Montlieu iPad Project

9/25/13 - This was the first visit to Montlieu Academy of Technology for our iPad project. This project involves working with a group of 4 3rd Grade students in order to develop a full story, script, and recording for a stop-motion video.  We will be using myCreate, an iPad app, to create professional-level stop-motion videos.  This first visit was basically an introduction to the project. The 4 of us met with our students individually in order to develop a bit of a relationship, rather than meeting as a group from the very beginning. I think this was definitely a good decision, because my buddy was somewhat shy at first. I spoke with her about general likes and dislikes and eventually she opened up and shared a lot of really neat information about what she likes to do! It is completely understandable that a 3rd grader would be timid at first, so I did my best to make her feel as comfortable as possible.  She seemed to really like the idea of this project and was looking forward to using myCreate and other resources!

10/2/13 - The second visit to Montlieu was definitely a success. During this lesson, I went over a thorough introduction to myCreate with my buddy. We watched the introduction video that myCreate provides in the app, and then talked about what exactly this app entails.  My buddy instantly fell in love with the app! It was obvious from the very start that she is a creative thinker, so this app is right up her alley. She loved taking stuffed animals and making them move across the table. She was very technology savvy, which isn't surprising, given the fact that Montlieu provides iPads for every student (while at school). She was thoroughly excited to continue with this project!

10/9/13 - During my third visit to Montlieu Academy of Technology, we still worked individually due to some school logistic issues. This was still a really great session in which my buddy and I practiced the myCreate skills, as well as worked on information for a story. I spoke with her a lot about what she likes to write/draw about and she seemed extremely excited to be able to work with Lego's. It was somewhat difficult for her to express her ideas about inventions because she was so excited about things that already existed. However, I quickly uncovered a turning point. She is incredibly intrigued by China and would love to visit the country someday. When I asked about making an invention that would help her see the land easier, she drew 2 or 3 different machines that enabled her to travel across the globe in mere seconds. When I told her it was time to clean up, she was reluctant to leave. She can be unbelievably energetic, but her passion for learning is clearly evident!

10/23/13 - For our 4th visit to the school, we finally got to work as a group. We all gathered in the library and huddled around a table to discuss the semester's project further. We started off with some ice-breaker activities, but wanted to give the students as much time as possible to work on their ideas.  We explained how they would be coming up with ideas for new inventions and then filming their story using stop-motion video. The students were absolutely thrilled when we brought out some Lego material to explore. They were probably more hyper than any students I've ever worked with, which was somewhat difficult, but also very rewarding at the same time. Knowing that I was able to bring so much joy to these students was truly unbelievable. They brainstormed about different inventions and really collaborated about different ideas. Next week will be great to let them start writing a rough draft for their story. 

10/30/13 - The 5th visit to Montlieu Academy of Science and Technology was another very successful trip. Once again, we worked as a group in order to start brainstorming ideas for our video. The children were extremely excited and really got the ball rolling. They thought of several awesome ideas, such as a one-button candy machine, a talking building, a cotton candy house, etc. After the students were given time to brainstorm, we held a vote to determine which idea we would focus in on for the video. The group came to a general consensus to use the talking building idea for the final project. Then, we talked about beginning, middle, and end ideas for the story. The whole group collaborated very efficiently in order to set the scene for the actual writing/filming. The students could not have been more excited for our next visit, in which we would work with Legos to prepare for the video. Overall, it was a very productive meeting. 

11/6/13 - This visit was definitely one of the most enjoyable for everybody involved! We brought the StoryStarter Lego Kits for the students to use in order to come up with ideas for how the story would be laid out. First, each student worked with his/her own base plate to come up with his/her own representation of the story. They were extremely excited to work with the Legos, so we had to make sure that they stayed on task at times, but overall they were very well behaved! As the students worked, they were definitely checking in with each other to collaborate and bounce ideas around. Also, they would occasionally take breaks from building in order to practice using the MyCreate app with the Legos. It was clear that the students were coming up with some great scenery and having fun doing it! The students all developed really interesting models and were excited to come to High Point University to finally film the stop-motion video!

11/15/13 - This was the date in which the students came to HPU to build the video scenery, record their voices, and film the video. Unfortunately, I had a cross country meet and was unable to attend this final day. Although I wasn't able to see the students making the video, I am lucky to be able to see the final product! I cannot believe how well the students were able to make their vision become a reality. They definitely worked extremely well as a group in order to plan the story, and then put their ideas on film. Throughout the semester there were some very minor bumps in the road, but overall it was an incredible experience for everybody involved!