Creating Space Science (Digital) Stories to Foster Science and Technology Literacy and Creativity Astronomical Society of the Pacific Annual Meeting July 24, 2013 Roger Pence, Benicia Middle School Science Teacher Touro University California Adjunct Professor DS General Info Website: Materials from this presentation:

Session Agenda Digital Storytelling, Why Now?, Why in Science? Space/Astronomy Story Ideas Digital Story Production and Hardware Possibilities Copyright Concerns and Imagery Resources and Student Examples Live Demonstration (Photostory on PC and iPad using iMovie) Time concerns, practical classroom management, and various computer platforms.

Why Digital Storytelling? Or What is it? DS is personally narrated sequence of text and accompanying images and sounds that leads the viewer on a directed journey. Educators and students can collaborate to learn and practice 21 st century skills: Collaboration, critical thinking, teamwork, verbal literacy, visual literacy

Why Now?! Using DS to tell space science “stories” engages the student and other learners as well to learn science (they love to see what each other are doing!) Using DS to tell space science “stories” engages the student and other learners as well to learn science (they love to see what each other are doing!) Writing in general is clearly a need of today’s students and DS in science gives an authentic reason to write concisely and with maximum impact. NGSS and STEM require depth of understanding and multi-disciplinary thought. Students today know a good audio-visual product when they see one and will strive to create quality when they know it will be shared with their peers. DS helps make space science real!

Why in Science?! Science is visual, is itself a story, and has many stories of people involved in thinking. cross-curricular connections and meaningful context Pictures can convey abstract meaning that words alone may miss Gives kids an engaging, challenging and fun way to learn science and do research. Cultivates visual literacy (what makes a particular picture especially effective at telling the story?)

Kids need and like a “hook” Science is NOT a list of isolated things to “know”, rather it is a process that involves creativity. Allows for science “factoids” to be placed in context as to where they fit into a bigger picture. Gives girls a voice in science! DS taps their social/creative talents. Includes ELL’s and special needs students, since each individual can contribute based on strengths. Allows for individual style and ownership.

Pedagogical “hooks” Since science vocabulary is challenging, and research is daunting, so developing scripts breaks down the learning into discreet steps. Revising and re-writing cultivates learning through repetition. Students can demonstrate concept understanding in a creative, personalized way. Offers a creative outlet to photograph, compose, and edit to achieve a concrete conceptual goal (e.g. Newton’s first law of motion) Allows for assessment of conceptual understanding

Let’s see some!! Mystery Scientist: Johann Kepler Mystery Scientist: Johann Kepler Mineral to Market: Solar Panels Mineral to Market: Solar Panels Surfing and Newton’s Laws Surfing and Newton’s Laws Friendship 7 Mission Friendship 7 Mission Apollo Project Apollo Project Ernest O. Lawrence Ernest O. Lawrence Bhopal Chemical Disaster Bhopal Chemical Disaster Minimata Bay Disaster Minimata Bay Disaster

Space Science Story Ideas Meteor of 1908 Russia (or last year) Development of the Hubble Space Telescope Manned space programs Unmanned space probes Voyager 1 and 2 A space scientist I know Women in space science African-Americans, Asians, and Latinos in space science Envision a future space mission Research past space missions

Mathematics and Engineering Mathematics’ role space travel Rocketry and Engineering Development of engineered materials Mathematicians and the Universe Life-support engineering History of time-space thought

Next Generation Science Standards Connections Cross-curricular connections between science, math, history, art, language arts Authentic pathway to STEAM (where A is for Arts) Allows for students to create visual and auditory explanations of science principles Cultivates respect for the practices of scientists as discoverers and seekers of the truth They can practice science communication

Establishing a Voice Students can draw from their experience/understa nding Students can “put themselves in the subject’s shoes”, and produce a point-of- view story Prompts help focus the writing and serve to economize the script

Digital Story Processes

Sample Classroom Handouts and Worksheets Digital Storytelling Checklist Digital Storytelling Checklist Sample StoryboardSample Storyboard for Friendship 7 Sample Storyboard History of Mars Exploration History of Mars Exploration Earthquake DS Research Notes/Prompt Earthquake DS Research Notes/Prompt Mineral to Market Note Page Mineral to Market Note Page Scoring Rubric Scoring Rubric

Copyright Concerns Students need to be aware that they may be using copyrighted material. Fair Use in Education Portions of (often 10% of length) of songs Portions of movie clips Usually 5 or less images from one artist/photographer Cyberbee: Students can learn to respect others’ original work!

