Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Time to Shine - Te Akau ki Papamoa

Let's celebrate Learning with the Year 1 and 2 Junior Student's in Sue Beesley's class, at Te Akau ki Papamoa. 

Where they began......a simple Kid Pix slideshow showing who belongs in Room 17.

Using pictures (felt tip and dye) scanned into Keynote and stories added.

Created using Kid Pix and Keynote.
What a wonderful way to link the Key competencies, ICT, Literacy and create a memorable learning experience!

This was the classes first experience at Green screening. An area was creating, using fabric and the teacher role modelled the learning. Students were expected to choose a digital image, have a buddy photograph them, instant alpha the image, then 'place' it into their 'scene'. Not only are the 'tools' able to be learnt but all those essential skills of communication, collaboration, not to mention the Key Competencies!

Originally George wrote and illustrated, then published his work as a laminated book for others to share in class. After learning the skills to Instant Alpha, he decided to revisit his work and with the support of older learners at the school he scanned his work and added himself (digital pics green screened) into it......he watched it come to life before his ages!


This lesson celebrates Literacy (descriptive language) again using Kid Pix and Keynote. This is a lovely example of using ICT to enrich and add value to an experience, to enable the world to share in the classroom day to day learning. Parents must be so proud!

Using Keynote and the Instant Alpha tool as a follow up from the shared book "Don't you laugh at me!". Imagine the wonderful stories that could be written using this pic as a prompt.....

Friday, April 24, 2009

Lord of the Forest

A personal learning experience from when I was a classroom teacher...
A snapshot look into the experiences of a class of Year 4/5 Learners.
After completing a term of Inquiry (using Trevor Bond's SAUCE model) centred around a Schoolwide theme of Our Treasure's, our journey had taken us to Living Landscapes and then to Native Trees of New Zealand. Each member of the class chose a tree and formulated a question that required investigation. We had used a variety of Thinking Tools to scaffold our learning and support our new understandings. Tools like Tony Ryan's Thinkers Keys.
















As a class we wanted to celebrate our learning and newly gained knowledge. Thus this movie idea evolved with every child playing a part. From the Director to the Set creators, every step was planned and executed independently, ideas gathered, rolls determined and negotiated, equipment requested - from beginning to end we took 1 week.

We had 1 Mac computer and 1 P.C in our classroom. While the Mac was being used for the actual recording of the animation, using the I Can Animate software programme (Contact Innes Kennard, innesk@werc.ac.nz to purchase this software through the N.Z Schools Initiative). A group of learners also 'shot' the "Making of" movie, using the P.C and the Microsoft Photo Story software programme. This enabled ALL learners to be involved and also provide learners with the opportunity to articulate their role, to communicate, collaborate and self manage. It also gave parents and community the opportunity to see 'behind the scenes' and to get a greater appreciation into the team work and commitment that had gone on to create their project.

The Directors team of assistances devised a card system (the All Black's tests were on at the time) so learners were 'carded' (yellow - warning, red - off the set/time out) if their performance didn't meet their pre decided criteria.....as time passed a green card was also created for positive role modelling and outstanding achievement. This, as a teacher was an interesting thing to watch evolve, learners actually monitoring and impacting on their own learning environment.

A Rich, Real and Relevant experience, full of challenges, frustrations and finally celebrations!


The "So what, Now what?" component of our Inquiry was covered by supporting our Enviro Group to plant an area of native bush with trees donated from families within the school and local community members. Seniors carved signs with the name of each tree and the family that donated it and these were placed at the foot of each tree. We had a community planting day and an official opening of the area, which was originally planted when the school was built over 100 years ago. This area is now used by both school and community.

Photo Gallery - Junior's Using Kidpix

Welcome Bay School


Mount Primary

Paula Jamieson's Junior Class
6 year old importing images to Celebrate Christmas with her class.