Project Description
This project day started with a minor setback, as the 6th grade that was supposed to be our class, was not at school during the project day because of a scheduling mistake. Instead, the class that had already prepared for the day, was quickly changed to a 5th grade.
The project started with a presentation with lots of pictures and a lively discussion with the students about bees, their habits and habitat.
This was the basis of the next step where the students would draw their own version of a bee, but about 20 times larger.
In the drawing stage the student were introduced to the basics of scaling and the mathematical tools behind it.
They used pictures found from online to enlarge the bees and use their artistic creativity to capture it on the paper.
They used colored pencils and crayons on A3 to express themselves. Student teachers would mingle around the class and assist when needed.
The bees did not need to be scientifically accurate, but needed to have key features of a bee.
In the next task the students engaged in creating an imaginative story line based around the hypothetical situation of bees suddenly enlarging and how this would change the life on Earth.
This script was written down and shared with the partner school in a Skype session. In return we received a script from them.
The students were divided into different groups: some were drawing the scenery to be included using green screen app, others where writing and rehearsing the commentary and lines, some found costumes and played the characters in the film and some were engaged in filming, editing and post-production.
Bees drawn earlier were used to demonstrate the gigantic bees in the movie.
Once the films were ready they were exchanged between the partner schools and students saw what had become of their script.