Nov 09 2017 November 9, 2017 February 6, 2018 NoComment by David

3rd Grade Matter Transitions

Posted in 3rd Grade, Science

Third graders at Varina Elementary have been learning about matter and how it changes states from solid to liquid to gas and back to solid again (SOL3.3). Today students in Ms. Galvin’s, Ms. Long’s, and Ms. Hummel’s classes used Google slides and Scratch to show different types of matter changing states. Ms. Hummel’s class focused on water in their Google slideshows. We used the Transitions feature to animate pictures of water fading from solid ice to liquid or from liquid to water vapor. Ms. Galvin’s and Ms. Long’s classes chose different types of matter that can melt and freeze (like chocolate, ice cream, and Popsicles). First, they drew two costumes for their object (the solid state and the liquid state). Then they added code so that clicking the object changes its state, or costume. Some students also added code for their objects to “say” a fact about the state of matter. When their projects were finished, we published them online and shared the links on Schoology. You can see them all here.


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Nov 06 2017 November 6, 2017 January 29, 2018 NoComment by David

5th Grade Coding an Ocean Tour

Posted in 5th Grade, Science

Fifth graders at Trevvett Elementary have been learning about the ocean (SOL5.6), so today students in Ms. Adamonis’ class used code to create an ocean tour in Scratch. First, we discussed different topics they could include in their tour: parts of the ocean floor, different depth zones, and various ecosystems. Next, we went to Scratch, and I showed them how to change the background by either drawing it or uploading a picture. Then they needed to add a tour guide (called a “sprite” in Scratch). Most of the students chose one from the built-in library, but they could also draw their own. Finally, I explained how to use code to create the tour. The drag and drop pieces of code could be used to animate the tour guide and make it “speak.” They quickly discovered the sound effects code and had fun adding audio to their projects. Some of the students went way beyond the original scope of the assignment and added keyboard strokes so that it could be played by an external controller (like a Makey Makey). They shared their finished projects on Schoology, but you can see them all here.


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Nov 01 2017 November 1, 2017 January 29, 2018 NoComment by David

3rd Grade Multiplication Arrays

Posted in 3rd Grade, Math

Third graders at Laburnum Elementary have been learning about multiplication arrays (SOL3.6), so today students in Ms. Forrester’s class created videos explaining multiplication arrays with Educreations. First, we reviewed arrays and how to use them to solve a multiplication problem. I pointed out that they probably wouldn’t want to make a big array (like 12×12) because they will need room on their picture to explain each step. Next, we went to ABCYa! Paint to create the array since it has some cool stickers (robots, monsters, cupcakes, etc) they can use. I reviewed the importance of aligning the groups neatly. When they finished, we imported the image into Educreations and recorded ourselves counting the groups and explaining how many were in each group. Finally, we wrote the multiplication problem and solved it. Each student posted the link to their video in Schoology, but you can see them all here. (I taught a similar lesson with Ms. Kazlau’s class at Trevvett where we used ABCYa! Animate. You can see those here).


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Oct 30 2017 October 30, 2017 January 24, 2018 NoComment by David

5th Grade Weather Tools

Posted in 5th Grade, Science

Fifth graders at Trevvett Elementary have been reviewing 4th grade weather tools (SOL4.6b), so today students in Ms. Capano’s class created animated GIFs showing the weather tools in action. We used ABCYa! Animate to create the moving images. First we brainstormed creative ways to illustrate each tool (rain gauges filling up, anemometers rotating, thermometers rising or falling, barometer dials moving, wind vanes spinning). Next, we went to ABCYa! Animate and drew a picture of the instrument as well as the background weather. I showed them how to copy each frame with the Copy Cat button. Then they added small changes and moved objects by increments in each subsequent frame. I pointed out that they could use the Text Tool to add neat numbers to their instrument for accurate measurements. Finally, we exported the animations as GIF files and posted them to an album in Schoology, but you can see them all here.


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Oct 26 2017 October 26, 2017 January 22, 2018 NoComment by David

4th Grade Powhatan Dioramas

Posted in 4th Grade, Social Studies

Fourth graders at Varina Elementary have been learning about the Indian tribes of Virginia and their language groups (VS.2d,e). Today students in Ms. Connell’s class created virtual 3-D dioramas of a tribe of their choice using CoSpaces. First, we reviewed the tribes (Powhatan, Monacan, and Cherokee), their language groups (Algonquian, Siouan, and Iroquoian), and where they lived in Virginia. Next, I explained the project and pointed out that these dioramas could be viewed and explored with virtual reality goggles. They could also use coding to add actions and sounds to their project (we didn’t get that far, but I made an example here where you can click each person, and they will move and speak). After logging into CoSpaces with our Google accounts, we created a new space, and I showed them how to set the background with the Environment button at the bottom. CoSpaces offers a few backgrounds, but we did a Google search for a 360 degree photo of Virgina woodlands, and uploaded that. Next I showed them how to add characters from the Library and right click on each one to customize its colors and poses. I also explained how to add speech bubbles and type facts about the tribe. We used the Building Blocks library to create model longhouses. Finally we clicked the share button, copied the link, and posted our creations on Schoology. You can see them all here.


