Well, recount writing is finished. I read through the final recount pieces and chose a small moment for the students to explode. They thought this idea was great, especially since their recounts were factual. They already have characters and a setting.

So, from their final recount piece, they have to explode a small moment and write a narrative. From here we are going to do voice overs and create stop motion videos using Movie Maker. Stop motion is much like claymation only we don’t use clay. You still use still images to create a video “flip book” and it is much easier to do in SMART Notebook by exporting slides as graphics, instead of mounting a camera and taking hundreds of pictures as is done with claymation.

My goal is to create a Narrative DVD which we can show to the younger grades and parents on student lead conferencing nights.

admin General DVD, movie maker, narrative writing, recount writing, SMART Notebook, SMARTBoard

This past Wednesday I delivered an enrichment workshop to students from our area of schools. Here is a brief summary:

I opened the presentation with some technology “wows” (NES PC, Wiimote Mouse, Sega Genesis Controller Hard Drive) then went into some explanation writing.

I discussed the concept of how CDs and DVDs work with repect to the pits on the disc surface that are converted to 1s and 0s by a laser. We discussed these 1s and 0s as binary machine language and converted them back to decimal.

To end the day I had a scenario for the students. Triyums (3 fingered aliens) have landed on earth. Your task is to communicate with them numerically, using your knowledge of decimal (base 10) and binary (base 2). How many numerals will you use? What are they? How would Triyums write the number 3? 6? 16? (I actually found this activity online somewhere and thought it fit perfectly.)

Overall the day was a success. Next time, I would have a more practical hands-on activity instead of a scenario worksheet. Under the circumstances of our “Tecnhology Mystery” (which is what our workshop was called) I found it difficult to come up with something hands on technology wise that was cheap and readily accessible.

admin General binary, CD, DVD, NES PC, Sega Genesis, technology, Wiimote

There seems to be much confusion going around about Explanation Writing. The general consensus is “why” something works/happens or a “cause and effect” relationship.

A few great technological ideas would include:

• How a CD/DVD works
• How a PC stores information
• How fiber optic works

There are many websites out there (think HowStuffWorks) that have detailed explanations on many topics. What a great way to model this form of writing first (on the SMARTBoard too!).

I would pin the SMART Notebook page and start brainstorming similarities on these pieces of explanation writing on these websites. It’s a simple way to develop an anchor chart or performance wall.

admin Lesson Ideas CD, DVD, Explanation Writing, fiber optics, SMART Notebook, SMARTBoard

Windows Movie Maker is a free (comes with XP and Vista) program to allow you to make homemade videos and DVDs.

While driving this morning I heard a Twitter song to the tune of Let it Be by The Beatles. Almost immediately I was connected with Movie Maker.

Why not have students rewrite lyrics to a song explaining / persuading a topic (explanation / persuasive writing) and create a music video (drama / media / la / art mark).

You’ll see from this video that I’m not the only one creating educational movies!

admin Lesson Ideas computer, DVD, maker, movie, teacher tube, windows