Green Screen and Chatterpix.

Green Screen and ChatterPix today!

Chatter Pix

Green Screen 

Fantastic work today using Green Screens in Nicole and Jodie's class today.
Both classes had a similar idea of using Green Screen and adding the image to Chatter Pix.

Jodie's class had created a "Space Monster" using box creation and students took a photo of this monster in front of green cardboard therefore they could import a intergalactic background.

One of the space background examples 

From here we exported the image to the camera roll and added it to Chatter Pix. This allowed us to create a mouth on the "Space Monster" and the students spoke about what 3D shapes were used to create their box monster.

Pre primary and Year ones in Nicole's class have been studying Lions. Students superimposed themselves in front of a photo of a lion and made the lion speak, mentioning at least 3 facts they knew about lions.
As we were using the green screen application we realised that it doesn't work with the students green school uniforms, something to keep in mind.

One of the students on "Safari".(Image has been cropped for privacy policy)

Creating Reading Corner QR COdes

Hey all, after Jodie's amazing QR work lots of teachers are wanting to have a go at creating their own QR codes. I will post the instructions below, I suggest create a folder in Dropbox and shrae your QR codes so that everyone is creating links to different book. That way we can build the resource collection across the 3 schools.

Step 1. Find the Youtube clip you want to share. 

2. Copy the link and past it into the website : http://safeshare.tv/. This will remove the links to other videos on the side and comments section. 

3. Copy the URL from this site and paste it into the blank line on http://www.qrstuff.com/

4. Download the QR code and paste it in a document with a photo and heading. On the iPad PicCollage is an easy way to do this. 

Green Screen

We have all seen the movies where the magic of special effects and technology allows directors to superimpose their actors onto virtual backgrounds, place them over animated digital backdrops or transport them to a previously filmed location.

Now we can do the same in the classroom, this allows students to create presentations/ movies where they are placed in a foreign place or time.

On the iPads:

1. First you need to download the Green Screen App: $3.79

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/green-screen-by-do-ink/id730091131?mt=8

This does not need to be installed on all iPads, as most schools only have one green screen( although a piece of material or cardboard pinned to a pin up board will work fine), a nominated iPad or Teachers device would work perfectly. 

2. Next step is to download an image or take footage for the background. 

3. Set up the iPad so that the Green material covers the whole screen (we used a beaker stand from the science room as a stand.)

4. In the top Line add your background image, in the middle line add your Green screen footage. 

5. Once you have filmed and checked your footage you can export it to the camera roll. Once it is in  the camera roll you are able to add it to iMovie and create titles and headings. 

21st Century Fluencies.

Ever read about 21st Century Fluencies? This is one area that I recommend all teachers investigate when they start working with me.

So, what is the 21st Century Fluency Project? Developed by Lee Crockett, Ian Jukes and Andrew Churches, this project "helps teachers instil values in their students that guide them towards creating a better world for themselves and for others."

With a changing education landscape, the skills that we are trying to develop in our students are also changing. And, of some of us teachers, we need to learn them too! These should be taught to across all years and across all year levels by all teachers.

The skills are broken down into 5 main fluencies:

1. Solution Fluency: In the past, students have been taught to solve problems in a show and tell manner (we show students the problem, and tell them how we got the answer), which has lead them to be dependent on us, rather than discovering it for themselves. However, we must begin to teach students to use their creativity to solve problems in real time.

2. Information Fluency: We live in an information abundant world, so we need to know how to access relevant information quickly and easily, analyse it for it's credibility and apply the knowledge to the situation at hand.

3. Creativity Fluency: This fluency refers to how artistic proficiency can add meaning through design, art, and storytelling.

4. Media Fluency: With communication moving beyond text, there is a need to be able to create media in a variety of different ways. There is also the need to be able to critically evaluate media for its message and desired outcome.

5. Collaboration Fluency: Learning in today’s digital world involves working with others. In today's digital world, there is now the ability to successfully work and interact with virtual and real partners.

This is encompassed by the idea that we want our students to become Global Digital Citizens, where they act responsibly in a real and online world, they show awareness of local and world events, protect themselves and have respect for the environment.

Want to know more? Explore https://globaldigitalcitizen.org

Sharing Students work with Parents

As the term comes to an end it might be nice to share some of the students work with parents. 

As the work is created in a variety of media, printing it out is no longer an option. 

I suggest that you create a student portfolio that piles together the semesters work. Book Creator is a perfect app to compile student work as it holds text, video, images and voice recordings. 

Your options exporting are:

ePub: This format allows the content to stay in a book format but can only be read on a device that can read ePubs. eg an iPad, Mac or through an ePub reader that can be downloaded. 

PDF: PDF will allow the content to be read on any device, however it doesn't allow for any multi media content. Export it as a PDF if you are wanting to print out the content. 

Video: Exporting the content as a video will allow the content to be viewed on any device. The book will automatically flick through the pages and play the Media content. 

Steps:

Once you have selected your format to export. 

- Select "Open in".

- Choose "Dropbox".

Once you have saved it to Dropbox, you can add it to students own files and create a link. 

Once you have copied your link you can share it with parents in a number of ways:

* Email the link directly

* Put the link into Bitly.com and shorten it so that it is easy to type into a web browser. 

* Create a QR code - This can be done through a variety of websites or APPs such as Qrafter. 

Work Flow for creating a QR Code on the iPads.

Work Flow of creating a QR Code:

Firstly create your video.
Today we are using Chatterpix to make our orange speak.

1. Once you have created your movie in any application you need to export it to the Camera Roll ( or you can export it straight to Dropbox if the application has that feature)

2. Open Dropbox - Add the video to dropbox

3. Click the "up arrow" on the right hand side and click "Copy link"

4.  Open the App "Qrafter"

5.  Click "Create" at the bottom of the screen. 

6.  It will create a unique QR code.

7. Press the "up arrow" icon to save the image to the camera roll. 

 8. Insert the image into Pic Collage to add headings, words, pictures...

9. Add the collage into Dropbox and print from your computer. 

Creating QR Codes

Creating QR Codes

On the iPad

1 Drop the videos into a folder in the dropbox app. 

Create A Dropbox Shared Link

1. Sign in to your Dropbox account through the Web (probably easier on computer so that you can print them out)
2. Click on the file you want to share.
3. Select “Share Link” from the action bar across the top
4. A pop-up appears – click on “Get Link”
5. You will then be shown a preview of your file. Copy the link from your browser’s address bar to use when you create your QR code (below)

Create Your QR Code

1. Go to www.qrstuff.com
2. Choose the “Dropbox” data type.
3. Paste the link from Step 5 above into the box provided.
4. Download your QR code. Done!

Example letter I have sent to parents to explain QR codes. 

Dear Parents

At ______ Pre Primary we would love to share students work with you and as many of these special moments are captured via photos, video and audio we have decided to use QR codes to share students work. This will allow you to  download your child’s work right onto your phone/ iPad. 

For those that are unfamiliar to Qr codes don't worry, I’m sure you have seen QR (quick response) codes on packaging and magazines.  What they do is link you to useful information on the web. Therefore rather that typing in a long web address all you need to do is scan and you’re away. 

Phones and iPads don't come with a built in QR reader, so you will need to download one from the app store. There are many free apps that will work fine. 

Next you'll need to find a QR code to scan and open the app. Most Apps will just require you to hold the camera over the square code and it will automatically direct you to the required webpage. 

Our Kindy QR codes will direct you to a form of cloud storage such a Dropbox. From here a download button will appear and you will need to press this to download it onto your own device.