Entry 4 - Storyboards and Excel

Linking IT and Maths (Excel)

Representing M&M Data: Bar Graph / Pie Graph

• How better to engage students in a maths task than by using chocolate??
• The two graphs above demonstrate different ways that students can represent the number of each colour of M&Ms in one packet. The learning outcomes of the task may include that students will:

1. sort their M & Ms by a given attribute (colour)
2. estimate how many M & Ms are in bag #1 and bag #2
3. graph their M & Ms and conclude what colour they have the most and least of
4. students will combine sets (add) M & Ms together and describe results

• Here is a link for a free printable M&M colour chart: http://atozteacherstuff.com/pdf.htm?m&mschart.pdf
• Students can then use excel to graph their data in a number of different formats (as seen above).
• This task could also go further an link with other topics including; nutritional value of M&Ms and other snacks, cooking (using M&Ms and then writing a procedural narrative), design (design an advertisement / packaging for M&Ms).
  

Depending on school policies, you may not be allowed to use chocolate in class activities. If this is the case you can easily substitute counters/marble or other inedible different coloured items in zip lock bags instead of chocolate. You must also be aware of any food allergies in the class before completing this activity with chocolate.

Storyboard - Dreamtime Stories

The Whirlpool

• The Dust Echoes Website (http://www.abc.net.au/dustechoes/) is an engaging indigenous website that can be used within the primary classroom Dust Echoes is a series of twelve beautifully animated dreamtime stories from Central Arnhem Land, telling stories of love, loyalty, duty to country and aboriginal custom and law. The website also has access to study guides for each of the twelve stories.

Applications for the classroom:

• Individual stories can be viewed by the class. Discussion and completion of the study guide can follow.
  
• Students can use Inspiration to retell the video by taking snapshots throughout a video and pasting them into Inspiration. Students can then write a sentence under each picture to retell the story. The example above is a storyboard of 'The Whirlpool'. Students can also choose how they would like to present their story board. The above example was attempting to look like a whirlpool... This task combines using IT skills with a storytelling focus including skills such as sequencing, summarising, spelling and so on.
• Before completing the activity, the class could discuss the use of storyboards (graphic organizers such as a series of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualising a motion picture, animation etc). In the above activity they will be working backwards, from the completed video, to a storyboard summarising the film. An example of a completed storyboard (sketched) and a storyboard template are available at the following site: http://www.abc.net.au/rollercoaster/rollermache/storyboarding.htm
  
• This process could also be used with other video stories, even videos of the children performing at an assembly/Christmas performance.