanding of story development, organization.
4. Working as a team, problem solving, improving organization skills, product completion.
5. Schools don’t require the latest software, computer, high speed browser. Material required covers Playdoh or clay, action figures, colored paper and crayons, table lamp, various props (example – sand, dirt, flowers, rocks, buttons, small stuff!), digital camera, maybe a tripod, PowerPoint software and a standard computer.
6. It’s inexpensive, fun and motivational! ‘Nuf said.

Sample Lesson
Animate (an-i-mate) means to “give life to”. By “animating” the clay figures, or moving them allows students to create their own movie. Clay figures can lie flat, or stand up on a background picture.

You Need: background paper, crayons, clay or Play-doh, props (sand, gravel, grass clippings, small flowers, etc), long cookie sheet, digital camera, table, tripod, computer, PowerPoint software, table lamp

Step 1. Create a movie script. Write a story with a beginning, middle and end part. Ideas for stories: turtle laying eggs, rocket launch, growing flowers, bees flying to flowers, erosion, biology of a cell.

Step 2. Draw any scenery on the background paper. On a table, place the paper on the cookie sheet, or against a wall.

Step 3. Add your movie props. Set the lamp to light above the background paper.

Step 4. Set up the camera on a tripod (if available). Or, make sure to hold the camera in one place. Do not move it. The clay figure will move, not the camera.

Step 5. Create your clay figure. Take pictures to animate your story. Follow your script.

Step 6. Upload pictures into PowerPoint. Ask your teacher for help.

Step 7. On the first slide, add the title text box. On the last slide, add “The End” text box.

Step 8. Run the slides by clicking on the mouse quickly.

Here is one PowerPoint presentation created into a movie. Transition time between slides is .2 seconds.

Remember:  Students can either click on the mouse quickly, or change the transition mode to less than one second.  Adjusting the transition time allows students to produce the mood and feel of the animation. It’s a lot of fun, and students as young as 4th grade can start making science movies.

Let me know how your class likes this interesting project!

Education Revolution in Seattle
There’s a quiet uprising going on in Seattle. The Powerful Schools program is involving parents, teachers and volunteers directly in the classroom to improve student reading, writing and science. It’s a holistic approach, which isn’t unusual as we Northwesterners are pretty “granola”.

Schools in Seattle were failing, and by open discussion started making changes.

“Passionate professionals and volunteers are able to:

* effectively catch up struggling students
* turn schools into vibrant community schools
* foster excitement for learning
* narrow the achievement gap

How? Powerful Schools is seamlessly integrated into the classroom, often invisible to parents. We’re able to look at each child individually and create custom learning experiences. (One teacher in a large classroom just can’t do that alone.) We support families and extend the learning day through Community Schools. Our success is a combination of grassroots enthusiasm, high expectations, proven methods and dedication.”

Powerful Schools serves more than 4,000 children across more than ten economically and racially diverse neighborhoods of Seattle, Tukwila, and Highline school districts.

If you’re looking for alternative measures to make changes in schools, consider the Powerful Schools Program.

Click on www.Powerfulschools.org.

For the New Year
I seem to be uncovering lots of new websites. Yes, I’m still reviewing, in fact my desk is stacked with books, music software, etc. Yet if I come across these sites, I better post them, or I’ll forget.

Tech:)Happy is an interesting site listing a multitude of education websites. Most appear to be for free, and the list is extensive.

Link onto Sites-for-kids. And tell the web author thanks. It’s an interesting mix of sites.

Lots of cool sites out there, but here are 12 websites that can get you started applying Ed Tech in the classroom, or small businesses.

From creating documents, alternates to YouTube to edublogs, check these resources.

Tech Integration in the Classroom

With so many resources out there, it’s hard to decide what’s really useful. Here’s some updated links that provide a wide variety of writing resources.

LInk to: Writing Workshop.

Good luck, and let me know of others that may be helpful.

Did you Know You Can Spell Halo With the Elememts Hydrogen, Aluminum, & Oxygen?

Well, kudos to Professor Kerry Cheesman of Capital University (Ohio) for redefining how to play Scrabble learning the Periodic Table. I recently returned from the NSTA Phoenix conference, and brought Elemental Scrabble back with me.

Dr. Cheesman listed the elements on card stock. Download this PDF (Elemental Scrabble). Cut out the elements, grab a Scrabble board, and start playing with words. Pick a topic (Plants, Animals, In the Body), or come up with a new topic.

I suggested Digital Games, which all students identify with. Here’s my first attempt:

HAlO
UFC
BIOsHoCK
GeArS OF WAr
SPoRe
ClONe WArS
NeRf
RuBIC CuBe
CUBiS

Here are some fun activities he completes on his class board.

1. Put up Periodic Numbers on the board to write a phrase, or comment (Happy Thanksgiving). Students look up the numbers, and decipher with the element symbols.
2. Make a crossword puzzle.

Good luck, and add to the fun! Share back with comments if you have other ideas.

And…Take One!
If you own a 1-2 year old cell phone, a computer even with earlier versions of Windows and Mac operating systems (Windows XP or Mac Tiger), then you can make a movie. Yes, it would be better to use a digital camera or video camera rather than your cell phone, but you don’t need the latest and greatest technology.

Most computers have editing programs that come with your operating system. The difficulty students and teachers have is deciding what to film, how to organize and plan, and then downloading the content.  And good content can be created even with static pictures, or stills.  Then upload using various free programs (like www.podbean.com), and enjoy the show!

Simple Directions and Steps Already Laid Out
I’m not going to write the directions, but send you to a very easy-to-understand website.  Click on UntamedScience.com. Fellow teachers have laid out the steps of preproduction, production and postproduction.

Whether the videos are for math, science, history, art or foreign languages this website offers great advice.

Let me know what you think!