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By: Amber Traverse

2. PhotoStory
PhotoStory is a downloadable
computer software, available
for PCs, that does not cost
your or your district any
money. It can be used to
create short videos from still
images, and allows the
creator to add text and music
to the video.
This software can be used in a
variety of ways in the
classroom setting. It can be
used by teachers to develop
virtual fieldtrips or by
students to create
presentations or videos to
demonstrate understanding of
subject area content.

3. Animoto
Animoto is an internet based
software program that allows the
user to insert both video and still
images into their program to
develop a video or still image
presentation. Animoto has similar
features to PhotoStory such as
adding text to images and music.
This software is free for the first
35 seconds of your presentation,
but in order to create longer
presentations there is a monthly
cost.
Teachers and students can use
this to create informative videos
and presentations that are
appealing to the viewer.

4. Side by Side Description
What fits your needs?
PhotoStory Animoto
 Downloaded to computer  Internet based
 Only available for  Can be used with both PCs
download on PCs and Macs
 Cost to user
 No cost to user
 Can add text and music
 Can add text and music
 Can insert video clips and
 Only able to place still still images
images in it  Download music of your
 Download music of your choice or pick from their
choice or select generic selection of music media
music  Easy to use
 Easy to use

5. Background of Third Grade
Content
 Students are expected to summarize and
illustrate the concepts slow and rapid
process
 A slow process is one that occurs over
time (water erosion)
 A rapid process changes the earth’s
surface quickly (flood, volcano eruption)

6. Before the Unit can Begin
 Students will need an understanding
of the science concepts and terms
that they will be expected to use in
projects
 Students will need technology skills
in the following areas: digital
cameras, downloading, saving,
opening, importing, PhotoStory and
Animoto practice

7. Teaching the Technology
before the project
For this unit to be a success I have determined,
based on my experiences this year with using
technology with third graders, there will need to be
direct modeling, instruction, and practicing of the
skills needed to complete the unit effectively and
successfully.
These lessons will be focused solely on the
technology and not the content. It is essential that
students feel success with the technology before
asked to complete projects that will be graded.

8. The purpose of this lesson is to
retell a science experiment on
water erosion. Students will use
photostory to retell the experiment
using vocabulary introduced during
the lesson including erosion, delta,
deposition, and canyon. Students
will use vocabulary that is relevant
to their images that they took while
completing the activity. (Some may
not note a canyon in their activity.)

9. To facilitate this lesson you
will need
 Digital cameras with memory card
and cords or access to insert
memory card into computer
 Computers (PC based)
 PhotoStory software
 Access to computer lab

10. What skills will you, the
teacher need to facilitate this
lesson?
 Be able to use digital camera proficiently
 Be able to demonstrate and use PhotoStory
software proficiently
 Be able to save images as jpeg or gif
 Be able to import pictures from hard drive or other
usb device
 Be able to provide detailed step by step
instructions for students

11. What will your students need
prior to beginning the lesson?
 Basic ability and understanding of
snapping pictures with a digital camera
 Basic ability in saving images as jpeg or
gif
 Be able to open photostory on their
computer
 Basic ability in importing images into
photostory

12. The Process and the Outcome
 Process: To do this students will
complete the experiment and record their
observations through digital images and
written descriptions of the experiment.
Students will then use their completed
images and written descriptions to create
a product.
 Product: Students are asked to use
images taken while completing a science
experiment on erosion to create a
narrated retelling of what they observed.

13. The Procedures for the
Project are
 First review taking images, use a diagram to show parts of
camera students will need to use for the experiment. Students
then will practice taking pictures using teacher directed
instructions.
 Model how to download or save images from camera to
computer (student drive) Students will then use their images
taken to practice saving images to the computer.
 Model how to open photostory in student menu. Students will
practice 7x by following teacher procedures provided in their
computer packets.
 Model importing images into photostory. Students will then
mimic teacher each time she completes an import.
 Model adding text, students then practice
 Model selecting music from already made selections, Students
practice
 Model saving, students save.

14. Pros and Cons at a Glance
Advantages Disadvantages
 Students practice using
technology skills that are
 Students who are basic
used by adults on an
everyday basis in their may struggle at the
workplaces and personal beginning of the project
lives. and become disruptive or
 Students are able to off task due to their
summarize and restate their frustration.
learning through the action
of creating this reinforces  It requires several
the science vocabulary and different technology skills
creates a deeper
understanding of the that need to be acquired
concept of erosion. before completing
 Students will naturally use project.
sequencing words to create
a logical order to present
their retelling of the science
experiment.

