Lovinggood Macs 2008-2009

There is a small cart of Macs for creating cooperatively grouped multimedia projects. The "Apple Cart" is for use in your classroom on student multimedia projects. Digital projects of all types are simpler to do and more robust using the tools built into these Macs. Projects include digital slide shows, digital audio, and digital video. If you don't have experience with these tools, it's sometimes hard to imagine what can be done.

One good way to understand how the tools on the Macs can be used in your curriculum is to see what others have done. Take a look at some examples from the Apple Learning Interchange:

6th Science Example
6th LA Example
6th Grade Math
More 6th Grade Math
& 1 more...
6th Grade Social Studies

7th Grade Language Arts
7th Grad Math
7th Grade Science
7th Grade Social Studies

8th Grade Language Arts
8th Grade Math
8th Grad Science
8th Grade Social Studies

Health & PE

I was unable to find an example of Art that I was really happy with, but why not have students create a slideshow of their own work or of the work of an artist in your curriculum? Here's one I did find.

As for music, create a slide show of images to accompany a specific piece of music with images the students find through research?

Now, who did I leave out? Let's talk!

You can also search on your own for examples done by others. Open your web browser and navigate to the Apple Learning Interchange.
Click Search

Put in a broad search term for your subject area and take a look at what others have done.

You have two assignments for homework:
1- Leave a Comment with your subject area as the title with a link to something in the Apple Learning Interchange that you found interesting.
2- Though targeted more at movie making, take a look at my resource on constructivist learning and student projects: http://www.cobb.k12.ga.us/instructionaltechnology/mac/resource_files/constructivist_planning.pdf Tell me in a second comment one way you have grouped students for collaborative projects in your classroom successfully.

Comments

[K. King]

I really enjoyed the geometry iphoto book project. I could modify it to cover my standards on symmetry. Students would take pictures of different kinds of symmetry around the school, their home, and community. They could then put the photos in an iphoto or even imovie (to add video and sounds).

[Rachel]

This link has some neat grouping ideas if you are making a video...I have used grouping with jobs such as Recorder, Time Keeper, Director, Materials Manager.

[K. King]

I have divided students into groups of 4 based on their ability. I looked at how they were doing on the content I was teaching and then placed a high student, a low student, and 2 middle students in a group. There were cases where the middle students were able to challenge the lower students and the higher students challenge the higher.

[Rachel]

This would be a helpful link when we study biomes next month. It has various videos and commentary that will get the students interested in discovering science.

[Janice Scoville]

I agree with the suggestions made. Small groups with time allowed to perfect their message in a movie will certainly enhance the outcome.

I have group students in many ways,randomly, by ability levels, by interest, student choice.

I think for a movie project like the one described in on the link for LA, I would try to use interest levels as well as choice since it seems the students will have to work together outside the classroom to accomplish this task.

[Jennifer]

I found this link and now I am excited! I plan on having the students read a mystery for their next required genre. It would really be neat to have them film a black and white scene from the book. Then, I think I would have them include a short book talk at the end. Herman, do you come in classrooms to help teachers with such projects. I have lots of questions!

[Jennifer]

Language Arts:
When I work on my fluency standard, I use poetry. This lesson will be perfect:
http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/story.php?itemID=16186&version=4297&page=2

[JJones]

The iMovie for planet research looks easily adaptable to middle school students. Good idea.

[JJones]

Sample response

[juliethayer]

I thought that the grouping ideas were great for a larger class. For small group classes, it makes it a little more difficult. Great ideas though.

[juliethayer]

Being that I only teach 1 small group math class and the rest are inclusion, collabortive projects can be very difficult for this class. It is usually based on selecting students with different skill abilities to ensure all students benefit equally in the project.

[Mary H]

I really liked what students had created using poetry and technology tools. I especially liked the imovies that were made using found and original poems, images, music, and narration. This would be a good alternative for students who are shy about performing "live" in front of a class - their work would still be heard. It is also a great way for poetry to come to life for all students.

[Mary H]

I have grouped students many different ways depending upon the task that we are trying to accomplish. Often I will group students by ability, interest, or work style, but there have been times when random grouping has worked really well, too.

[Katie K.]

I really enjoyed the Baffling biomes I-movie. A great project that I would like to recreate in our upcoming trip to the aquarium and Ruby falls.

[Katie K.]

I find that grouping often depends on the project students are trying to accomplish. In science, grouping is limited by the materials available. I prefer groups of 3 to 4 or groups of 2. I group by different methods, sometimes putting high achieving students together and sometimes mixing ability with in the group.

[Cali]

The single cell lesson is really great. We have the proscopes, we just need to get the c-clamps. Good Times!

[Coach Welch - PE and Health]

This video has some great information. I like the fact that there is a lot of facts pertaining to your health. This is something I could definately use in the Health class.

[Coach Welch - PE and Health]

This video has a lot of great information. I like the idea that has a lot of facts about health. I would definately use this in Health: http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/story.php?itemID=195

[Coach Welch - PE and Health]

In Physical Education the groups are usually a little different. Instead of groups we would have teams of some sort, because we are always have the kids participate in some kind of sport.
In the Health room the kids would be split into groups of 3-4. Sometimes they will work collaboratively on a specific topic, and other times they will split the project.

[Robbin Hill]

I really like the idea of a photo book project for math. I use the national math trail for my assignments for the students that go to Savannah - I am think of extending to the photo book idea.