ALA notes from the week of Nov 30-Dec 3

Tuesday of this week the gaggle group was introduced to cricket programing and finishing up soldering practice. The Murder group finished up their storyboards so that the filming could begin the next day. The gaggle group took to the crickets well, experimenting with making music and motors run, as well as learning how to make everything happen with the use of a light sensor or alligator clips. The programming language seemed to be fairly easy for the group to pick up.

Wednesday
The gaggle group was broken up into their working groups for the rest of the semester to create their chain reaction links! The groups have time to build for the next 2 weeks, and each group must start their link with a switch, end it with a domino throwing another switch, and incorporate crickets, motors, sensors, and balloons. The entire group of new students will be joining all of their links together on Dec. 15 for a massive chain! the students were also given time to become proficient in the use fo the powert tools, and still others chose to do more with crickets, learning how to program and make more music with them. (MIDI will be introduced to them later.) THe Murder group began the filming of their stories this week. The storyboards are done, and the films must be at least three minutes long. THey will be working on these films until the showcase day Dec. 15. THe groups are doing pretty creative work, and i can't wait to see the finished product.

Thursday
The murder group worked on their films today.
The gaggle group worked today with Gabe as the leader teaching them how to use their soldering skills and newfound knowledge with crickets to make sensors on their own. Gabe did an amazing job leading the groups to do this, and we will follow the same pattern on tuesday. Hopefully the kids will use the sensors they make in their chain.

Finishing up the semester is going to be fun, watching the teamwork, seeing the creativity, and the products made. The kids are becoming wonderfully skilled in the use of the tools, the crickets, and the materials to build from - the murder group is becoming equally skilled in the use of the video cameras and filmmaking techniques. The next two weeks are going to be amazing!
Jonathon