Social Synergy: Innovate, Animate, Collaborate!

8th Grade

Project
4 weeks

Social Synergy: Innovate, Animate, Collaborate!

Gustavo Eric German Merckel Niehus

Purpose

This project engages students in creating animations and board games to explore and communicate the principles of digital citizenship. Through collaboration with tech industry professionals and psychologists, students gain insights into the impact of social media and cellphone use on mental health and societal interactions. By crafting narratives and game mechanics, students develop critical thinking and creative skills, while reflecting on their own digital behaviors and responsibilities. The project culminates in a community exhibition, showcasing their work and fostering dialogue on digital citizenship.

Learning goals

Students will develop skills in digital animation and board game design, applying principles of digital citizenship and ethical online behavior. They will deepen their understanding of the impact of social media on collaboration and mental health, informed by expert insights and peer discussions. Through iterative feedback and reflection, students will enhance their ability to critically assess and refine creative projects.

Standards

Common Core - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.
Common Core - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
ISTE Standards for Students - 6b: Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.

Products

Students will create a digital animation that conveys key principles of digital citizenship, utilizing animation techniques and software tools learned during the project. Additionally, they will design and produce a board game that incorporates themes of social media collaboration and ethical online behavior. These products will be developed through iterative design processes, incorporating peer and expert feedback to refine both the animation and the game.

Launch

Begin the project with an immersive visit to a tech company like Google Mexico, where students can engage with professionals to gain insights into the digital world. This experience will set the stage for understanding the real-world impact of digital citizenship. Encourage students to ask questions about how social media platforms are designed to foster collaboration and co-creation, providing a foundation for their upcoming projects.

Exhibition

Host an interactive showcase event where students present their animations and board games to an audience of peers, parents, teachers, and tech professionals. Set up stations for each project, allowing guests to engage with the board games and watch the animations. Facilitate a Q&A session where students discuss their creative process, the challenges they faced, and insights gained about digital citizenship. Conclude the evening with a panel discussion featuring community partners, highlighting the importance of digital awareness and responsible social media use.

Week 1	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Activities	Activity 1: Introduction to Digital Citizenship - Facilitate an interactive workshop where students explore key concepts of digital citizenship, including online safety, privacy, and ethical behavior. Engage students in small group discussions to reflect on their current digital habits.	Activity 2: Animation Software Introduction - Conduct a hands-on tutorial to familiarize students with animation software tools. Guide them through creating simple animations to understand basic techniques.	Activity 3: Understanding Social Media Impact - Host a group brainstorming session to discuss how social media can be used for collaboration and co-creation. Analyze case studies of successful online collaborations.	Activity 4: Begin Animation Storyboarding - Have students start drafting storyboards for their digital citizenship animations, focusing on clear messaging and narrative structure.
Deliverables	1. Storyboard Draft: Each student submits a draft of their animation storyboard, outlining the narrative and key messages related to digital citizenship.
Preparation	1. Prep Task 1: Arrange for guest speakers, including an ex-Google or Facebook employee and a psychologist, for future weeks. 2. Prep Task 2: Set up and test animation software on school computers to ensure all students have access. 3. Prep Task 3: Prepare materials for the digital citizenship workshop, including discussion prompts and case study examples. 4. Prep Task 4: Create a storyboard template to guide students in organizing their ideas for the animation project.

