It has been quite a while since I posted anything to this blog. The kids have been using technology but not near as many programs and apps as classes in the past. Part of that is because of what they need and part of that is me deciding which ones really do the job and which ones aren’t worth it.

One tool I like to use is the Stop Motion app on the iPad. For this unit in science, I ask the students to create a Stop Motion video that explains a sea breeze, a land breeze, or a convection current.  I could have easily asked them to show the water cycle or to explain uneven heating of the Earth, too.

Here is a video created by some of my students this year. Keep in mind that they are fifth graders just learning about these concepts and all of the vocabulary may not be just right. For example, they say the molecules are heavier instead of denser. I will work with them on that.

I think you might find this an effective tool to use to assess your students either formatively or even as a summative assessment on a concept. It has the visual and the verbal aspects to it.