Week 5 - Be A Movie Maker

Movie making in the classroom (and at home!!)

There seems to be a number of websites to assist you in becoming a movie maker.  Below is a selection of websites we explored during our workshop.

Websites discussed in class

Website 1

  

http://www.dfilm.com/

Inappropriate for children bu t a good example of a movie maker.

It requires characters, setting and a script.  I would be a good alternative to a Christmas card.  Maybe?  Maybe not!!

Website 2

Child friendly movie maker:

http://www.zimmertwins.com/

Ideas:

• Good way for children to tell a story or retell a story.
• Children select the scenes, props actions, characters and then write a script.
• Children could rotate so each starts a movie, then they move to another movie, they continue with that movie, before finishing another! 
• It would be fantastic to have children create a movie and then have a movie premier day.  Organising the movie premier could be part of the tasks.  This could incorporate a various VELS domains including art, english, thinking processes, communication and if you are creative enough even maths and humanities.

Website 3

Another site for children

http://www.abc.net.au/rollercoaster/rollermache/

This website is from the ABC.  Throughout this year I have often sort ideas, inspiration for lesson plans from ABC websites.  I also used video clips from the ABC for kids website for my wikki (asmallerfootprint).

Flip books are a simple idea that can be adapted to most year levels.  I think this is a perfect idea to have up your sleeve if you are planning to undertake some CRT work!

http://www.abc.net.au/rollercoaster/rollermache/pdf/make_a_flipbook.pdf

Website 4

Yet another animation tool for children

http://www.buildyourwildself.com/

My wildself!  Image I created from the website

This is from a zoo website, it has many links to other animal related activities.

I would get children to create an animal and then write a story about it

Imagine if you were this creature or met this creature.

• Where would you live?
• What would you eat?
• How would you feel?
• What would you do?

Imagine if you met this animal

• What games would you play?
• Where would you be?
• What would you do?
• How would you feel?

Website 5

Another adult website

http://www.xtranormal.com/

Image from website

I didn't actually make a movie here, but I did view some using my facebook login and I was impressed by the quality.  Definitely has images that you would not want in a classroom.

Website 6

Lego website

this website has many games and activities for children and at a glance loos child friendly.  Good to incorporate with any Lego activities you may be doing in the classroom.  I think getting them to build something and then turning it into a literacy activity (writing, speaking and listening activities)  and even a numeracy activity (space, measurement, number activities)

http://www.lego.com/en-us/games/Default.aspx

  

Website 7

This is more of an adult site but it does have a children's page

http://www.reasonablyclever.com/?page_id=29

Image from website

  

Ideas for lessons:

• Children could build characters from a story
• Children could also build using real Lego at the same time
• In groups, children could collaboratively create a story using all of their characters
• Children could watch how clay animators work and then create a movie using Lego (or clay)

Website 8

http://www.ziptales.com.au/

Most of this information you can only see once you are a subscriber, however their are a few things you can see such as the making of a movable 2d character.  This is a teddy bear, but it was suggested that older children could make whatever character they wanted.  again the options with the characters the children create are endless.  For example:

• They could write about them
• Discuss the shapes used
• Make a movie or cartoon strip about them
• Draw  scenes or settings for their character using ICT or Even paper based.

Websites I have used

Wesite 1

Artpad
 http://artpad.art.com/artpad/painter/

This is a drawing tool and a movie making animation tool.  My drawing is less than impressive, but I saw some excellent animations from a Prep/1 class whilst on prac.

An image from the site - A very poor attempt at an animation

Website 2

action comic strip maker

http://www.artisancam.org.uk/flashapps/superactioncomicmaker/

An image from action comic maker

This is one cell, children can make a series of cells and make a complete comic strip.

Website 3

Cool tools for Schools

http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/

Both of these sites are from cool tools for schools.  This website has lists of drawing, writing, publishing and movie making programs and is well worth a look.  I incorporated at least one activity into each literary group rotation.
  

Activities conducted in class

First Activity

Turn of monitors and dictate typing to children

I have a spelling checker

It came with my PC.

It plainly marks for my review

Mistakes I cannot see.

I strike a key and type a word and wait for it to save

Whether I am wrong or right

It shows me straight away.

When it was read back it seemed I had made a number of mistakes because of homophones.

It is an example of how we rely too heavily on spell checkers.

It will challenge the thinking of some children.

Second Activity
 
Rebus story

Excellent idea for an activity - make sentences or stories and share with the class.
Good way to open discussions about he different words that can be used for the same picture and the correct word to use within a particular story or sentence.
 

Example for rebus story source wikipedia: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f1/RebusEscortCardsCirca1865.jpg