Chinese Inventions - Presentation Time!

Students presented their Chinese Invention Projects today (see other blog post introducing this project here) and enlightened each other about the history and impact on the world of Chinese inventions such as gunpowder, fireworks, the crossbow, the compass, paper currency, landmines, the umbrella, tea, and more!  Enjoy some photos and videos of presentations below:

Watch a news report movie created on umbrellas:

"How to make a Chinese Umbrella" presentation:

Watch a video here of a student introducing how tea was made:

Watch her now perform a traditional Chinese tea ceremony:

Watch a video here of a student presenting the history of the Chinese land mine:

Landmine 3-D model and demonstration:

Silk Road & History of Silk Poster presentation:

A video of a Chinese crossbow demonstration:

Several more wonderful presentations...

Annotated Bibliographies - Seedfolks Book List

Students practiced citing sources by writing annotated bibliographies in the form of a "Recommended Book List" for a Seedfolks (by Paul Fleischman) character of their choice.  We spent the day in the library where students were actively engaged and excited using the online library catalog and their own "perusing the library" skills to locate at least five books that their chosen character might enjoy reading based on the evidence in the text of that character's chapter in the novel (each chapter of Seedfolks is written in the point of view of a different character).  After citing each source, students annotated--basically, wrote a sentence or two explaining--why they chose each book by detailing how it relates to the character or why the character might enjoy that particular book.  Here are some examples:

Recreating Chinese Inventions!

With their "thinking caps" on, students are in the process of recreating ancient Chinese inventions using their creativity.  Working alone, with a partner, or a small group, students first researched and took notes on a Chinese invention of their choice, including a description of the invention, its purpose, how/where the idea spread, the impact its had on the world, and a rating of its overall effectiveness and impact.  Finally, choosing a way to present this information to their classmates, students are actively and ingeniously working together to construct a presentation piece, some of which include:  movie, commercial, claymation movie, live demonstration, 3-D model, diorama, scrapbook, artwork, and other creative ideas.  Students will present next week.  Enjoy students in progress below:

Creating a replica of a Chinese landmine:

Click here to watch a video of students explaining how the landmine works!

3-D Models, Clay-mation, & Google-translated movies on the Chinese crossbow:

arrow model

crossbow model

mustard gas model

crossbow clay-mation movie

crossbow movie (Google-translated in Chinese)

Researching and creating a scrapbook:

Scrapbook on Chinese currency including coins & paper currency:

Constructing a Chinese hand cannon:

Click here to watch a student demonstrate how the hand cannon works!

Writing an ancient narrative:

Creating an artistic representation:

Mosaic art of Chinese tea set:

A diorama of a Chinese New Year's scene:

Painting a Chinese tea set:

Testing Chinese crossbow 3-D working models:

Check out a silly video here of a Chinese crossbow vs. The Great Wall of China!

Diorama showing fireworks impact on America:

Diorama of Chinese naval mines and cannons:

Painting Chinese calligraphy:

3D Poster on fireworks:

3D Poster on Chinese Teas:

Researching on internet for posters & PowerPoint presentations:

Beginning to a 3D model on the Great Wall of China:

Diorama of fireworks scene in China:

3D artistic representation of the Silk Road and silk (& silkworms):

3D Model of arrow/bomb from hand cannon:

In the process of creating a clay-mation movie on impact of gunpowder 
(hand cannon, fireworks, and rocket):

MovieMaker Live is used to create clay-mation movie:

Commercial on umbrellas being created using MovieMaker Live:

3D models of Chinese umbrellas used later in a MovieMaker movie:

Constructing a mini "Great Wall" (hey, that's an oxymoron!) & catapult:

Watch the video below of catapult vs. Great Wall:

Artistic drawing of Chinese tea set:

3D artistic poster on fireworks:

Chinese fireworks rocket/flamethrower: