Canton 6th graders create eclipse documentary
Apr. 6—CANTON — The upcoming solar eclipse has been a topic of interest in science classes across the region.
In Canton, Kimberly French's sixth-grade science students have shared what they learned with the world via a YouTube video called A Gift from our Universe: A Solar Eclipse Documentary.
French used a lesson plan and materials donated by the Society for Science to help her students deeply understand the event.
The lesson plan asked the students to study one of six eclipse-related topics and create a short video explaining it.
"I have four sixth-grade classes. Each class was divided into six groups, each with a topic."
Her initial idea was to have a competition, take the best videos from each topic, and combine them for the final video. Her plans changed once she saw the videos.
"They all turned out so great that I didn't end up just putting in a segment from each class," she said.
French used parts of almost every video and created a nearly 45-minute documentary.
The Society for Science equipped the students with material for their research. Group focus areas included eclipse history, how eclipses occur, weather changes and animal behavior, viewing safety, scientific research, and local engagement opportunities.
The video does not show students standing in front of a camera reading reports. Instead, it uses all sorts of video effects, like green screens and rolling texts, to add life to the production. The students go on location to places in Canton to highlight eclipse-related events. They interviewed scientists and other experts, and it looks like they are having a lot of fun.
French said she used some seventh graders, who had experience doing morning announcements, to help with the narration and edited the video herself, finishing up just in time for the students to see the completed product just before spring break.
The video, seen at wdt.me/6666pJ, had 300 views on April 5. It is also linked to the Canton Central School web page, www.ccsdk12.org.
French said that, as a teacher, an occurrence like the eclipse is a great way to get kids excited about the world.
"Having this time to share with them and make the eclipse everything that it can be, from science to spiritual, is special," she said. "It's just so many things and a way to connect with the community. I wanted them to feel more than just the science behind it. And the kids that age are so great because they're just so impressionable. They soak it right up, and they embrace the whole thing. Even the kids who are sometimes reluctant learners still embrace it."
The students got to see the final product on the day before spring break.
"Oh, they were proud. They loved it," French said. "They were talking about it, And they wanted to show their families and their parents."
