Using Genially in the Science class

The students in the 3rd Key Stage have studied the invertebrate animals. As a global revision, the teacher proposes to create a digital compilation of interactive pictures containing information about these animals.

The students will use the website Genially, that offers a wide range of templates to create interactive material. In this occasion, each group of students will create an interactive picture of the type of animal chosen.

Toontastic: tablet activity (Anna A., Esther M., Mireia N.)

Hello, we are Anna Alcázar, Esther Muñoz and Mireia Núñez. In the following lines we aim to present you our tablet activity and the evaluation of the app we used.

Storytelling using the Scratch software

Hi colleagues!

Edurne here! This time I would like to present to you guys an educational activity that is done using the computer: storytelling bullying using the Scratch software.

Scratch is an easy-to-learn animation software that introduces students to the world of computer programming. It is fun, educational, and suitable for creating interactive media such as stories, games, art, and simulations, all through its user-friendly block-based programming.

This following activity which I have designed is suitable for all ages in primary, as long as the topic and aims are adapted to the age group you are working with. As always, the activity discussed here can also be used with another topic.

Scratch offers a range of possibilities with its sound adding and voice recording options. As with most digital platforms, users are also able to share your work.

Target audience:

This activity is intended for third grade students (3rd), who have already worked on aspects of storytelling in another subjects. In class, teacher will teach students the basics of Scratch (perhaps through examples which they have done). The main priority here is to make the language and development environment intuitive for children who have not had any prior programming experience.

Aims:

·                     To introduce students to computer programming.

·                     To promote students´ creativity.

·                     To incorporate computer use in a storytelling process.

Competencies:

·         Linguistic and audiovisual: vocabulary expansion and use of ICT.

·         Digital management of information: students will use computers to carry out this activity.

·     Linguistic and writing communication: the teacher will divide the class in six groups of 4 (relatively small groups) to encourage teamwork and communication. Each student will be given a role within the group.

Classroom Management:

Each group will need a computer for the development of this activity, and each student will have a different role which they must take on during the realization of the task. The aim of assigning roles is to promote cooperation between group members and motivate them with a sense of importance. These assigned roles include:

·                     The speakers, who are only allowed to communicate with other speakers. When in doubt, they can ask the teacher.

·                     The coordinators, who are responsible for reiterating the instructions of the activity, just in case one of their partners has failed to understand or has forgotten the original objectives.

·                     The supervisors, who make sure that all the members of the team work together in an appropriate and constructive manner.

·                     The environment-ers, who are responsible for controlling the group´s volume and material during the development of the activity (if necessary).

All members of the group must participate in the realization of storytelling project with Scratch. They should communicate with each other in English and respect the roles given.

Vocabulary:

Related to the Scratch program:

·         Backdrops

·         Costumes

·         Instructions of movement (right, left, up, down…)

·         Save

Related to the storytelling:

·         Bullying

·         Abuse

·         Respect

·         Help others

Activities:

Before the activity, the teacher will introduce Scratch to their students using the following tutorial, which will explain how to create a story using the software: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-1Ru9qPx1U

Students will then create their own stories related to the theme of bullying. They must bear in mind the brief given by the teacher. Characters and stages can be added, as well as voice recordings and animations to give life to the characters.

Since it is an intuitive software, students should be given time to familiarize themselves with the programming commands and options. Practice will help them get to grips with the workings of the software.

Resources:

Video tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W80SFOejcio

Assessment:

The teacher will assess students using the following criteria:

- Communicative abilities using English Language.

 - Attitude throughout the activity.

- Behavior in the classroom during the realization of the task.

- The final product made using Scratch.

Pixton: let's create a comic!

Hello everyone!

During this term in the ICT classes we have learnt a lot of resources and different programs and apps that can be really interesting for the English classroom. One of the programmes that I enjoyed the most in the masters’ is Pixton.

What is Pixton?

It is a website that allows you to create beautiful comics in just a few minutes. You can something simple or really elaborated. People can use it to:

- Write a book report or other school project in the style of a graphic novel

- Explain a concept or idea in a concise format

- Tell a story with words and pictures

- Depict nuanced emotions with customizable characters

- Make a joke as a comic strip or cartoon

- Storyboard a movie script

Key features:

- Fully possible, expressive characters

- Searchable prop library with 2,000+ objects

- Preset backgrounds grouped by theme

- Stylable text, captions, and speech bubbles

- Flexible layouts with variable panel width and height

Here you have a video that explains how to use it.

