This half term Zayit and Seorah classes have been focussing on the topic of ʻUnder the Seaʼ and the big question: ʻHow can I create my own story?ʼ
In our launch week we visited an aquarium, read, listened to and talked about a variety of Under the Sea-themed books and explored the ocean through virtual reality. The classes then made their own story by creating characters, writing and recording the narrative using technology and this was then edited for a book launch to the school. During the project the children used Seesaw as a way to give their peers feedback on their stories. In art, we designed and created characters for our stories. In music, we made percussion instruments and recorded the audio to play as background wave music for the entrance to our exhibition. The book launch was very successful and the pupils then shared their story maps and books with other pupils in different classes.
Teacher’s Reflection
“Overall this was a successful project! All pupils were given student voice throughout, from creating their story to their own characters, and coming up with an ending independently. One of the highlights of this project was the children’s use of technology throughout the project. They all seemed to really enjoy it and it allowed children of all abilities to participate. Next time I would ensure clearer audio or that subtitles were added to ensure all children’s parts were able to be heard. I am most proud of how well the children all worked together to create their stories using story cubes, as this was a really collaborative project and the end project shows this.
The best part about the project was seeing the children’s faces when they saw they got to use iPads in the lessons and how much they loved using the Chatterpix app. Another thing that was the best was watching them watch their own videos back and recognising which of their friends were talking. They kept asking to rewatch it over and over again.
I found it challenging to record all the audio in only a week. I felt that if I were to do it again, I would allow longer for the recording of the narrative to allow pupils more time to practice and rehearse their lines.”
— Leigh Kennedy
Student Reflection
“I thought the project was fun. The highlight was using the iPads and I learnt all about sea animals!”
– Zephania
“This project taught me about teamwork and how to create a story.”
– Eli
“The highlight was the aquarium trip and the fish shop as it taught me all about sea animals, fish, octopus and whales!”
– Dylan
