https://www.mindomo.com/mindmap/6a9c51c4d287487da59e21c1d169630f
Above is the link for my group. Alyssa Piazza, Catherine Otterman, Julia Wenstrom, and myself.
Stephen Hawking Digital Story
Digital Storytelling Assessment
My assessment focuses on elements discussed in Chapter 4 of Assessing Digital Stories. After reading the Chapter, I was able to determine the essential factors that should makeup criteria/rubric. The most essential elements to assess for a digital story are: planning, research, understanding of content material, and application of media. The scale on the rubric I designed has a scale for each of the above elements, ranging from a point value 0-3 points.
In hopes that students could use this as a self-assessment/checklist, I designed the rubric so that it is student friendly. Keeping this in mind, I included a section of the rubric that essentially prompts students to self-assess their work before turning it in, in order to catch anything they may have left out on accident or catch mistakes.
For this assignment, students are asked to create a digital story biography of a famous scientist or someone who influenced the world of science. The goal is that students are able to use digital storytelling tools and applications to create a presentation that tells the significance of the person they selected, and how they have impacted science.
Digital Storytelling Storyboard
Below I attached my Digital Storytelling Storyboard. Each of the slides is a glimpse of what I intend to include on each of the panels in my digital story.
The purpose of met assignment is to provide students with the opportunity to explore the origins of relevant scientific findings and theories by doing research on different scientists. I find it important for students to understand the origins of different subjects, specifically science. It is my hope that students are able to create a storyboard to tell the story of a famous scientists life and provide relevant information regarding their contributions to science. Students are encouraged to tell the story of the scientist of their choosing life by using a variety of perspectives. In my storyboard, I use a biography standpoint to display the life and remembrance of Stephen Hawking, but I am not limiting students to this one option. It is my hope that students are able to bring these notable scientists to life and gain an understanding on the events taking place through their life. I hope that students are able to gain information from their peers in presenting them to their classmates.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1s2dd5FLH9HXrI1HSFo1g06-XfL_Dso6cUCEvdqOFI-E/edit?usp=sharing
Digital Storytelling Script
In my digital storytelling video, I will discuss the life, achievements, and remembrance of Stephen Hawking.
Stephen Hawking is one of the most famous scientists to be known! To this day, he is known to be one of the greatest contributors to science of the 21st century.
Born in 1942 to a very successful family, from Oxford, Hawking was born. Hawking was seemingly not the greatest student in his early years. Coming from a successful family, his father had high hopes that his son would grow to become a medical doctor. Although Hawking did not plan follow the path that his father had hoped, he enjoyed mathematics. His father, Frank, was a medical researcher. Both of his parents had attended Oxford University. As Hawking grew further into his education, he got stuck with the nickname “Einstein!” Hawking was unable to study the field of math, that he had so much enjoyed, because the university did not offer it. Instead, Hawking went on to study chemistry and physics. While attending the university, he took part in the school’s boat club. In his free time, he enjoyed listening to classical music. After graduating from Oxford, Hawking attended Cambridge to gain his PhD.
It was not too long after his attendance at Cambridge when Hawking began to recognize some health problems. He began recognizing an increasing difficulty in his ability to walk, talk, etc. At the young of 21, Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS ; Lou Gehrig’s Disease). ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, which is accompanied by the loss of motor neurons. Upon diagnosis, doctors told Hawking that he did not have long to live. Stephen Hawking was robbed of his mobility and speech.
Hawking’s diagnosis did not hold him back from accomplishing all that he did later on in his life. Hawking married Jane, in 1965, and later had three children with her.
His life mainly consisted of his passion, which was his scientific studies. Hawking’s most known studies pertain to the scientific studies of black holes in space, and how they work in the universe. Other studies include quantum gravity, studies regarding cosmology, and more. Hawking’s work on “reasonable” space exhibits the characteristics of a closed universe and discusses topics like the Big Bang, amongst many other theorems. Hawking’s most memorable work regarding the beginning of the universe is seen in his talks, studies, and books regarding the question: What was around before the Big Bang?
Stephen Hawking wrote a total of 15 books through the span of his life. Some of the most notable include: “A Brief History of Time,” “The Universe in a Nutshell,” and “The Grand Design.”
Hawking dedicated much of his time visiting the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Here, he studied the environment of the universe without the force of gravity. Hawking was able to experience bursts of weightlessness after being freed from his wheelchair. His experience captivated his ability to freely float, and can be seen in pictures published in newspapers across the globe.
