Funding sponsored by:
www.qad.com
Click here to view the project resources.
Project Description: Students create movie projects that are founded in learning from language arts, social studies, and science instruction.
How it works: At Cold Spring School we believe that our merging challenge as educators is to prepare students to use basic skills and technology as a tool for thinking and problem solving. Teaching our children how to use technology means developing computer literacy. Applying computer technology means integrating computers into the educational process. Classes in the primary grades visit the computer lab weekly where they gain familiarity with various software programs, practice fundamentals of computer network operation, and gather information on the World Wide Web. Technology learning activities in our lab ideally support ongoing curricular projects in the classroom. Classes in the upper grades also visit the computer lab weekly where they gain familiarity with various software programs, practice fundamentals of computer network operation, and gather information on the World Wide Web. Technology learning activities ideally support ongoing curricular projects in the classroom. In all of the grades 3 -6 Grade, students have new MacBook Laptops. Laptops are used, for the most part, on a daily basis in language arts, social studies, and science instruction. Students can often be found creating podcasts using Garage Band or creating short movies to better understand California History. Most recently, fourth grade students filmed short movies using i-Movie. Students portrayed life during the Gold Rush, fur trapping and Mission Life. Students are not only creating fabulous , they are clearly understanding the content and gaining a more comprehensive understanding of how media can change the way we learn.
Assessment: Upon completion of the project, students will be able to understand the components of writing a script, filming a movie, producing original music, and editing a movie. Most importantly, students must be able to work in groups and effectively delegate various components of the project. For example, who will do the editing or who will produce the music. Assessment of the project is reflected in the finished movie. Were all aspects of the original script included in the movie, was the music original, and did students edit the movie as per instruction.
Standards: Students will be able to understand the components of a plot, the development of characters, and the ability to identify settings of a plot.
Estimated Number of Class Periods for Students To Complete Unit: 8 Class Periods
What you need: Students will use video cameras and movie editing software (i-Movie),Adobe Photoshop Elements, Garage Band.
Software or Materials Used: Students will use video cameras and movie editing software (i-Movie),Adobe Photoshop Elements, Garage Band.
Keywords: Language Arts, Computers
The Students: For this project, all students in the 6th Grade participated. Students in 7th and 8th Grades would also be suitable for this project.
Overall Value: What I like about this project is how each group of students created original music and wrote unique scripts for their movies. This project was relatively easy in the sense that once students wrote their scripts their imaginations went to work. All students participated equally and all were proud of the end result. Because the movies were showed to an entire audience, students felt as though they had accomplished a lot.
Details: Computer Science
Subject Area: English
Grade Levels: Grades 6 - 12
Tips for the Teacher: As long as you have a computer and a Video camera this project can be implemented.
