Musings from the WMS Media Center

On Monday, Mr. Bynum’s students launched a series of rockets. It was very interesting to observe which ones made a safe landing and which ones…well…came crashing down to Earth due to parachute malfunctions!

This is a little peek at our morning broadcast, aka The Eagle Eye News.

Ms. Grossberg and I started this several years ago after visiting Hamilton Middle School and witnessing their morning broadcast.  At first, we were utilizing some old technology to conduct our broadcast…you know…an old VHS camcorder.  For the most part, we always had a live broadcast.  We were plugged directly into our Channel One head-in set, and the announcements were aired to the entire school.  We would prepare the announcements in PowerPoint, and then the anchors for the day would read the announcements.  The broadcast was conducted in a small equipment room in the library, and the students were basically stationary.  After our first year, we were able to purchase a new digital video camera.  Thank you, Mrs. Boyd! 

Since most of the major announcements are now conducted via the intercom, the broadcasting team recently decided to take the news in a different direction.  The students wanted something more energetic, and Mr. Edwards, our PTSA president, volunteered to lend a HUGE hand with the new process.

Currently, we are videotaping a variety of announcements, and we are able to do this from multiple locations.  Then Mr. Edwards takes the raw footage home and edits the broadcast, chopping out the mistakes.  It is then aired the next morning.  We have a new flashy introduction, and the entire broadcast is fast-paced and fun to watch.

Check out pictures from our recent videotaping from Mrs. Johnson’s room…and stay tuned for the actual broadcast in a future post.

Mr. Perkins’ classes are utilizing the library media center for several days to complete their Periodic Table Project. Each student is utilizing PowerPoint to create a slideshow about an element. They are researching and finding information about their assigned element, such as its atomic number, its physical properties, and its discoverer. Their task is to produce several slides with the information and then prepare the presentation using animations and sounds. The final goal is to present the content to their peers.

————————————————————————————–

This is the first opportunity that many of his students have had to use PowerPoint. Of course, the students were excited as they began their projects. It is really wonderful to watch the students become teachers as they assist their peers with the assignment. While each student is producing his or her own slideshow, it really does involve a lot of teamwork!

For the 2008-2009 school year, Wooddale Middle School was awarded funds to help improve the non-fiction section of the library. Along with this award, the librarian **that’s me…waving** agreed to attend cadre meetings to learn new literacy teaching skills. Additionally, the librarian is to create a web presence **this blog…hehehe!** to inform teachers, students, and parents of important library news and events as well to promote books and reading.

So…now that all that important stuff is out of the way…

Hi! Welcome to Musings from the WMS Media Center. You can check out the About Me & WMS tab to find out more!