This activity is effective in that it helps the students explore their imaginations! The students will pick an object that the teacher provides and come up with a new invention using their object. The children will take pictures with their object using a digital camera and write a newspaper article about their new invention. This will help the children learn to use technology such as a digital camera and the computer in a fun and creative way! The children will also use their language arts skills by creating a story about their invention.Activity
Materials
Process
Step 1: As the teacher you will use
your imaginations to find objects that will be fun for the children and
help them create a new invention. Divide the children into
different groups and have them choose a number (there should be as many
numbers as their are groups). Have the children discuss within their
groups which object they want to choose. Then have the group that
choose the number 1 to go and pick their object first and the second go
next and so on. Once the children have picked their objects, allow
the students time to brainstorm and come up with different ideas about
their object and the invention. Next, give each group a digital camera
with a disk and give them directions on using the camera if they are not
familiar with them. You may need to help the class, depending on
the age and their experience with these cameras. Tell the class that
they can take pictures of their objects by using their objects as its new
invention.
Step 2: Once the students have saved
the pictures that they want to use on the disk, it is time for them to
use the computer!! The children will need to use the program Adobe
Photo shop. This is where they can edit their pictures by making
them larger or smaller and they can change the brightness of the colors
of them. Once the children have figured out and decided the size
of their pictures, then they will need to save them on each of their own
disks so they can begin writing their article.
Step 3: Take them to the computer
lab and have the children write a newspaper article, invention
announcement, or advertisement about their new product. Grade them
on grammatical errors and their creativity.
Step 4: Using Netscape Navigator
have the children compile their article and picture into a web page.
For help using Netscape Navigator
click here.
Suggestions for group work and getting kids to share computers.
Put the children into small groups (no more than
4 in a group) to give them an opportunity to get to work with the technology.
This will allow all of the students to take pictures with the camera.
It will be easier for the students to share computers by having each student
in the group take turns saving the pictures of their invention to their
own disks. Then the children can write their articles on paper and
take turns writing their articles on the computer. This may take
more than one day. Once their article is written then they
can learn together as a class about Netscape Navigator and creating a web
page. The children should enjoy working on their web page so you
can reward the children by giving them time to work on it
Competencies from the Standard Course of Study met by this activity.
Language Arts
Competency Goal 1: The learner will apply
enabling strategies and skills to read and write (1.03).
Competency Goal 2: The learner will apply
strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed
(2.01, 2.06).
Competency Goal 3: The learner will apply
strategies and skills to create oral, written and visual texts (4.03, 4.05,
4.08, 4.10).
Competency Goal 5: The learner will apply
grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively (5.01, 5.02,
5.03, 5.04, 5.06, 5.07, 5.08).
Computer/Technology Skills Curriculum
Competency Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies (2.1,2.4)
Information Skills Curriculum
Competency Goal 1: The learner will explore
sources and formats for reading, listening, and viewing purposes (1.04,
1.07, 1.08, 1.09, 1.10).
Competency Goal 4: The learner will explore
and use research processes to meet information needs (4.04, 4.06, 4.09).
Competency Goal 5: The learner will communicate
reading, listening, and viewing experiences (5.02).
To view the entire Language Arts Curriculum click here.
The following is a sample rubric for grading this activity.
| Modern Fashion and Invention Project | Total Points Worth = 100 |
| Pre- writing/ Group work | 25 |
| Understanding of Netscape Communicator / Adobe Photo shop | 25 |
| Creativity and grammatical aspects of article | 25 |
| The final product (web page) | 25 |
Have the students to e-mail feedback.
To email me click
here.
| Master Page | Teacher Page | Student Page | Example Page |