Hawking was determined to work through a disorder that he was told would take his life at a young age. To this day, it is believed that Stephen Hawking was the longest-living survivor of ALS. Hawking was told that ALS should have killed him at a much younger age. Hawking was said to have lived 50 years longer than his expected life, due to ALS. Stephen Hawking died on March 14, 2018 in his home in Cambridge, England in the presence of his loved ones.
Digital Storytelling Lesson Description
- Cooperating School— The classroom I have in mind while designing this lesson contains approximately 20 students. This fifth grade classroom is divided almost perfectly in half by gender. The students live in a middle-class suburb of Cleveland, OH.
- Unit of Study— The unit of study will be titled “Influencing Science Throughout History!” and will integrate ELA, Social Studies, and Science curriculums.
- Standards
- ELA: SL.3.4— Presentation of knowledge and ideas; RL.3.3— Reading Standards for Literature; RL.3.7— Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story. Although all three of these will not be the main consideration of the students overall grade, students must demonstrate general knowledge of concepts applied in the above ELA curriculum standards to convey the Science and Social Studies focus of the lesson. The main focus of the lesson will demonstrate students understanding and ability to manipulate fifth grade Science and Social Studies curriculums.
- Science: Science is a Human Endeavor (3-5)— Science has been, and continues to be, advanced by individuals of various races, genders, ethnicities, languages, abilities, family backgrounds, and incomes. Breakdown of standards— People from many generations and nations contribute to science knowledge. People of all cultures, genders, and backgrounds can pursue a career in science. Science requires creativity and imagination.
- Social Studies (2): Heritage— Biographies can show how peoples’ actions have shaped the world in which we live.
- Course affiliation— ELA, Science, Social Studies
- Context of Learning Environment— mentioned in first bullet point: (“The classroom I have in mind while designing this lesson contains approximately 20 students. This fifth grade classroom is divided almost perfectly in half by gender. The students live in a middle-class suburb of Cleveland, OH.) Overview sense of important individual differences: Students’ abilities vary amongst the class. Relatively speaking, students in the class do not have significant differences amongst abilities. Specifically, there are no significant outliers in the class. Although, students needs vary throughout different lessons, and will be provided with materials that suit their needs (assignments for struggling students v.s. excelling students will be provided to those who demonstrate those needs).
- Students will have a general idea how to use the digital storytelling resources, like WeVideo. We will continue to explore other resources, similar to WeVideo, so students have the ability to explore a variety of resources in order to create their digital story. Our classroom is provided with a 1:1 ratio of Chromebooks, and iPads. Students are able to take these devices home with them throughout the duration of the academic school year. From my understanding, all students have access to Wifi/internet servers at their home in order to work on their assignment from home.
- Description of Assignment / Purpose of Assignment / Overview of the Unit / Goals / Objectives— Considering the timing of the assignment, students are late in the academic fifth grade year. Throughout the year, thus far, students have learned about significant people in history and how they have shaped the world we live in, today. Students have brought knowledge of biographies learned in second grade, and will be applied for this lesson. Students are allowed to pick any significant person from history who has impacted the world of science, and create a presentation (digital story) in form of a biography that displays significant events throughout the life of that person. * Students will be provided with a sample created by me, so that they have a general idea of what is expected. It is my hope that students are able to have fun with the assignment, and use their creativity to bring textbook information/facts to life!
- Specific Objectives / Statements— (More specific objectives will be given to students in the form of a rubric/checklist. Students will be asked to use the rubric/checklist to self assess their work before turning it in. This provides students with a specific set of standards that I will be focusing on. It is my best intention that students use this rubric/checklist to assess their work and check to see if their story meets a general idea of my expectations.)
- I can statements framed from students’ point of view:
- I can display my knowledge about my significant historical figure! (I can make a biography!)
- I can use my prior ELA knowledge to create a story!
- I can be creative and demonstrate my understanding!
- I can explain what this historical figure has done in science and how they have impacted our world today!
The website below contains a set of graphic organizers that students could potentially use to help get ideas flowing! The cite also offers the option to create a graphic organizer, which may suit to some students’ needs. This is not required, but will be provided as a resource for students to aid in organizing their thoughts!
Video Game Blog 2 – iCivics Immigration Nation
In my first Video Game blog, I began writing about the experience I had playing iCivic’s Immigration Nation. After I explored the game more, I found some neat things that I would like to share. If you create an account with iCivics, you are prompted with the opportunity to save your in-game progress, unlock more achievements, and compete with friends on the leaderboards. I think this would be beneficial to a classroom! Competition may motivate students to put in a greater amount of effort.
The game begins by providing players with a short series of introduction statements, which explains the layout of the game, and even prompts students to think about what they will be doing while playing the game.
