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Grade: Elementary
Subject: other
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Cyber Camp
We combine graphics and sounds to make a "movie".
We actually take the presentation a step past the computer
and record it on video tape.
Why We Do It: Exposure to latest technology.
Team building skills for cooperative learning.
Build academic skills and just a fun summer activity!
We have classes of 15 - 20 3rd -5th grade students, with
three teachers and a student helper. Each student pays $25
for each camp session they attend. The sessions will last three
and a half hours long, five days a week, including a thirty
minute snack and "game time" - which most in the past have
opted to continue working.
How We Do It:
Monday: After introductions, we show previous camp productions to
let them see what they are working towards and to avoid common
mistakes -- font styles that were difficult to read or colors that just didn't
look great when transferred over to VCR tape. We divide the students into
two groups. One group will be taught how to make "slides" using
presentation software called Multimedia Workshop, by Davidson.
That includes putting in the graphics, background colors or designs
and text portion of topic. The other group learns how to search for
information using the Internet. We then swap the groups. That takes
2 hours, an hour for each lesson. While the students are at the computers
the third teacher uses a digital camera to take individual pictures of students.
The pictures will be used for "Internet licenses". They have to have their
license with them daily, if we have any problems with a student we will
punch a hole in the corner of it. After all corners were punched they
would not be allowed back on the Internet.
In the past, we've only had a couple of discipline problems who got two
holes punched, and that was because they got too excited wanting to
interrupt everyone and show them what they were doing. We give students
free time with various CD ROM games and fun Internet sites. End of day one
Tuesday: We meet as a large group and brainstorm ideas for presentation topics.
They are allowed to pick any topic. After we have numerous ideas
for a presentation, everything from "Where Chocolate Comes From"
to "How Men Lives in Space"! Lots of animal projects, also. We have
the students write two topics on index cards along with their names.
We, as teachers, put them into groups of 3 or 4 students. This was a trick
we learned from last year to keep discipline problems separated. They
then broke into groups and develope 5 - 8 questions they think their
audience would be interested in. The questions and information found
are written on index cards, are found on encyclopedia cds and Internet.
We have them show us the questions for approval before looking up the
information. This way we can guide them for key word searches, we also
initial their cards to show approval. They continue researching their topic.
The students are to bookmark sites and also write down the URL for sites
they use on the index cards -- preparing them for bibliographies. They are
also to note if it has any cool pictures to use in the presentation. If one
member finishes before the others they are to help those struggling.
Wednesday: Continue researching topics. You have to check on students
continuously to make sure they understand what they are reading. Space
groups found some VERY scientific sites with great pictures, but written
for scientist. They would copy information and we would have them
clarify it to us, which most of the time they can't. This helps us make
sure that the are suitable, taught about plagiarism, and we are able to
check for spelling and grammar problems.. Most of the groups complete
their research and began making their scenes. TIP: Have students type in
text first without changing font size or style. They like to play with
that TOO much! LIMIT them to one to two sentences per card. This
is very important for spacing on the screen
Thursday: Completed research. Those finished continue creating
their scenes. Those students who have completed their scenes are
taught the next step of the project -- sequencing and adding sound.
Multimedia Workshop is great for sequencing and putting in sounds.
The students are given a page with two "tracks" on it one for pictures,
the other for sound. Tracks are divided into second length segments or
squares. Here is where team work pays off. One student will read the
information on their slide while another student will time them in seconds.
The student will then drag a red box over a square for each second
thus setting the time length of the slide. The student then chooses a
transition to placed between slides. After the team has inserted and set
time for all of their slides they are allowed to put in their sound
effects or music clips. They can coordinate their slides and sounds
very easily because they are laying on two tracks side by side.
MW allows you to clip lengths of songs or repeat sounds where needed.
Friday: Students finish up presentations. Finished projects are saved
to the server. The size of the presentations are enormous, due to all
of the graphics and sounds. This made it impossible to simply take a
disk home with their project on it, besides the students most likely
didn't have MW at home anyway. We get around the problem of a
take home project by purchasing a TV/VCR converter called an
AverKey3, for around $200. This allows us to play the presentation
on a computer and record it to video tape. Each student then walks
away with a copy of their "MOVIE" to show at home or to send to
Grandparents. Friday is also Open House. Students present projects
to parents, show educational software and Internet sites used. Parents
are very impressed and have lots of questions on how to obtain
software and computers to purchase. Student are presented with
their tape copy, a camp T-shirt and certificate for attending the camp.
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