Green Screen Fun + a Winter Olympics Freebie

I can't tell you how excited I am that I was awarded a SEEF grant in my classroom.  I have a twin sister who is a teacher as well.  She has been using a green screen in her classroom.  She has been showing me all the fun things that she has been doing.  She kept telling me that I needed to get one.  I applied for the grant and was happy when I found out I got it.  With the money I purchased an iPad and a green screen kit.  I was a little bit overwhelmed with the iPad at first.  I really didn't have a clue how to use it.   I didn't know anything about making videos either.  I was going into this pretty blind, but after seeing some of the things my sister did, I knew I could do it too.   I made a couple phone calls to different people in my district, desperate for help.  I sat down with someone and learned some basics earlier this week.

My kids have been researching a country that has participants in the Winter Olympics.  They each worked on a sheet with questions about their country with their parents at home.  I decided that I was going to record their presentations with the iPad while they were standing in front of the green screen.  I am AMAZED at how well they did.  They were soooo excited.  I'm not going to lie...I was just as excited too. They quickly learned that I was learning with them during the whole process.  I still have things to figure out.  I need to figure out how to set up the lights that came with the kit.  We also need to work on our volume.  It's pretty hard to hear the kids right now...but for a first attempt...I was pretty happy with how things turned out.  I have permission to share these pictures and video with you.

 The first thing I did was to have the kids bring me their pictures.

 With the iPad, we took a picture of the background that we wanted to use for our video.

 I had the kids stand in front of the green screen ready to present.

 I then opened the Veescope app.

I clicked on the select button (the one with the flower on it).

 On the very bottom of the screen you can see a + button.  I clicked on that.

I clicked on the words camera roll.

 I then saw all my pictures on my camera.  I selected the one that I wanted to use as the background.  I clicked done.

 I then saw my new picture added to the bottom of the pictures.  I clicked edit.  On the right side, I saw some lines.  I dragged the picture to the top.

 I then clicked close.   I clicked on the Veescope app again.

 I held the iPad up to the green screen.  This time instead of seeing the green screen, I saw the background that I wanted to use.

 I had my kids stand in front of the green screen and present their information.  I let her be goofy for these pics.

You can see that I can see my student in front of the green screen, but on the iPad, I can see her background. I hit the round circle in the middle and started recording.

This is my students final project.  She did so well!

Video of green screen in action.

If you have iPads in your classroom...I would highly recommend trying this.  We are going to be doing our Reader's Theater plays in front of the green screen.    The kids will be drawing the setting of their plays.  They will then do their play in front of their background.

Over the next two weeks we will be doing lots of fun Winter Olympic activities.   You can find my Winter Olympics unit here.


Finally, I uploaded a freebie for you.  My kids are so excited about watching the Olympics.  I created a BINGO sheet for them to fill out at home while they are watching the Olympics.  I am having trouble uploading pics...but you can find it by clicking on the link below.

Winter Olympics Bingo

I hope you have a great night.

Sara

Five-for-Friday-linky-party and a freebie

I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for the five-for-Friday-linky party!

I haven't done this for so long.  I haven't blogged for so long and am so looking forward to getting back into it.  Right now I have a new blog design being created for me by Pjs Design Laboratory  and I am so excited for it to be completed. I already love the sneak peaks that I have gotten.

This week has been crazy busy.

1.    We moved!  I have lived in my house for 18 years.  About mid-October we decided to try to sell our house.  We cleaned it out...got a dumpster and threw 18 years of stuff that we have collected.  I am a pack rat.  I vowed to NEVER get that way again.  I had my 10 year old son's baby bottle nipples stored neatly in containers in one of the cupboards?  Why?  Who knows!  The list goes on and on of stuff that I save that I would never use again!  We listed our house in November 1st and it sold November 23rd.  Things were a whirlwind for us.

 My friends and family came over late one night and helped us pack all of our heavy stuff (furniture and beds) into the moving van.  We worked quickly.  I am so thankful for them.

