Thursday, March 24, 2011

Kelso's "Kritters" Participate in Email Discussions!

Mrs. Kelso's students are studying media literacy.  They have learned that email is an effective way of communicating with others.  They learned that all emails should have a clear purpose, as well as an introduction, body, and conclusion or signature line.  As a class, they composed an email and sent it to their parents, informing the parents about what they were learning!  Already, her students have received several replies from parents discussing how they use email in their daily lives.  We are very proud of our electronic authors!

Here is the email that her class composed:

Dear Parents,
We have been learning about media. We have learned that media is the internet, commercials, signs, TV shows, ads on boxes (like cereal boxes), magazines, emails, books... We have also learned that media can persuade us, entertain us, and give us information.
Today we learned about emails and how they help us communicate with each other. The class is helping me write this email so that you will be informed about what we're learning.
Have a great day!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Kelso's Critters

Bartholomew's Bats and Maurer's are Media Savvy!

In today's world, students have to learn so much more than reading, writing, and mathematics. They must learn how to apply skills to problems that do not even exist yet.  With every new day, our children are exposed to new sources of information.  We must give our students opportunities to explore, analyze, and critique information.  The fourth grade students at Forest Creek are learning about media literacy and the effects that advertising has on our habits.  They are becoming critical thinkers as they watch commercials and examine advertisements, discovering how the media tries to persuade us to purchase products.  The students were able to create their own advertisments using many of the "tricks" they learned from examining other ads.  As students become more aware of how advertisments can influence people, students are able to make wise choices based on research, rather than impulse.  We are very proud of our media savvy students!

Please enjoy the pictures of some of Mrs. Maurer's students working on one website about media literacy.






Mrs. Bartholomew's students graciously allowed us to use parts of their reader's response journals on media literacy:

" Another cool think was how they taught us not to buy everything we see on T.V.  Grown-ups want you to learn that stuff."

"On food commercials, sometimes they try to make the food look perfect."

"In the commercials, they try to persuade you by putting famous people in the video."

"I learned advertisers make stuff look better in TV than in real life. I think advertisers are mad scientists."

"I learned you have to make an ad exciting and funny to attract new customers to your product."

"We played Cool or Cost. We had to pick which is a bargain brand and which is expensive."

"I learned some things are fake and advertisements can be a rip off!  I also learned that if you're selling something you should sell something that appeals to boys and girls because then you will have more buyers and make more money."

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Jezisek's Yellow Jackets are Authors, Photographers, and Producers!

Mrs. Jezisek's third grade class recently read the book The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns.  They wrote their own versions in small groups and discussed what pictures would enhance their text. Each group then went out and took pictures of their three-dimensional shape. Each group of students then worked together to create a Photostory version of their story.  These students have learned how to create a storyboard to lay out their ideas in a cohesive fashion, use props to create visually interesting pictures to enhance their words, use Photostory to create a moving story, and record their voices in the story.  They have created a memorable experience that also helps them learn geometry!  In this way, the students have learned that technology enhances their learning of all subjects. Way to go Yellow Jackets!

All writing was done by third graders. While they went through and corrected their work, there are occasional "creative spellings."  Please enjoy these authentic works of art.

Shogan's Salamanders are in the Movies!

Mrs. Shogan's class recently researched various aspects of space.  The students conducted research about a variety of topics and then wrote original plays to present the information to others, including many first grade classrooms. The students worked very hard writing and editing their plays, as well as creating costumes to make sure they taught the younger students important science concepts. The Salamanders then recorded their plays using the school's broadcast equipment.  The students, as well as Mrs. Shogan and myself, are very proud of their plays. We hope you enjoy them also!