iDemos

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iDemos

• A Cross-curricular Project Between
• Escalante High Schools
• Chemistry English 11 Classes

Angie Alvey Clint Stephens
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Original Project Goals

• We were interested in doing a project that would
  have the following characteristics
• Fun for the students to do
• Interesting enough to be self-motivating
• Cross-curricular between English and Science
• Had a real final product

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Original Solution

• Chemical Demonstration Book
• Written with teachers in mind
• Included
• step-by-step instructions
• materials list
• ready to use questions for students of elementary
  school level
• biographies of scientists relevant to the demos
• a historical sketch of the time that the
  scientist did his major work
• photographs of the demonstration

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Original Solution

• Chemical Demonstration Book - The good, the bad,
  and the ugly
• Pros
• Students created a real product that was useable
  by teachers
• Students learned how to use PageMaker and digital
  cameras
• Students used research, writing, presentation and
  chemical skills to complete the project
• Cons
• Product could only reach a limited audience
  because of the way it was published
• Not many different kinds of technology could be
  integrated or used
• Medium limited the creative potential of the
  students - could not use video or sound, static

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iDemos!

• How were these shortcomings addressed without
  loosing any of the benefits?

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iDemos

• Students created web pages iMovies of the
  different demonstrations to be presented
• Published on the internet - audience not limited!
  
• iMovies allow for inclusion of just about any
  type of media video, music, pictures, graphs,
  clip-art, etc. - no creative limitations!
• Web pages can be updated and added to - not
  static!
• iDemos homepage http//www.garfield.k12.ut.us/sch
  ools/ehs/idemos
• Examples of Student Movies

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iDemos - A method to our madness.

• Step 1 - Show the Demonstrations to the Chemistry
  Class.
• About 1 per week
• Used as a springboard to discussion for the day
• Students recorded the materials used and the
  procedural steps and kept them in their notebooks
• Model appropriate safety precautions
• 12-13 demos were presented
• Time required for this step about 1 term

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iDemos - A method to our madness.

• Step 2 - Obtain Equipment (Write and Obtain
  Grants)
• This could be the easy or the hard part,
  depending on your school and district
• Minimum Requirements
• Digital video camera with FireWire outputs
• Macintosh computers with FireWire inputs
• iMovie 2 software - free from Apple
• How many cameras computers do you need?
• We had 1 camera and 4 computers up to the task
• 1 camera was fine, but the more computers you
  have, the less time the project editing will take
• Time required for this step as long as it takes

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iDemos - A method to our madness.

• Step 3 - Learn how to use the equipment and
  software, and plan the rest of the project.
• With the grants we were awarded, the district
  included 2 professional days.
• Planning included
• Researching and picking the scientist for each
  demo
• Researching the year of their major work or
  discovery
• Determining the size of each group and how many
  science students will be with how many English
  students
• Writing the grading rubrics
• Learning the equipment and software included
• Planning, storyboarding, filming and creating our
  own iDemo movie
• Using the tutorial and help functions when we got
  stuck
• Time required for this step 1 professional day

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iDemos - A method to our madness.

• Step 4 - Assign each demonstration to each group
  of Chemistry students
• Have them present you with a list of the
  materials needed
• Allow them time to try the demonstration on their
  own and get comfortable with the procedures
• Readdress any safety concerns or procedures
• Have them show their demonstrations to the
  Chemistry class
• Time required for this step 1-2 Chemistry class
  periods

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iDemos - A method to our madness.

• Step 5 - Present Demonstrations to the English
  Class
• Students again perform the demo, explaining the
  materials and procedures as they go to the new
  audience
• Students model appropriate safety precautions
• Instructors assign the cross-curricular groups
• 1-2 Chemistry students with 1-2 English students
  is a good mix
• Time required for this step 1-2 English class
  periods (Chemistry students not in the English
  class went first and then returned to their
  normal classes)

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iDemos - A method to our madness.

• Step 6 - Explain the Project to the Classes
• Paint the Big Picture and goals to the students
• Show the teacher created iMovie
• Inform students of our expectations of them by
  going over the grading rubric
• Provide students with a copy of the rubric for
  reference
• Time required for this step No more than 1
  Chemistry/English class period (the next step
  could be incorporated if time permits)

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iDemos - A method to our madness.

• Step 7 - Research and Storyboard
• Give students time to use the Library to do their
  research on their scientist and the historical
  time period
• Create a storyboard of what they want their
  movie to look like
• Include a visual of each scene or shot
• Plan a storyline, if any
• Plan any needed props or costumes, if any
• BE CREATIVE!!! Anything they can imagine can
  probably be accomplished
• Groups may wish to split up these tasks between
  them
• Time required for this step 1-2 English periods
  max. Too much time allows for procrastination

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iDemos - A method to our madness.

• Step 8 - Demonstrate Use of Software
• Take a couple of minutes and shoot some video on
  the spot of anything
• Import to computer and make a quick movie
  demonstrating the different capabilities
• Titles
• Transitions
• Sound effects
• Video effects
• Show students how to use the Help menu to learn
  how to do anything that was not demonstrated
• Show the basics of the web page editor that you
  are going to use, if any
• Time required for this step 1 period for iMovie,
  and 1/2 for the web page editor

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iDemos - A method to our madness.

• Step 9 - I am ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille.
• Demonstrate the use of the digital video camera
• A tripod would be helpful to have, for both the
  filmmakers and the audience
• Give the students time to setup and film their
  demonstrations
• The Chemistry teacher should be present for the
  filming of each demo for safety, but should not
  interfere with the students
• Import any raw video possible during any lulls in
  student preparedness so that some can get to work
• Time required for this step 1-2 Chemistry
  periods should be sufficient

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iDemos - A method to our madness.

• Step 10 - Give Students Time for Project Work
• Creation is a messy and time consuming processes
• Keep students on-task, but dont rush them
• Ideally, each group would have 2 computers to
  work with
• One that is iMovie capable
• One that is web editor capable
• Make the best of what you have available
• Teacher should be available for troubleshooting
  and technical assistance, but leave the creative
  process up to the students
• Time required for this step Depends on available
  computers

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iDemos - A method to our madness.

• Step 11 - Grade Project Work
• Get everyone together and watch the iDemo movies
  and look at the web pages that each team created
• Cooperating teachers evaluate each project using
  the scoring rubrics set out at the beginning of
  the project and agree upon a grade
• Each team grade counts for each team member in
  both classes
• Time required for this step 1-2 class periods,
  depending on the number of movies and web pages

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iDemos - A method to our madness.

• Step 12 - Publish or Post iDemo Movies Pages
• This could include any or all of the following
• Post web pages and compressed iMovies on the web
• Burn a CD for each student with the web pages and
  iMovies so that they can show off their work to
  anyone with a computer
• Transfer the iMovies to VHS tape for each student
  so that they can show off their work to anyone
  with a VCR
• Do what is possible with the available expertise
• Get the help of your district technology person
  or your local CyberCorps instructor or CyberCorps
  students
• Time required for this step no class time is
  needed

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iDemos - The Final Frontier

• Questions?
• Good Luck!