Activity:

I found this website so interesting that I have used it in 5th grade with a science project. The project consists in create a comic explaining the Prehistory and the Roman Times. In the first two sessions the students in groups have to search information about Prehistory or Roman times, depending on the group. Once they have the information they have to summarize it in order to use it for the creation of a comic. In the third and forth session they learn to use the Pixton with laptops and they start doing a brainstorming for the comic: What to write (content), the number of characters, the background they want to use, among others. During the fifth and sixth session they create the comic and finally in the seventh session they present it to the class.

As I was using it I discovered some advantages and disadvantages. For example, that it is only free during a short period of time. Besides, with this trial period, you cannot print or download the comic. If you need to use it more you can create an account for the school or pay for it. I decided to create a school account and I have discovered the following advantages:

• Control the comics the students are creating. They can’t publish them without permission.
• Add comments to my students’ comics so they can make improvements.
• Print and download the comics.
• Unlimited time using Pixton
• The school can create 50 different accounts for the students.
• The student and the teacher can grade the comic.

In the following PDF that I have created you can see step by step how to use it and the classroom options when you have a school account.

Finally in the following picture you can see an example of a Pixton comic created by some students.

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       Target audience: Second Key stage

-       Placement in curriculum: ICT, Science and English

-       Aims:

·      Session 1 and 2:

Understand the importance of the historical facts during Prehistory and Roman times.

Analyse and summarize information while connecting ideas.

·      Session 3 and 4:

Understand how Pixton works

Use the program exploiting its possibilities

·      Session 5 and 6:

Create a comic using the summarize content with Pixton

·      Session 7: Present the comic in front of the class acting out. Evaluate their own comic and the others.

General aims: Work collaboratively and speak in English.

-       Strategies and competences involved

Language and audiovisual communicative competence

Information processing and digital competence

Autonomy and personal initiative competence

Knowledge of and interaction with the physical world

-       Content:

• Using ICT to research information on tour performing specific tasks.
• Oral individual or group exposition of subjects studied and using all media available visual tics and       informatics.
• Understanding work instructions and performance in the classroom.
• Understand global and specific types of texts and diverse content in different media and formats and extraction of information for performing a specific task or as reinforcement / expansion of knowledge

English skills:

Reading: During the first sessions the students have to read a lot of information in order to summarize it.	Speaking: During all the sessions the students have to speak in English among them and with the teacher. Furthermore, the last session they have to present the comic in front of the class.
Writing: While summarizing the information and creating the comic they have to write.	Listening: During all the sessions the students have to listen to the teacher instructions, to each other for the creation of the information and the comic and finally pay attention to the presentations.

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy: This activity offers an opportunity to enhance both lower- and higher-order thinking skills.

Lower order thinking skills.

·      Level II. Understand (explain ideas or concepts): Understand the importance of the historical facts during Prehistory and Roman times. Understand how to use Pixton.

•   Level III. Applying (using the knowledge in a variety of ways):  Implement the ICT knowledge using Pixton.

Higher order thinking skills.

·    Level IV: Analyse (draw connections among ideas): Analyse and summarize the Prehistory and Roman information while connecting ideas.

·      Level V: Evaluate (justify a stand or decision): Evaluate their own comics and the other groups.

·      Level VI: Creating (create new products or points of view). The activity gives the students the opportunity to create a comic with Pixton.

Added value through ICT – In my opinion this resource is appropriate to use it in the classroom and for example, in this project, because it is very complete and at the same time intuitive. It provides agility because students don’t have to spend time creating the comic if you don’t want because the website provides backgrounds, characters and accessories divided in topics.  I believe that ICT contributes to the activity because it is more motivational and challenging. It facilitates scaffolding because the students have the parts of the comic created.

Trouble-shooting – As I explained before if you don’t pay for the account you have a short period of time to work with it, so I recommend creating a school account. Another problem is that sometimes in the schools Internet doesn’t work properly and you waste a lot of time waiting for the page to charge completely. Maybe some students need extra help with the site, so we could teach one person of the group and create “Expertics”.

Assessment – As I explained before Pixton includes an Assessment grid and has the possibility to write comments. The teacher have to take into account the process and the final result, taking into consideration if the students speak in English all the time, is the apply the suggestions of the teacher in the comments, if they work collaboratively, if they make grammar mistakes and the technology skills and problem solving. Finally, during the presentation the teacher will be using the following rubric:

I hope you enjoy this resource!

Laia López i Mullor