We have ambitions. And focus (for the most part). But whether my class can complete stopmotion claymation movies before our school year ends in three weeks is uncertain. We’re going to try. We’re going to try. And boy, they are very engaged for a June project.
Since my literature groups just read two books that center on racism and tolerance (The Watsons Go to Birmingham and Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry), I decided it might be interesting to have them create short claymation movies on the theme of “tolerance.” And so, we have stories developing, and clay characters being created, and next week: let’s get filming!
One group of boys who have been loving the study of Sparta in Social Studies are working on a story with Spartans and how a group of hero-warriors come to understanding the differences of others. One particular student is very adept at clay and it is pretty amazing to watch him in action (his mother has been giving him clay to keep him busy since he was a little dude).
(These pics are also shared over at Photo Fridays)
I’m excited but stressed about finding enough time for them to create a movie they will be proud of before the school year ends. I’ll need to keep moving them along, pushing them to focus, and hoping the technology works as it should.
Peace (in frames),
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
I’m wondering if your students might want to extend their conversations on tolerance beyond the classroom by connecting with my four Change Writers classrooms:Lesley McKillop’s 4th graders are looking at what it means to be an ‘upstander’ – http://mckholtz4.edublogs.org/ . Halie Ferrier’s 4th graders have created the Letters of Tolerance VoiceThread you visited yesterday – http://ferrierforum.edublogs.org/ – Lutricia Hardaway’s 4th graders commemorated a historic election with their Obama Rocks! VT – http://lhardaway.edublogs.org/ . And Elisabeth Goossen’s 4th graders have reflected on tolerance through their poems in two voices VT – http://egoossens.edublogs.org/ .
Would love to see this coast-to-coast connection on such an important and empowering topic – but certainly understand that time is running short.
Gail