Some debate...

amongst producers whether KeyNote or iMovie will work in a seamless presentation including several chapters. The general concern is whether a student will be able to stop and start the progression of slides at will in iMovie. Watching the tutorials linked to the blog for more information might help further understanding on this topic.

Ethan, one of the four producers, has his work currently in iMovie and he has little experience in KeyNote. The three producers, Ethan, Leta and Natalie, who are here today must come to a conclusion about the format as soon as possible. (My observation, at this point parenthetical, is that we may want the work be able to run start to finish without stopping and starting anyway.)

The work we saw this morning ran the gamut, some slick enough for show now and some needing more thought and research. You know who you are.

Specifically, Leta wants to focus her attention on statistics and Maine's possibly unused system of fining water polluters; Ethan and Avery want to look at the big picture of birch bark canoeing by putting their "Lamborghini" of prehistoric water travel image to work and helping us understand how this technology set the tribe(s) that used them apart. Also they will take the "you" out of their text. They'll remember they are the experts explaining something to an audience, not addressing peers or children.

Aidan's project wants more attention to dam removal in the Penobscot Watershed, the monetary and civic costs; Natalie wants to add sound and more detail regarding the national park creation process; Gabe will work on stating his problem/solution(s) clearly in words; Zeb will pull back from our experience to explain why we chose No Trace Camping in the first place; Riley wants to build on his Maine/community connection in his explanations of alternatives to hydropower.

Thank-you notes are still pending. Zeb, Ethan, Aidan (w/Natalie's help), and Riley have words on a page. All need help. Click here. 

Beginning to Tie Loose Ends

Zeb "volunteered" to write a letter home to parents announcing the presentation.

Everyone missed the thank-you note deadline. We'll shoot for tomorrow, along with the eight slides and eight bits of information. If they're not yet Keynoted, GarageBanded or iMovied we'll move in that direction during class.

Students spent the English block focusing and working quietly on their presentations.

Courtney, Kristen and I finished a draft of the rubrics we plan to use to assess the evening's production.

For more tying, click here. (I put a permanent link on the upper right hand corner of the blog.)

More Story Arcs

Due Thursday: at least eight slides; at least eight facts; keep attribution in mind. Let me know if you need a hotlink citation lesson. Also, start writing your script.

Chayse, Zeb--
Problem: Camping/human activity disrupts
Obstacle: Meeting human needs
Solution:  Find camping area that provides for human needs while disrupting the natural world as little as possible
Real solution--Camp cleanly, zero-impact camping


Ethan, Avery--
Problem: For Native Americans what's the best way to get through the Penobscot River
Solution: Making birch bark canoe
Obstacles: Available resources, traditional ways?

Craig--
Problem: How do we study fish without killing them?
Solution: Electrofishing--history, why use this
Obstacles: What goes wrong? settings, lack of skills, techno failure
Real solution: Continued use of it--connect to project

Dalton--
Problem: Getting logs to mill and market
Solution: (historically) Log drives
Obstacles: (explore reasons for stopping) pollution, etc.
Today's solution: Trucking, is it economical, ecological?

Gabe--
Problem: Loss of alewives and habitat
Solutions: Take dams down
Obstacles: Need power
Real life solution: Replace the power sources, then remove dams

Kennedy--
Problem: Pollution in Penobscot River could harm lobsters in Penobscot Bay
Solution: Bring river to the standards of the Clean Water Act
Obstacles: Failure of companies and people to follow law; lack of enforcement; economic difficulties
Real world solution: Strengthen enforcement, improve education of stakeholders

Thank-yous

The high school will write thank-you notes to :

Nicatou-Dalton, Aidan
Sam-Zeb, Chayse
Toni-Riley
Steve-Leta
NMW, Ruth-Gabe, Ken
School Board-Kennedy, Ethan
NHNews-Megan,
Joan, Michael-Avery
NHNews-Craig

These are due Wednesday morning first thing for a final edit and signing.

