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iDemos

iDemos. A Cross-curricular Project Between Escalante High School’s Chemistry & English 11 Classes. Angie Alvey & Clint Stephens. Original Project Goals. We were interested in doing a project that would have the following characteristics: Fun for the students to do

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iDemos

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  1. iDemos A Cross-curricular Project Between Escalante High School’s Chemistry & English 11 Classes Angie Alvey & Clint Stephens

  2. Original Project Goals • We were interested in doing a project that would have the following characteristics: • Fun for the students to do • Interesting enough to be self-motivating • Cross-curricular between English and Science • Had a real final “product”

  3. Original Solution • Chemical Demonstration Book • Written with teachers in mind • Included: • step-by-step instructions • materials list • ready to use questions for students of elementary school level • biographies of scientists relevant to the demos • a historical sketch of the time that the scientist did his major work • photographs of the demonstration

  4. Original Solution • Chemical Demonstration Book - The good, the bad, and the ugly… • Pros: • Students created a real product that was useable by teachers • Students learned how to use PageMaker and digital cameras • Students used research, writing, presentation and chemical skills to complete the project • Cons: • Product could only reach a limited audience because of the way it was published • Not many different kinds of technology could be integrated or used • Medium limited the creative potential of the students - could not use video or sound, static

  5. iDemos! How were these shortcomings addressed without loosing any of the benefits?

  6. iDemos • Students created web pages & iMovies of the different demonstrations to be presented: • Published on the internet - audience not limited! • iMovies allow for inclusion of just about any type of media: video, music, pictures, graphs, clip-art, etc. - no creative limitations! • Web pages can be updated and added to - not static! • iDemos homepage: http://www.garfield.k12.ut.us/schools/ehs/idemos • Examples of Student Movies

  7. iDemos - A method to our madness. • Step 1 - Show the Demonstrations to the Chemistry Class. • About 1 per week • Used as a springboard to discussion for the day • Students recorded the materials used and the procedural steps and kept them in their notebooks • Model appropriate safety precautions • 12-13 demos were presented • Time required for this step: about 1 term

  8. iDemos - A method to our madness. • Step 2 - Obtain Equipment (Write and Obtain Grants) • This could be the easy or the hard part, depending on your school and district • Minimum Requirements: • Digital video camera with FireWire outputs • Macintosh computers with FireWire inputs • iMovie 2 software - free from Apple • How many cameras & computers do you need? • We had 1 camera and 4 computers up to the task • 1 camera was fine, but the more computers you have, the less time the project editing will take • Time required for this step: as long as it takes

  9. iDemos - A method to our madness. • Step 3 - Learn how to use the equipment and software, and plan the rest of the project. • With the grants we were awarded, the district included 2 professional days. • Planning included: • Researching and picking the scientist for each demo • Researching the year of their major work or discovery • Determining the size of each group and how many science students will be with how many English students • Writing the grading rubrics • Learning the equipment and software included: • Planning, storyboarding, filming and creating our own iDemo movie • Using the tutorial and help functions when we got stuck • Time required for this step: 1 professional day

  10. iDemos - A method to our madness. • Step 4 - Assign each demonstration to each group of Chemistry students • Have them present you with a list of the materials needed • Allow them time to try the demonstration on their own and get comfortable with the procedures • Readdress any safety concerns or procedures • Have them show their demonstrations to the Chemistry class • Time required for this step: 1-2 Chemistry class periods

  11. iDemos - A method to our madness. • Step 5 - Present Demonstrations to the English Class • Students again perform the demo, explaining the materials and procedures as they go to the new audience • Students model appropriate safety precautions • Instructors assign the cross-curricular groups • 1-2 Chemistry students with 1-2 English students is a good mix • Time required for this step: 1-2 English class periods (Chemistry students not in the English class went first and then returned to their normal classes)

  12. iDemos - A method to our madness. • Step 6 - Explain the Project to the Classes • Paint the “Big Picture” and goals to the students • Show the teacher created iMovie • Inform students of our expectations of them by going over the grading rubric • Provide students with a copy of the rubric for reference • Time required for this step: No more than 1 Chemistry/English class period (the next step could be incorporated if time permits)

  13. iDemos - A method to our madness. • Step 7 - Research and Storyboard • Give students time to use the Library to do their research on their scientist and the historical time period • Create a “storyboard” of what they want their movie to look like • Include a visual of each scene or shot • Plan a storyline, if any • Plan any needed props or costumes, if any • BE CREATIVE!!! Anything they can imagine can probably be accomplished • Groups may wish to split up these tasks between them • Time required for this step: 1-2 English periods max. Too much time allows for procrastination

  14. iDemos - A method to our madness. • Step 8 - Demonstrate Use of Software • Take a couple of minutes and shoot some video on the spot of anything • Import to computer and make a quick movie demonstrating the different capabilities: • Titles • Transitions • Sound effects • Video effects • Show students how to use the Help menu to learn how to do anything that was not demonstrated • Show the basics of the web page editor that you are going to use, if any • Time required for this step: 1 period for iMovie, and 1/2 for the web page editor

  15. iDemos - A method to our madness. • Step 9 - I am ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille. • Demonstrate the use of the digital video camera • A tripod would be helpful to have, for both the filmmakers and the audience • Give the students time to setup and film their demonstrations • The Chemistry teacher should be present for the filming of each demo for safety, but should not interfere with the students • Import any raw video possible during any lulls in student preparedness so that some can get to work • Time required for this step: 1-2 Chemistry periods should be sufficient

  16. iDemos - A method to our madness. • Step 10 - Give Students Time for Project Work • Creation is a messy and time consuming processes • Keep students on-task, but don’t rush them • Ideally, each group would have 2 computers to work with: • One that is iMovie capable • One that is web editor capable • Make the best of what you have available • Teacher should be available for troubleshooting and technical assistance, but leave the creative process up to the students • Time required for this step: Depends on available computers

  17. iDemos - A method to our madness. • Step 11 - Grade Project Work • Get everyone together and watch the iDemo movies and look at the web pages that each team created • Cooperating teachers evaluate each project using the scoring rubrics set out at the beginning of the project and agree upon a grade • Each team grade counts for each team member in both classes • Time required for this step: 1-2 class periods, depending on the number of movies and web pages

  18. iDemos - A method to our madness. • Step 12 - Publish or Post iDemo Movies & Pages • This could include any or all of the following: • Post web pages and compressed iMovies on the web • Burn a CD for each student with the web pages and iMovies so that they can show off their work to anyone with a computer • Transfer the iMovies to VHS tape for each student so that they can show off their work to anyone with a VCR • Do what is possible with the available expertise • Get the help of your district technology person or your local CyberCorps instructor or CyberCorps students • Time required for this step: no class time is needed

  19. iDemos - The Final Frontier • Questions? • Good Luck!

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