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confluence on Susquehanna River at Shamokin Dam

Water Issue Digital Science Project

A digital project is a great way to inform people about an important issue. It can be used to share facts with other people. It can be a plus in a public presentation regarding correcting a problem, protecting a habitat or helping a species.

Use a digital camera and/or a digital camcorder to make a science message regarding an issue related to water. You might investigate: the source of your community's drinking water, local pollution issues, consumer waste impacts on water, how water is used/wasted at home, at a local public facility or at school, the status of a local water recreation area, a natural place worth protecting, or other concerns. You might get an idea from - ThinkQuest winning site: AquaDuck.

Examples:

C-SPAN StudentCam 2009 1st Prize MS 'Down to the Last DROP' from Madison Richards

Mystic River Watershed Documentary | SciVi Field Trips @EstuaryLive

Select an issue related to water: (helpful hint - Ecology Dilemmas)

Dig deeply into the topic.

Be sure to include lots of scientific facts. Include a map and a table of critical facts.

Focus on using the principals of a strong persuasive essay.

Essential question:

Explain why this water related issue is important to your family, your school and your community.

What would the loss of it mean to you?

Propose a S.M.A.R.T. Goal (Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely). What should people do? What can you do?

Eliminating world hunger is a nice goal, but it is not a SMART goal. A SMART goal related to hunger would be to provide a free or reduced price lunch to all the children, who qualify in your school or community, during the school year.

Important Advice for Videographers.

Discover what you need to know to make a digital media project starts page 10

Plan ahead. Use a worksheet to organize your work. pdf version | doc version | Multimedia Project Planning Worksheet

Write a script.

Take/find the photos or shoot the video.

Adjust the script for unplanned, opportune additions.

Always be safe. Contrary to what you may see on TV, no cool or humorous shot is worth getting injured.

Here are the guidelines for the project

1. Use Microsoft Photo Story (free) or Apple's iMovie to create the show.

camera Read the tutorial: Tech learning's PhotoStory Tutorial or Photo Story tutorials by David Jakes.

camera Watch the iMovie tutorial | iMovie 08 tutorial | Create an iMovie Project | Support

camera iMovie tips and tutorials camera Using photos in iMovie tutorial

camera Begin with an idea and a storyboard | storyboard forms | Storyboard 2

camera Movie rubrics - Rubric 2 | Rubric 3 | Video Project Rubric | MYO Rubric

2. Your project should begin with a title and an introduction.

It must contain at least 10 photos or images. The project should be no longer than 10 minutes.

3. If you use someone else's photos or images, an attribution slide must be included at the end of your project. Other people's photos must be licensed under Creative Commons or be public domain materials.

4. Take your photos. Read Tell the story in pictures.

  • If you plan to include people's faces, get their permission, first. Respecting each person's privacy is a vital human right. (Notice how the kids at Richie's school who made life 'round here projects, avoided clear shots of people's faces.)
  • What is your school's policy about taking photos of students in school? Find out.
  • Generally, photos of people taken out of school in public places may not require special permission.
  • It is always best to learn the laws and rules in your area or state BEFORE you take photos.

Always take a few more photos than you anticipate needing. It is much easier to delete an extra photo, than to need one at the last minute.

camera Here are great tips about taking many different photos.

5. Narrate the story.

6. Use the same transition throughout your whole project. I know it is hard to choose. But having several kinds of transitions can make your project look messy.

7. Music is not required. Only instrumental music may be used. Music is included in Photo Story. Other music must be licensed under Creative Commons or public domain. You must prove this by showing the download link or the cd.

What's with all these rules? You may want to publish your creation on the Internet or show it outside of your classroom. If you do that, it must abide by copyright laws. It is best to build your project within those rules from the start. Additionally, some people have religious or personal objections to having their picture taken. We should all respect that. Period.

8. Proof your digital project. It is funny how speling errors and typeos sneak in to the bets worck. smiling icon

Resources:

The Center for Digital Storytelling

FlickrLilli

Educational rap music - the other three r's WOW!

YouthLearn Project resources

The Fundamentals of Digital Storytelling

Pics4Learning - copyright friendly for use in education projects

LearningElectric - on demand tutorials that build skill

Copyright friendly imagesWikimedia Commons | Public Domain images

Other Digital Learning Projects:

Fields and Meadows Digital Project Alphabet book about your state or community project
Wetland Habitat Project - Digital Science Journal Sell your town - Why should someone move to your town?
GIS Map & Inventory the Trees in your community Look into your Community's Past project - problem based learning
Web site Evaluation Student Handbook Presentation
Life 'round here - digital project Patriotic Song Project
Best Treat of All - bird book online Winter Song Story Project

Problem Based Learning / Civics / Internet Hunts / Nature / Computers / PA Projects / Puzzles & Projects / Mrs O's House

developed by Cynthia J. O'Hora Posted 1/2009, Updated 3/2011, June 2015
Released to public domain in honor of Steve Jobs who has always challenged conventional thinking.
In doing that, he has changed all our lives for the better.