CULTIVATING VISUAL LITERACY IN THE STEM CLASSROOM

Joannah Shoushtarian @jshoushtar4stem

King Springs Elementary School

Cobb County School District

Nadia Williams @MsWillipedia

Digital Transformation Coach

Cobb County School District

2015 Georgia STEM Forum

A LITTLE ABOUT OURSELVES

Joannah Shoushtarian

24 Years in the Classroom

STEM Teacher

King Springs ES

Cobb County School District

Nadia Williams

8th Year Educator (7 in the Classroom)

Digital Transformation Coach

Cobb County School District

ORIGINS OF THIS COLLABORATION

STEM Talks competition

Joannah had a desire to add more to her teacher toolbox

Creation of the CCSD Digital and Multimedia Learning Department and its goals

Tie-in with literacy and other subjects (i.e. the Humanities)

THE LESSON ITSELF

Through a series of lessons, the students were first introduced to the relevance of producing a story as a video versus in writing, then they brainstormed, and eventually created their own narratives showing how STEM was preparing them for the future.

A few young ladies identified that this series of lessons made them understand writing better.

THE LESSON PLANNING PROCESS

Insert lesson plan here

LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION

The students were shown the video as a hook.

They were then asked to listen to a written version of the story read aloud.

The students discussed how each story delivery method changed how they interacted with the story.

This served to illustrate how the way a story is presented changes how we understand that story.

Piggy Gets a Warm Bath (video)

The Story of Piglet and a Warm Bath

Once there was a mother pig who had many piglets. All the pigs were hungry, but one little pig was left out and was very cold. The farmer saw the piglet crying and made a warm bath for the baby pig. Once the pig was placed into the water, he was happy and warm once more.

Piggy Gets a Warm Bath (written)

The students were asked to identify what they HEARD, SAW, and could SAY about the two different stories.

They were provided with a graphic organizer that was able to be used with grades 2-5.

LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION (PART 2) Graphic Organizer

See – Tell how seeing a picture helpful to understanding the story.

SAY – How is what you say and how you say something important to a story?

HEAR – Is what you hear important? And how is what you hear different than what you see?

Overall – Explain how a video adds to what you SEE, SAY, and HEAR. What do you think about Touchcast?

LESSON 2: BRAINSTORMING & PLANNING

STEM Talk

For the second lesson, the students brainstormed the ways in which STEM was important to them.

They were then directed to share how they see STEM helping them in the future.

ANYTHING they learned in STEM was fair game!

Literacy Tie-In

Textual: The students practiced

brainstorming, sequencing ideas, transition words, and “showing” not “telling.”

Character development using TED Talk on boy with progeria.

Visual: The students practiced

decreasing visual “noise” that could distract a viewer.

PLANNING GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS

STEM TALK STEPS AND BRAINSTORMING

PLANNING GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS

STUDENT CHECK OFF SHEET

Teac

hing

how to

use

wha

t is

said

to co

nvey

a m

essa

ge o

n

film.

Stude

nts r

eadin

g sc

ripts

for

prac

tice

and

for p

eer f

eedb

ack.

LESSON 3: PLANNING & RECORDING

STEM Talk

The students finished planning their talks in writing.

Before they could begin recording, the students had to have a peer read their work and initial their check off sheet.

Literacy Tie-In

Textual: The students practiced

peer editing.

Visual: The students practiced

sequencing through a simple version of storyboarding.

Fifth G

rade

Stude

nt

Sample

Fifth G

rade

Stude

nt

Sample

Stude

nts l

earn

ing h

ow to

use

Touc

hCas

t.

“STEM IS MY FUTURE” BY SOPHIA

Stude

nts v

iewing

tape

d sc

ripts

for e

diting

and

impr

ovem

ents.

Two

boys

pair

up

to vi

deo

one

anot

her a

gains

t the

mak

eshif

t

gree

n sc

reen

.

Q & A SESSION

We welcome your questions about our process, etc.

SWAY OR TOUCHAST PLAY ON IPADS You are invited to use any one of

the four iPad Minis we have to play with the TouchCast app.

Otherwise, you are welcomed to visit the Sway created to document the process of this series of lessons by visiting the QR code below.

You can also go to www.MsWillipedia.com. Select “Professional Development” and then “Georgia STEM Forum.”