Green Screen Technology Enhances ePal Water Project Interviews!!

Students have been reading and researching news articles in Technology class to prepare for interviews covering the question - What problems is the world facing with its water supply?

Students have chosen their own topic and worked to make sure that the information they present is unbiased and shows both sides of the story.   Resources have been analyzed for credibility and backed up with a second source when possible.  Students were expected to find five facts that supported their claim and five facts that did not support their claim.  Favorite news sites were the New York Times, CNN, and the digital science series the students are using this year,  eScience3000.

The final product will be a video of the interview.  The iPad app that is being used to create the video uses a green screen effect to make it look like students are local news announcers working  "on location".

Videos eventually will be uploaded into each student's google drive and may be viewed from there.

Building Molecules From Atoms

In January and February students have been learning about topics in the physical sciences.  The study of matter and energy was addressed with the introduction of the Periodic Table of Elements, atoms and molecules. 

Since atoms and molecules are too small to be seen with or without a microscope, and too small to manipulate, students have been building simulated models of these concepts to help with their understanding.  Once the molecules were built, students could view them with a 3D rotating image to get an idea of perspective.

 PHET simulations have been developed at the University of Colorado in Boulder.  They cover many topics, but the two model simulations the sixth graders have been working with this month compare atoms to molecules.