Players are provided the option of having assistance while playing the game, and they are also provided with the ability to play without guided help. The game provides a virtual assistant named “Liberty Belle” who is a little fairy, and ironically looks like the Statue of Liberty. I think it would be useful and beneficial for new players to play with guidance the first time playing. Although the game may seem straight forward, it is asking fairly particular tasks that need to be completed. I found it helpful to use the guided instructor the first time playing Immigration nation.
Once you complete the first few tasks, you may be prompted with a completion banner. There are 11 levels within the game. There are different categories you can be provided awards with. The categories include traffic delays, short trips, boats sent, on first try, and sights seen. There are two scores that are also provided on the award banner. These scores are referred to as “impact points.” Impact points include two subcategories, level score, and total score. The player will be able to view their impact points once they complete any given level. Players can also view their scores by clicking the box in the upper right corner of the gaming screen. Although, this may depend on what kind of device you are playing on. Throughout this blog series, I have been exploring Immigration Nation on a MacBook Pro. Immigration Nation is also available through Google Play and through the Apple App Store, which is comparable with Apples’s iPad products. I enjoy exploring different aspects of this educational video game!
McDonald’s Video Game
This week I explored The McDonald’s Video Game. The game itself was interactive and engaging. It allows students to participate in a simulation that requires players to complete a series of actions that make up a process. For example, one of the simulations is ordering, preparing, and serving food at a restaurant. Another simulation is plowing and caring for a field of crops. The simulation invites students to explore the experience of running a company. I think this process is unique, because it provides students with the ability to explore different aspects of running a company. I enjoyed exploring The McDonald’s Video Game!
Video Game Blog 1 – iCivics: Immigration Nation
In exploring several educational video games, I came across Immigration Nation. Immigration Nation is a game established by iCivics. https://www.icivics.org/games/immigration-nation
I thought that Immigration Nation was unique amongst several of the other video games I had explored. The game prompts users with the following question: Do you know how people become citizens in the United States? In Immigration Nation, you’ll help guide newcomers along their path to citizenship. The game provides students with modes to select from, which alters the format of the games entirety. The user can choose either classic or puzzle mode. There are several other options that the game provides the user with, including, language (English or Spanish), hearing options (this includes mute, English voiceover, music and/or sound effects), and player support through the platforms new Decision Compass.
Immigration Nation provides students with the opportunity to participate in the course of events that a newcomer to the United States would encounter and experience. The foundation of the game prompts students with the ability to make decisions and truly engage themselves in the process of becoming a citizen of the United States.
The game masques the process of learning and transforms it into a gaming experience. The students are provided with prompts and questions, where they ultimately aid a newcomer become a citizen.
I think that the game provides students, particularly late elementary students, the opportunity to involve themselves in the process of citizenship, and allow them the ability to visualize the experience, rather than learning about immigration and the many processes involved in becoming a citizen from a textbook.
I remember my experience in late elementary school when learning about immigration. My elementary school held an immigration day, where our school was transformed into different countries, transportation systems, Ellis Island, and even ghettos. This experience really transformed my knowledge and allowed me to better visualize all that the process of gaining citizenship and immigration was truly like. I believe that Immigration Nation would be a great alternative to immigration day, especially considering the global pandemic, experiences like this are limited to students.
Overall, I am excited to explore the depths of Immigration Nation, and learn more about virtual experiences that children should take advantage of during the pandemic!
Here is a sample of some of the things you may see when exploring Immigration Nation!
Check it out for yourself! https://www.icivics.org/games/immigration-nation
Introduction ~
Hello! My name is McKenna Ludrosky. I am from North Royalton, Ohio, which is about 30 minutes away from John Carroll.
My hobbies include spending time with my friends and family, skiing, and boating! I love watching sunsets and sunrises. On campus I am a member of Eta Kappa chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta. This semester, I hope to get involved in service!
I feel that I have been in a comfortable environment for the past few semesters due to being in such a small major. I have spent the majority of my time in classes with the same small group of girls. I feel comfortable exploring intellectual and creative risks, because I know it will be beneficial to my future.
In a world where we have come to depend on technology to provide students with an education, I have come to appreciate the value technology can provide us with. Before the global pandemic, I failed to view technology as a tool. This article I found describes the use of technology and the benefits it serves in classrooms.
https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/teachers-essential-guide-to-teaching-with-technology
I think it is appropriate to address this topic, especially with the topics that will be addressed in this course. I am excited to learn about the benefits of technology and learn about the many ways it can serve as a tool for our classrooms.
Question(s): Has the course been adjusted due to the events of COVID19? Will we address topics that are relevant to the changes taking place in present day classrooms due to the global pandemic?