 I will miss this room in our old house.  These shelves were designed for me by a friend who finished our basement.  He knew I had a lot of children's books and took the biggest and tallest ones to design this wall of shelves for me.   I hope some lucky little kid gets to fill it will books and toys.

This picture gives me a headache just looking at it.  We are slowly going through boxes and bags and donating things and putting things away.   Thank goodness we had an extra day off this week.

2.  We picked out new couches to go into our new home.  The boys loved these.

3.  We had another snow day...or actually a "cold day" at school on Thursday.  We were closed because the windchill was -34 degrees.  It's the third one we have had in January.  It was so bitterly cold outside...it stung to step outside.  We NEVER have snow days.  It's crazy we've had this many "cold days".  It's suppose to be colder next week.  Yikes.

 We listened to Frozen in our class this week.  It was so fitting for our temps.  The kids loved the music!  I had one little girl crying because she loved the music so much!

4.  I took both my boys to have allergy tests done this week.  I itch just looking at this picture.  My other son's back was WAY worse...but I promised I wouldn't share it.    We found out they are both allergic to almost all trees, grasses, ragweed, cats, dogs, horses and mold.  We are going to start allergy shots.  It's a pretty big commitment...but I'm willing to put them through it if it helps them in the future.

 5.  I started printing, cutting out and laminating my Winter Olympics centers for February.  The kids are going to research a country that has participants in the Olympics and share facts about that country during our "opening ceremonies".

My Olympic pack is loaded with Math and Literacy center games.  Kids will race each other to complete the activities.  There will be first, second and third place awards given to the winners.  I am soooo excited for the Winter Olympics to start and to use this pack.  It can be found HERE.  I also added a freebie for you.  You can download it HERE.  It's a Magic E race.  It's a small sample of what is included in my Winter Olympics pack.

This weekend I will be working on report cards and unpacking.  I hope you have a great weekend and are staying warm...where ever  you are.   You can link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching Linky party HERE.

Sara

New Year's Day, 80's Day, Chinese New Year and Winter Olympics

I cannot believe that January is here...and before you know it, it will be gone.  This year is flying by fast.  I haven't been the best at blogging and am trying to get better.  After our move next week, I'll have time again to do the things I want to do.  In order to keep my sanity over the next couple weeks, I am looking ahead and planning my weeks out.

January is packed with fun!  We are going to be doing lots of fun activities from my New Year's Day pack

There are tons of fun activities in the pack.  There is a mini book explaining what New Year's Eve and what New Year's Day is.

There are tons of printables and this fun crown that kids can make and wear.

You can find this pack by clicking here.

On January 16th we will be celebrating our 80th day of school.  We will be doing tons of fun 80's day activities.  The kids will be wearing 80's clothing that day as well.  

You can read about this day here.

You can also find the pack here.

We will also be learning about the Chinese New Year.  My kid's LOVE this day.  It falls on January 31st this year.   We'll be doing lots of fun activities from this unit that you can read about here.  I think I deleted pictures from my phone.  Once gone there....they must have been deleted from my blog.  :(  So...there are a bunch of blank spots on the bottom.   You can find this unit by clicking here.

There are lots of math and literacy activities in this pack.  

Kids will put numbers in order and they will do skip counting.

In February we will be doing lots of fun things.  Groundhog's Day, Presidents' Day, the 100th Day, Dental Health and the Winter Olympics are things will be learning about.  

I am excited for the Winter Olympics this year.  Figure skating is my favorite to watch.  

I just added this fun unit that you can find here.  You can read about it in this post.  We will be doing lots of races that encourage teamwork throughout the two weeks that the Olympics are occuring.

I have a sample of what kinds of activities are included in my unit above.  You can find it here or here.

I am overwhelmed with all that will be happening soon!  I hope you are having a great year and are staying warm.  I am happy that our winter break was extended by one day.  Our governor called off school in the entire state of Minnesota on Monday because it is going to be too cold. I am so glad we have someone that looks out for the safety of our kids.  

Sara