One of the most important goals of The Seat of Our Pants Production's studio is to create an engaging, safe environment in which students can express their thoughts and ideas using visual media. This year, each 5th grade student was given an opportunity to work in the studio for a week as "guest techies" and as producers of a series of Public Service Announcements (PSA's). Each video production, most of which lasted no more than              90 seconds, focused on an idea or concern specific to Sebastian Elementary. Topics ranged from the serious; such as "Litter Kills", a spot about the harmful effects of litter on wildlife or "It's Not Easy Being Green", a reflection on endangered Sea Turtles, to the sublime; "The Eyebrow Trick" celebrating our beloved principal's animated eyebrow and "Fish Can Dance", a reminder that we all choose our own attitude.

Each group of 5th grade students began their project by brainstorming their topic and storyboarding (a type of graphic organizer) their presentation. The students then collected their images; either video clips or still digital photos, and edited them into a completed video using Apple's "iMovie" or Window's "Movie Maker". 

The completed productions are featured during live broadcasts of our school's morning program. In some instances, the student's videos are also used as presentation pieces in other venues such as a recent Service Learning conference. 

The students in Mrs. Strickler's and Mrs. Ostrowski's class wanted to share some of the information they've learned in their Service Learning activities in a creative and fun way. They chose to script and produce a Public Service Announcement featuring the harmful ways trash can effect wildlife. After a single, 45 minute brain-storming session with Mrs. Drum, the students had created a storyboard about garbage in their beloved Donald McDonald Park. The informational presentation even included camera tricks and special sound effects ( the fun part!). Auditions were held that afternoon and parts were scripted and memorized. On the day of the "big shoot", student cameramen, prop masters, and extras completed the video in one half-day session. With just a little help from their friend, student editors polished their masterpiece on an iMac computer using iMovie software and the completed production was featured on the regular CCTV broadcast. The tape will be compressed as streaming media for inclusion on the class's website and on Sebastian Elementary's web page and will be shown county-wide on the district's educational cable channel!

To check out all of "The Mary's" cool activities, check out their nifty, student-created website!

http://www.freewebs.com/schweeet/index.htm