Week 2	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Activities	Activity 1: Animation Development - Students begin creating their animations using the storyboard drafts from Week 1. Emphasize incorporating digital citizenship themes and refining animation techniques learned.	Activity 2: Guest Speaker Session - Host a session with an ex-Google or Facebook employee to discuss the role of social media in facilitating collaboration and co-creation. Students engage in a Q&A to explore real-world applications.	Activity 3: Exploring the Neuroscience of Cellphone Addiction - Conduct a workshop with a psychologist to learn about the impact of cellphone use on mental health. Students research the topic in small groups and present findings.	Activity 4: Initial Board Game Conceptualization - In groups, students brainstorm and outline their board game concepts, focusing on integrating themes of digital citizenship and social media collaboration.
Deliverables	1. Animation Rough Cut: Each student submits a rough cut of their digital animation, showcasing initial scenes and key digital citizenship messages. 2. Board Game Concept Outline: Groups submit an outline detailing the game mechanics, objectives, and how the game promotes understanding of digital citizenship.
Preparation	1. Prep Task 1: Coordinate with the guest speaker to finalize the schedule and prepare a list of student questions for the session. 2. Prep Task 2: Gather research materials and resources for the neuroscience workshop, ensuring students have access to relevant articles and studies. 3. Prep Task 3: Set up collaboration tools for group work on board game concepts, such as digital whiteboards or project management apps. 4. Prep Task 4: Arrange for additional animation software tutorials or resources for students needing extra support.

Week 3	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Activities	Activity 1: Animation Enhancement - Students refine their digital animations by incorporating feedback received during 'Feedback Friday' sessions. Focus on enhancing narrative coherence, animation fluidity, and digital citizenship messaging.	Activity 2: Board Game Prototyping - Groups begin creating physical prototypes of their board games. Emphasize iterative design and testing, encouraging students to experiment with different game mechanics and rules.	Activity 3: Critique Carousel - Conduct a session where students showcase their enhanced animations and board game prototypes to peers and teachers. Rotate through stations to receive targeted feedback, focusing on specific elements such as creativity and clarity.	Activity 4: Reflective Journaling - Facilitate a reflective journaling session where students document insights gained from peer feedback and the Critique Carousel. Encourage them to identify areas for improvement and set goals for the final week.
Deliverables	1. Enhanced Animation: Each student submits an updated version of their animation, reflecting improvements based on peer feedback. 2. Board Game Prototype: Groups submit a playable prototype of their board game, demonstrating the integration of digital citizenship themes.
Preparation	1. Prep Task 1: Prepare feedback forms and criteria for the Critique Carousel, ensuring clarity on what aspects students should focus on. 2. Prep Task 2: Gather materials for board game prototyping, such as card stock, dice, markers, and game pieces. 3. Prep Task 3: Set up stations for the Critique Carousel, organizing spaces for animation viewing and board game testing. 4. Prep Task 4: Compile a list of reflective journaling prompts to guide students in their self-assessment and goal-setting.

Week 4	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Activities	Activity 1: Final Animation Polishing - Students make final adjustments to their animations, focusing on fine-tuning details such as timing, sound, and visual effects. Encourage peer review sessions for last-minute feedback.	Activity 2: Board Game Finalization - Groups finalize their board games by refining rules, enhancing design elements, and ensuring all components are complete. Conduct play-testing sessions with peers to ensure smooth gameplay.	Activity 3: Exhibition Preparation - Students prepare for the showcase event by creating presentation materials, rehearsing their explanations of the animation and board game projects, and setting up their exhibition spaces.	Activity 4: Community Reflection Session - Facilitate a group discussion with community partners, including psychologists and tech professionals, to reflect on project learnings and insights on digital citizenship.
Deliverables	1. Final Animation Submission: Each student submits their completed digital animation, ready for exhibition. 2. Completed Board Game: Groups submit their finalized board game, including all components and rules, for display at the showcase event. 3. Exhibition Presentation: Students prepare and submit a brief presentation outline showcasing their animation and board game, highlighting key learning points and project impacts.
Preparation	1. Prep Task 1: Coordinate logistics for the exhibition event, including invitations for parents, teachers, and tech professionals. 2. Prep Task 2: Prepare materials and setup for the exhibition space, ensuring that all necessary equipment for animations and board games is available. 3. Prep Task 3: Arrange and confirm the schedule for the community reflection session with guest speakers. 4. Prep Task 4: Provide students with guidelines and templates for their exhibition presentation materials, ensuring clarity and organization.