So in our tech class, we worked with claymation. This clip is an interpretation of Shel Silverstein's "Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out." I had a lot of fun working with claymation. I have always been a big fan. The Sinbad movies--pure genius.
Aside from my own pleasure at the activity, I found myself thinking about how useful it could be in getting students thinking about how to interpret a scene from a piece we are working on, in a fun way. Then, as I am student teaching in detroit, I came to my constant problem: money. Our class needed a camera and a computer with imovie capabilities for every three people. Even if the group sizes were larger, the cost of procuring the technology is simply not an option.
So I started thinking of what options I had. I could have the students create diarammas of scenes. I could have them create progressive scenes in play-doh--essentially creating the steps of claymation, but not having the capabilities to run them together.
I realize that at some point I may not be working in the urban school setting. I also feel like my complaint is becoming an annoying refrain here. It's just hard to see so many interesting possibilities with technology, only to realize I don't have the capabilities to put much of any of them to use in my class. Suggestions, anyone?
