Technology is creating new ways for students in Amityville to express themselves as Northwest Elementary School, as students are using Padcaster to reinforce learning in multiple subject areas. 

Padcaster equipment includes an iPad and holder, light, microphone, tripod and green screen background. Videos are made on iMovie and with green screen technology each student can superimpose a picture related to his or her topic in the background.

In Lori Heavey’s third grade class, students completed holiday research projects. In addition to writing a paper, each child added a digital component by summarizing his or her research in a short video. Ms. Heavey explained that this activity was possible through the district’s Skin in the Game initiative, which included training for two of her students on the use of the equipment, so they could serve as directors and assist their classmates. For another assignment, her students dabbled in persuasive writing by crafting restaurant reviews and creating accompanying videos.

“Every video game begins with a story,” Lori Heavey told her third graders at Northwest Elementary School to begin a seasonal technology activity in the days before the holiday break. 


Students wrote holiday stories, then created video games based upon these stories using the Bloxels app on mini iPads. Ms. Heavey explained the essential components of video games including a hero, a villain and obstacles. The young programmers were able to select their characters, background, coins and other features to make custom games on the touchscreen devices. Games also had to include story boxes that related back to each student’s original writing piece. 

The floats of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade inspired a STEM activity in third grade classrooms at Northwest Elementary School. Students in Adrienne Hartung’s and Julie Kirschen’s classes built models of parade floats with balloons.

After reading “Balloons Over Broadway” by Melissa Sweet, watching video footage of the famed parade and studying simple machines in science, students got to work on their projects. Working in groups, they brainstormed ideas and planned out their designs before building. In addition to balloons, the young engineers had plastic and wooden sticks to support their floats which had to rise above a flat cardboard surface. 

The task incorporated problem-solving strategies as children overcame different challenges, such as the balloons popping when connecting the sticks, to successfully complete their floats. 

Completed floats included Mickey Mouse, a teddy bear, a snowman, an ice cream sundae and more. Ms. Hartung and Ms. Kirschen said that they were very impressed with the creativity of the students.