Highlights from the Hill

"Thanks for watching, Highlights from the Hill."

That one sentence made so many students smile on December 5th.  It was the final line in our first-ever news broadcast. 

Due to a grant that I received (with another teacher), our students have been working during every free moment of their day to put together our newscast.  The best part of this whole project is the students run it all.  My students are paired up with 5th grade students to form segment committees.  We have everything from QnA Wednesday to current events to public service announcements to...STEM!

With the grant money, we were able to purchase a green screen, 4 flip cameras, a Sony Camcorder, and Adobe Premiere Elements software.  The students came up with a news schedule and write and film all segments.  From there, our editors take over and add the pizzazz that you need to keep the attention of 250 students at lunch time, which is when we show the news. 

In the beginning, we started with a goal of a daily newscast.  We will eventually get there, but as of right now, we are just working on 2 days a week.  The software is amazing to use and I lucked out this year because one of my editors has used it frequently at his house.  He has taught the others (and me) so many things!  The interface is very similar to iMovie, but for PCs. 

We have a link on our website which allows the students and families to watch "Highlights from the Hill" whenever they would like.  We can already see a huge improvement from the first show to the third.

Producing a newscast is a great way to teach students many state standards.  The students are writing stories, interviewing guests, and identifying the purpose of each segment.  They have to think of ways to keep the student body engaged, which forces them to add style to their segments.  They use critical thinking when figuring out how to edit the clips or troubleshoot a problem.  Time management and organization are two of the biggest challenges for us at the moment, but the students are always working to improve those aspects as well. 

One part that has been a surprise lesson is watching the students actually listen to feedback from other and use it to make the next show even better.  I think everyone can use a little help with constructive criticism.  The collaboration and communication that has to take place in order for our show to be successful often pushes students out of their comfort zone, but they then see the benefits to working together.

I highly recommend looking at Adobe Premiere Elements if you are considering bringing video production into your classroom.  I'm sure you will be as satisfied as I am with it.

Here's to STEM!
Mrs. Giran

Giving thanks this holiday season.

Wow!  Who can believe that an entire semester is almost over?  This year has been one of the best in my career.  Each day, my students amaze me with what they are doing in class.

Although this blog is always about STEM, I thought I would veer off track a bit to discuss one of my interest groups that is new this year.

We call them the "K'Nex" group.  This group of students will be participating in a K'Nex design challenge in the spring.  In the meantime, they are partnering with the students in our life skills classroom.  Those student call them their "buddies."

We all met in the courtyard and friendships soon formed.  From harvesting vegetables, to scientifically mixing a natural weed killer, to dicing onions, these students all have a twinkle in their eyes when we get together during 7th period. 

Most recently, we had the honor of hosting a Thanksgiving feast together.  Administration and teachers were invited.  We made invitations, decorations, and dessert.  We even peeled potatoes and made our own stuffing.  On the day of the feast, each one of my students found a buddy and helped serve our guests.  As a teacher, it is heartwarming to see your students looking out for each other.  My students turned into cheerleaders.  They helped guide the others without being overbearing.  They did everything with a genuine smile and it reminded all of us the true meaning of the holidays. 

In the classroom, we discuss many concepts and topics with the hope that those skills will be carried over from year to year.  This year, I really saw the importance of teaching life lessons in character education, collaboration, and communication.  If everyone showed as much empathy as I have seen in my students, the world would be a better place.

We may call them the "K'Nex" group, but their buddies call them friends.

Here's to STEM friends!
Mrs. Giran