Digital storytelling reflection.

It has been a few weeks working on our storytelling project. We have met self-employed residents of the Slocan Valley. These people all have connections to W.E. Graham. Our interviewees either have a child that is attending or has attended the school, or they interact on a regular basis every year with students that pursue their education at W.E. Graham Community school.
To my students, I will ask you to look back at the past few weeks and the storytelling project. I would like you to share some reflections on several points.

1. What are the various things that you have learned during this project? They can be about a certain aspect of the project (technology, learning to put a movie together. learning to interview a person) or you could have learned something interesting about a person.
2.  What was the most challenging part of this project?
3. What was the most fun part of the project (apart from Fomi's treats)?
4. Would you do again a similar project if you had an opportunity? Why?

White Pine Dojo Trip.

Last week we visited the White Pine Dojo in slocan. This is a place where aikido is taught to various residents of the Slocan Valley. Here are reflections on the students experience during this trip.
Students, I would like you to share what you know about the White Pine Dojo and about its owners Roland and Marcia Werner.

What do you know about aikido and what do you know about Roland and Marcia and their passion about their business and lifestyle?

Mulvey's interview: narrating

On Wednesday November 9th we visited the Mulveys at their home andmusic school. We took some great footage and pictures and had a very lovely time spent with Ron and Sarah Mulvey. For the editing part of all this work, I would like the class to take a different approach. Rather than simply editing the footage and interview, I would like you, the students, to reflect on what Ron and Sarah answered to our question during the formal interview. Below you will find the question we used during the interview. Please do answer all the questions as best as you can. We will use your answers to narrate the movie rather than just post the entire interview.

Ron and Sarah Mulveys' interview questions.

1.     What kind of business are you running?

2.     How did your music school get started?

3.     How long have you been running your business and how long have you personally played music?

4.     How many students do you have each year and what instruments do you teach?

5.     What is your method of teaching, can you describe it to us?

6.     Where do your students come from?

7.     You are also a painter. What do you like painting?

8.     Do you also teach painting and drawing and if so to who?

9.     Do you sell your paintings?

10.                         Would you describe your business as a success story? And Why?

Post interview digital story making step one.

On Friday we interviewed Perry Weir, the baker at Weirdoughs bakery. Today, in class, the students are learning to tell a story through movies. The first step is to figure out what message we want to share with audiences. The students were taught a mini lesson on storyboarding and are working with a digital storyboarding template.

 The storyboard is a great tool for sequencing a story. It is a graphic organizer that will help the students pre-visualize the movie. This planning tool includes all the texts, narration (voice over), music, as well as pictures and footage that will be used to tell the story.

Field trip to Weirdoughs bakery

Today we are going to visit Weirdoughs bakery. Everyone is excited. Here are the questions we will be asking Perry Weir the baker at Weirdoughs bakery.

 Weirdoughs Bakery students’ interview.

    1)    How did the idea of starting Weirdoughs come to mind and how did you come up with the name for your bakery?

  2)      Can you tell us how your business is doing? What produce are you selling and where are you selling it?

3)      What type of food is the most popular and what kind of ingredients do you use?

4)      Could you tell where you get your ingredients?

5)       What is your favorite thing about working at a bakery?

6)      Can you tell us how you felt the first day WeirDoughs bakery opened?

7)      Do you enjoy working in a bakery is it hard work?

8)      What is the process of making sourdough bread?

Digital history project Day 2 October 18 2011

Tomorrow we will be going for a visit at Weirdoughs Bakery.
Everyone is excited!!! We will be interviewing the baker and watch him as he bakes delicious treats.
I would like to ask you (the students) what questions you have to ask Perry Weir, the baker. What are you looking for during this visit? What do think you might see in the bakery? What will you learn, any ideas?

Digital history (or storytelling) project Day 1 October 18, 2011.

So far, our class has discussed the few people and businesses whose stories we would like to share.
We have talked about interviewing and open and closed questions. Before we go any further, I would like the class to reflect on the following:
1) What do you know about the various groups or businesses we want to tell about?
2) In which way are these groups or businesses different and in which way are they similar?
Let's blog!!!

The Ancient Maya

Over the past few weeks, in language art and social studies the students in the grade 4/5/6 class have studied the history of the Ancient Maya. Please read below what the students have learned during this project.

Welcome!

This is a test post for my class!