15. Instructional Strategies Used
in this Lesson
 Higher levels of bloom’s taxonomy are used
including analyzing, creating and evaluating.
Students evaluate and analyze their digital images
to summarize erosion; they also use the images to
evaluate/analyze why erosion happened and its
effects on other areas of the stream table.
 Students then create a video that uses their
evaluation and analysis of their images and written
descriptions to retell a science experiment on
erosion.

16. PhotoStory is very versatile in
how it can be used in the
classroom.
 Students can use this software to virtually
retell or explain any concept they have
learned in the classroom. Through
selecting different images from their own
personal files, teacher files, or internet
students can demonstrate understanding
and develop deeper skills such as analysis,
evaluation through the process of
creating.

17. Students will use Animoto to create a
short video (less than 5 minutes)
demonstrating a group created
science experiment that
demonstrates their understanding of
the concepts of a slow or rapid
process that erodes or changes land.

18. To facilitate this lesson you
will need
 Computers with access to high speed internet
 Access to internet using a username and password
 Digital cameras to record science experiment
demonstration
 Cords or access to port to download and save video from
camera
 Access to Animoto software via teacher username and
password
 Equipment for science experiment created by student
group

19. What skills will you, the
teacher need to facilitate this
lesson?
 Teacher will need proficient skills in area
of digital camera recording and
downloading/saving video appropriately.
 Teacher will need advanced skills in using
Animoto to create videos.
 Teacher will need to develop step-by-step
directions to facilitate workshops so that
students can create a completed project.

20. What will your students need
prior to beginning the lesson?
 Students should be able to take pictures
and record video using a digital camera.
 Students should be able to save pictures
and video to a computer’s hard drive.
 Students should be able to download
video into the Animoto software and add
music.
 Students should have a clear knowledge of
science content.

21. The Process and the Outcome
 Process: Students are asked to develop and
implement a science experiment that
demonstrates a slow or rapid process that changes
the earth’s surface (examples: volcano, tornado,
hurricane, and flood).
 Product: Students are asked to create a science
segment for a student body that is unfamiliar with
slow and rapid processes. In this video (science
segment) students are asked to record their
demonstration of their science experiment using
science vocabulary.

22. The Procedures for the
Project are
 Teacher will review procedures taught during workshops and
lesson 1.
 Teacher will model procedures for accessing and logging on to
the school’s internet access. Teacher will complete walk through
to ensure all students are logged on.
 Teacher will model using browser to type in website. Teacher
will model logging into Animoto using student accounts created
by teacher. Teacher will complete walk through to ensure all
students are logged on to computer.
 Teacher will model downloading video to site, students will
complete download.
 Teacher will model adding text and music to Animoto video.
Teacher will monitor student progress while working on adding
text and music to their video.
 Teacher will model sharing video. Teacher will complete walk
through at end of project to ensure all projects are saved
correctly.

23. Pros and Cons at a Glance
Advantages Disadvantages
 This project provides  It requires students to work
students opportunities to collaboratively with others
share their understanding to create a product. You
of science concepts in a may have students who are
reluctant or not good at
unique way. working in groups.
 It allows students to work  It requires that students
in groups collaboratively have easy access to the
to complete a finished internet software, Animoto,
product that requires the Which at times the filter for
our district blocks a little too
effort of all team members well.
(21st century skills)
 It requires students be able
 It allows students to to record audio and visual
analyze their learning, and using hand-held camera or
then develop a experiment video devices. This may
distort the voices of
on their own using their students or make it difficult
analysis of their learning. to hear.

24. Instructional Strategies used
in this Lesson
 Students are being innovators themselves. Inventing a
science experiment that either has never been
completed or has been modified to demonstrate a
specific element of a slow or rapid process.
 Students are using cause and effect to determine the
order of events in their project to develop a
demonstration that flows.
 Students are using technology to create a video that
informs a viewing audience about a concept they have
learned.

25. Animoto can be used in many
ways by both teacher and
students in the classroom.
 Animoto can be used to demonstrate an array of
concepts from math to English Language Arts.
Students may wish to use Animoto to display
different math problems that they found
challenging throughout the year but overcame, as
a good-bye hello present to incoming students. In
language arts, students can use Animoto to create
a picture telling of the theme of a book they
recently read. Social studies use it to develop
flashes of important events, people, and ideas
learned in class throughout the year.

26. Websites for download or
usage
Animoto website: Sign up for a free account to try
http://animoto.com/
PhotoStory download from this site
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=1