Owl BabiesOwl BabiesA collaborative ICT project A collaborative ICT project with Whitefriars Infant School with Whitefriars Infant School and Rushden Community and Rushden Community CollegeCollege

Science through storiesScience through stories

As part of our As part of our ‘Science through ‘Science through stories’ theme we stories’ theme we use the story ‘Owl use the story ‘Owl Babies’ by Martin Babies’ by Martin Waddell to explore Waddell to explore light and dark.light and dark.

We use the story to We use the story to link work in link work in Literacy with work Literacy with work in Science.in Science.

Links with Rushden Community Links with Rushden Community CollegeCollege

We had been offered the opportunity We had been offered the opportunity to work with Melanie Wilton, Lead ICT to work with Melanie Wilton, Lead ICT teacher from Rushden Community teacher from Rushden Community College.College.

It enabled us to offer a challenging It enabled us to offer a challenging experience to some of our most able experience to some of our most able Year 1 pupils.Year 1 pupils.

The children had been using ‘Owl Babies’ as a text in a The children had been using ‘Owl Babies’ as a text in a

Literacy unit of work.Literacy unit of work.

‘‘Windows Moviemaker’Windows Moviemaker’

We asked Melanie to support us We asked Melanie to support us in using ‘Windows Moviemaker’ in using ‘Windows Moviemaker’ to produce a simple animation to produce a simple animation film based on the story of ‘Owl film based on the story of ‘Owl babies’.babies’.

We began by making simple We began by making simple puppets of the owl babies.puppets of the owl babies.

The children used digital The children used digital camcorders to record the process.camcorders to record the process.

The owl babies were made from The owl babies were made from newspaper and masking tape.newspaper and masking tape.

The children worked collaboratively The children worked collaboratively to make the puppets.to make the puppets.

They mixed paint to get the correct They mixed paint to get the correct colours.colours.

Eyes and beaks were added when Eyes and beaks were added when they were dry!they were dry!

The finished ‘Owl babies’!The finished ‘Owl babies’!

Producing the animation.Producing the animation.

The children were shown how to The children were shown how to photograph and then move each photograph and then move each puppet a small amount to make the puppet a small amount to make the animation for the story.animation for the story.

Melanie then worked with her Year Melanie then worked with her Year 11 pupils to create the animation and 11 pupils to create the animation and add music and voiceover.add music and voiceover.

The children were delighted with The children were delighted with their very own movie!their very own movie!

The collaboration was extremely successful and we look The collaboration was extremely successful and we look forward to working on another project next year.forward to working on another project next year.