Timeline
Session 1 - 45 Minutes - Introduction and Planning
Show students a sample project. Explain the goals of the project. Group students into teams of 4. Groups then choose their desired topic and start writing out the main ideas that their project will address, using their science textbooks and other resources.
Session 2 - 45 Minutes - Planning Continued
Students continue describing the content of their project, with an emphasis on the "how and why" of their topic. Students may also want to start gathering media resources, like images, sounds, or videos. All students must actively contribute to the team. This is the time for teachers to guide the content of the project and correct any misconceptions students may have.
Session 3 - 45 Minutes - Intro to Hyperstudio
Students are instructed in the basics of navigating Hyperstudio, the critical differences between backgrounds and objects, inserting text and drawing. They are also shown how to create a "cartoon animation," made from successive cards with slight changes. Time is given for them to practice these skills.
Session 4 - 45 Minutes - Hyperstudio Continued & Model Planning
Students receive instruction in creating "path animations," inserting buttons, and including recorded sound and video in their animation for HALF this session. The second half is spent planning out the models of they will create. They must describe in detail how they will use images, animations, and explanations to model their topic.
Session 5 - 45 Minutes - Model Planning Continued
Students will continue developing a plan for their models. They will assign development of different parts of the project based on their roles, and begin working once their plan is approved by a teacher. The teacher review is an important stop-gap to prevent students from starting something that is too involved or even impossible within Hyperstudio.
Sessions 6 through 9 - 3 hours - Building the Project
Students work full-time on building their project. Artists draw necessary images/backgrounds, researchers gather media (could also be solely responsible for recording explanations), programmers put together animations.
Session 10 - 45 Minutes - Peer reviewStudents view and evaluate each other's work. They will complete both the Group Self-Assessment form and one Peer Assessments per group. Scores from these assessments will be factored in to student grades.