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Oct 24 2017 October 24, 2017 January 19, 2018 NoComment by David

5th Grade Plate Boundary Animations

Posted in 5th Grade, Science

Fifth graders at Holladay Elementary have been studying the Earth’s crust and plate boundaries (SOL5.7e), so today students in Ms. Haislip’s class created animations illustrating some of the different boundaries. First, we reviewed divergent boundaries, convergent boundaries, and transform boundaries with a few sample animations as examples: Animation 1, Animation 2, and Animation 3. Next, students created their animations using ABCYa! Animate. We worked on the divergent boundary together to help them understand the process, then they illustrated the other boundaries on their own. We discussed ways to show the various plate motions and their effects, and I encouraged them to look back at the examples for ideas. The students published their finished animations on Schoology, but you can see them all here.


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Oct 23 2017 October 23, 2017 January 19, 2018 NoComment by David

5th Grade Ocean Ecosystems

Posted in 5th Grade, Science

Fifth graders at Trevvett Elementary have been learning about the ocean zones and ecosystems (SOL5.6). Today students in Ms. Reed’s class created animations illustrating an ocean food chain. First, we did a bit of research. I asked the students to think of an ocean creature they wanted to include in their food chain, then they had to research what it eats and what eats it. I pointed out that all food chains start with the sun’s energy, so they had to follow their food chain back to the beginning. For example, I modeled the process with a jellyfish. I did a Google searches for “What does a jellyfish eat?” and “What eats a jellyfish?” I discovered that jellyfish eat small plants (phytoplankton) and their predators include tuna. From there, I found out that phytoplankton get their energy from the sun and tuna get eaten by sharks. Once our research was finished, we were ready to illustrate the ocean food chain. We used ABCYa! Animate to create the animations. We showed the suns’s rays causing a plant to grow, then added different animals to move in and eat the previous living thing. We posted their animations to an album in Schoology, but you can see them all here.


Oct 18 2017 October 18, 2017 January 19, 2018 NoComment by David

5th Grade Henrico Watershed Animations

Posted in 4th Grade, Science, Social Studies

Fifth graders at Laburnum Elementary have been studying Henrico County and Virginia watersheds (SOL4.9a). Today students in Ms. Burgess’s class created animations for Laburnum’s watershed. First we reviewed watersheds and why understanding them is important. Several students didn’t realize that their drinking water comes from the James River. So we discussed where the trash that is thrown on the ground eventually ends up (Answer: rain washes it into creeks and rivers which flow into the James River). Next we went to Google Maps and found Laburnum Elementary. We searched for the nearest creek, which turned out to be Horse Creek. Then we followed Horse Creek to the Chickahominy River and finally to the James River. Now they were ready to create an animation showing the path a discarded piece of trash takes from Laburnum Elementary down through the watershed into the source of their drinking water. We used ABCYa! Animate to create the animations. You can see them all here.


Oct 16 2017 October 16, 2017 December 15, 2017 NoComment by David

3rd Grade Animal Habitats Graph

Posted in 3rd Grade, Math, Science

We’re on an animal habitats streak here! In previous posts I’ve shown how your habitats unit (SOL3.4) can reinforce the skills you are teaching in Social Studies and Reading. Now we’ll see how it can reinforce Math concepts as well. At Trevvett Elementary, third graders have been learning about graphing (3.17), so today students in Ms. Bae’s class practiced graphing animal’s habitats. First we had to collect some data. I used Fobio to convert a Google form into a chatbot to make the process a bit more interesting. You can try the chatbot out for yourself by clicking here. Once the students had entered their information, I took a screenshot of the results spreadsheet and posted it to Schoology (step 2 in the graphic accompanying this post). Next the students opened a blank Google spreadsheet and typed the habitats in Column A and the number of animals in Column B. I showed them how to use the new “Explore” feature by clicking the star shape in the bottom right corner. From the pop-up window they could change the colors of the rows and automatically add a bar graph (step 3 in the graphic). I explained that they could also change the colors of the bars by double clicking on one of them, then clicking the paint bucket in the pop-up window. The students shared the links to their spreadsheets on Schoology. You can see an example here. (UPDATE: The next day at Holladay, Ms. Haley’s class combined Math & Science by writing math word problems about animals. See them here).


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Oct 12 2017 October 12, 2017 December 6, 2017 NoComment by David

3rd Grade Animal Nonfiction Books

Posted in 3rd Grade, Language Arts, Science

Third graders at Varina Elementary have been learning about animals in Science and nonfiction text elements in Reading (SOL3.6c). Today students in Ms. Hummel’s class used Book Creator to design a nonfiction book about an animal. First the students chose an animal and did some quick research online to find interesting facts about their animal. Then they signed into Book Creator with the teacher’s class code (to get the code, teachers should click on their class library from the drop down menu and click “Invite”). Students chose “New Book” and clicked the i button to choose a color for their book. They added a title by clicking the + button and selecting “Text.” I demonstrated how to customize the text’s font, size, and color using the i button. Next, they added a photo of their animal using the built-in image search by clicking the + button and “Import.” We flipped to the next page and started typing facts. Since we wanted to include nonfiction text features like bold text, captions, and photos, I showed them how to make important words bold by highlighting them and clicking the “B.” Finally we created an “About the Author” page. Book Creator has a special feature that let’s students take photos and videos right within the app, so they added photos or videos of themselves. I combined all the books together in one book (click the “books” button, then “Combine books”). You can read it here (I did similar book projects today with 5th Grade Oceans and 4th Grade Weather).


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