Visiting Scientists, Script Writing & Forget Me Nots

What a busy week it was in Room 310.  Some highlights included State Testing for Mathematics, revising craft stick bridges, a visit from local scientists, writing scripts based on a the story, "The Case of the Gasping Garbage" and filming of those very same scripts!  One other very important part of the week included making "Forget Me Not" cards for the local disabled veterans at the VA Hospital.

Each year, our class is visited by about six scientists who work at the nearby Siemen's Corporation.  Outfitting the students with lab coats, safety glasses and lab notebooks, the students become REAL scientists ready to work!  The visit starts with a review of information about the Water Cycle.  Students then observe a "Storm in a Box,"  replicate the sound of thunder,  learn how to make a thermometer and finally explore how filtration works.  Writing down their hypothesis and checking to see if they are correct, students go from passive to active participants.  It's an hour filled with wonder and wondering!

This visit couldn't have been more appropriately timed!  In ELA students were reading a story called, The Case of the Gasping Garbage! It's about two young detective/scientists who try to solve a mystery.  Vocabulary words included: beakers, analysis, precise, microscope and more (which they noticed the Siemen's scientists used too)! The two characters in the story go to their attic laboratory, make and test their hypothesis and solve the case!

After reading the story, students then created scripts based on the characters and the story. Working with a partner, students created their scripts using Google Docs.  Each student used a Chromebook (thanks to our Donors Choose Projects - please donate if you can we need a bit more to get one last chromebook!) and collaborated with their partner - each able to write on the document at the SAME time!

One of the challenges was to include at least 5 vocabulary words.  As an added bonus, once the scripts were complete, filming could commence! Using our green screen set up and the very-easy-to-use, DoInk App students donned their lab coats, grabbed their scripts and clipboards and they were ready to proceed.  After the film was created, we added it to the iMovie app and created the final product!

Be sure to check out one of our "Gasping Garbage Movies by clicking HERE, HERE and HERE!  Students LOVE making the green screen movies as they are learning all aspects of the process.

 

Probably the most IMPORTANT work of the week included the making of "Forget Me Nots" for our local disabled veterans!  Several times throughout the year we send notes or cards to those men and women who are at the VA Hospital in West Roxbury (you can read about some of what we have done HERE).  In honor of the upcoming Memorial Day, we decided to create "Forget Me Not" flowers (the symbol of the Disabled American Veterans).  One each of the petals, students wrote a simple, thoughtful yet powerful message for the vets making sure each person that received one would know it was made especially for them!

I am so proud of all the hard work and effort my class exhibited this week and every week!

What message could you send the students about their hard work and effort?