Presentation Story Arcs

Riley:   
Problem--need, sustainable power in Maine
     
Solution--hydroelectric should be a solution
      
Obstacles--need dams, fisheries affected, make lakes where there were none

Attainable solution?--suggest some balanced ideas



Aidan:   
Problem--too many dams for wild species on Penobscot River watershed
      
Solution--take down
      
Obstacles--need power, expense to remove, recreational fishing, species spread
      
Attainable solution?--balance human needs and fisheries' needs


Leta:       
Problem--we need clean water
      
Solution--CWA 1972(?) nn re-authorization
      
Obstacles--permit licensing power awarded to state of Maine by EPA
, makes State subject to corporate influence
      
Attainable solution?--licensing back to EPA(?)



Megan:   
Problem--need jobs and clean watershed
      
Solution--mills without pollution
      
Obstacles--cost, lack of imagination
      
Attainable solution--corporate support, need more understanding of options

Natalie:   
Problem--Roxanne Quimby restricting historic access 
      
Solution--compromise w/ locals & sportsmen
      
Obstacles--tribalism, resentment, lack of imagination and empathy

Attainable solution--education, PR, communication

And the initial rubric form is...

2011 Fall Expedition Presentation

Students will be able to:

demonstrate academic facility

A1 Evaluate information from multiple reputable sources, synthesize ideas about the Penobscot Watershed and present them to the community

A2 Communicate ideas clearly to a variety of audiences, incorporating appropriate media

A3 Use multiple strategies to adapt to novel problem solving situations (for example not finding enough information or biases)

A4 Use creative expression to develop and communicate in their own voice

(hot-linked attributions?)


use social skills while learning

S1 Cooperate to achieve the group goal of presenting to the community

S2 Independently manage time and resources

S3 Persevere to successfully overcome failures, setbacks and obstacles (keep truckin’!)

S4 Seek out, evaluate, apply and give constructive feedback

S5 Assume responsibility for their own learning


connect their work to the larger community

C1 Apply what they have learned to real world events in Maine

C2 Engage with current events through reading, viewing and discussion

In the process of creating your work, students should ask themselves:

What format do you want your presentation to take?

Keep in mind that some portion of it must be digital and able to be posted on the blog.

Though both Courtney and Lee like this and appreciate the students' assistance in creating it, we reserve the right to amend or alter as necessary.

It's Time to Make the Presentation

Here's our second brainstorm on the what and how of our presentation.

Notes from Combined HS English Class   

27.September.2011

Presentation Producers: Natalie, Megan, Leta, Ethan

Presentation Date: 20.October.2011, Waterman's Community Center

Topics included: Policy, History, Government, Environment, Sport/Recreation

    Logging Industry; Mills Re-Opening; Public v. Private; National Park Feasibility/Desirability; Dam Removal; Pollution; Canoeing; Camping

Zeb suggested: Four Boards w/ Four Basic Subjects plus Slide Show(s)

Courtney clarified purpose and history of presentation.

Leta explained earlier presentation work: Plum Creek Presentation--Debate; attended press conference, said it seemed they had weeks to work on it.

Courtney suggested everybody writes/creates work of art/documentation about one topic, whether it be historic or experiential.


Leta volunteered to compile the photos for a slide show.

Lee reminded everyone that the blog is a place for work and could be a place for what cannot fit in the presentation’s time frame.

*****

In tomorrow's class we will outline the rubric for the presentation's success.

Here is one of our starting places:

21st Century Learning Expectations

Academic
Students will be able to: • Evaluate information, synthesize ideas and carry them out in the real world. • Communicate ideas clearly to a variety of audiences, incorporating appropriate media. • Use multiple strategies to adapt to novel problem solving situations. • Use creative expression to develop and communicate in their own voice.
Social
Students will be able to: • Successfully assume multiple roles in a group, including leader and team member as appropriate. • Independently manage time and resources. • Persevere to successfully overcome failures, setbacks and obstacles. • Seek out, evaluate, apply and give constructive feedback. • Assume responsibility for their own learning.
Civic
Students will be able to: • Apply what they have learned to real world issues in their community. • Engage with current events through reading, viewing, discussion and debate.