A Live Quick Tour of Putting a Digital Story Together Using computer (PC) program Microsoft Photostory 3 (tutorial on wiki) An excellent, simple still-photo choice, self-contained and forgiving Using an iPad with iMovie (tutorial on wiki) Has all the learning PLUS the cool factor! From script/storyboard, compile and save medium to large images save medium to large imagessave medium to large images Put images into program, arrange in order Record voiceover from script script Add titles, transitions, and background music Export for sharing

Resources and Sample Ideas for Stories Task Aids Task Aids developed by Roger Pence for use in classroom digital storytelling production (can download from Task Aids Session Handouts and Tutorials for using Photostory 3, Windows Movie Maker, iMovie, and iMovie on iPad on

What we use… I have pieced together 10 computers of various types, wireless internet enabled (most of them) 5 netbooks 3 laptops 1 Desktop PC/Monitor/Speaker set-up 2 iPads intermitttently wi-fi enabled USB external Speakers (Logitech V20’s) that can be moved around as needed 2 Zoom H2’s, a Blue Snowball, a Samson USB mic Flashdrives for saving and transfer, backup This array accommodates 10 teams of 3, but I as the instructor am constantly floating, suggesting, troubleshooting

Software for creating digital stories Mac: iMovie (multiple audio tracks) Final Cut Express (supplemental cost) Audacity for supplemental sound recording/editing (free download) Windows: Windows Movie Maker (one audio track) Photostory 3 (Windows XP, free download from Microsoft) Audacity to record both narration and music (free download) iPad: iMovie, Pinnacle Studio, Reel Director (one audio track)

References National Research Council. (1996). National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Retrieved January 2, 2009, from ‌ catalog.php?record_id=4962#toc National Science Education Standards (1996) Ohler, J. (2008). Digital storytelling in the classroom: New media pathways to literacy, learning, and creativity. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2004). Learning for the 21st century: A report and MILE guide for 21st century skills. Retrieved December 15, 2008, from ‌ images/ ‌ stories/ ‌ otherdocs/ ‌ p21up_Report.pdf Perrone, V. (1994, February). How to engage students in learning. Educational Leadership, 51(5), Robin, B. R. (2008, July). Digital storytelling: A powerful technology tool for the 21st century classroom. Theory Into Practice, 47(3), Retrieved December 8, Tierney, R. J., Bond, E., & Bresler, J. (2006). Examining literate lives as students engage with multiple literacies. Theory Into Practice, 45(4), Retrieved October 12, 2009, from ‌ ERICWebPortal/ ‌ recordDetail?accno=EJ k - Tytler, R. (2007). Re-imagining science education: Engaging students in science for Australia’s future. Retrieved December 28, 2008, from Australian Council for Educational Research Web site: ‌ documents/ ‌ AER51_ReimaginingSciEdu.pdf Yager, R. E. (2000, October). A vision for what science education should be like for the first 25 years of a new millenium. School Science and Mathematics, 100(6), Yerrick, R., Ross, D., & Molebash, P. ( , December/ ‌ January). Promoting equity with digital video. Learning & Leading With Technology, 31(4), Retrieved May 2, 2009, from ‌ ERICDocs/ ‌ data/ ‌ ericdocs2sql/ ‌ content_storage_01/ ‌ b/ ‌ 80/ ‌ 2a/ ‌ 12/ ‌ 46.p

Thanks for your time and attention.