By Sara Ballenger

For Lori Loftus, learning how to make a movie, also known as an iMovie on an iMac Apple computer, revolutionized how she teaches earth science.

Her fourth-grade science students at Bullis-Purissima Elementary School in Los Altos Hills recently made their own iMovies about geology.

Eight of those students presented their films to 45 teachers from around the country at the 10th Annual Project-Based Learning Conference, “Kids who know and do,” April 25 and 26, in San Francisco.

Before getting to the filming stage, students researched geology topics like plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes and erosion.

“I learned a lot about volcanoes, what comes out of the volcano and what makes rock,” said student Jonathan Yam.

As part of the students’ learning process, they also created science notebooks where they cut and pasted information, pictures, drawings and activities related to various geology topics.

“What is surprising is that the plates move a lot,” said student Hillary Armando. “Also surprising is the idea of Pangea or that all of the plates were connected at one time.”

Many of the students were also surprised to learn how much the earth moves.

“Every hour there are like 900 earthquakes so they are impossible to feel unless you’ve got really sensitive equipment,” said student Tim Neiman. “I am kind of scared from earthquakes, but I think it would be kind of fun to experience one.”

Once they decided on a topic and had written a script, teams of three students came up with a skit to film for their iMovie.

“The students used their notebooks as a reference while writing the scripts for their iMovies,” Loftus said. “Kids love skits and to assume different roles. It taps into different learning styles.”

In the iMovie skits, one student assumed the role of a scientist and another, a reporter. The students then filmed their interviews complete with props, sets and costumes, using digital cameras in large part with the help of parent volunteers. Neiman’s video featured a set his parents helped build with a table, globe and a logo for his mock geology television show.

Once the movies were filmed, students set to editing.

“I learned a lot about computers,” said student Andrew Latta. “Before this project, I really wasn’t that good with computers. Now I am pretty good; and learning how to edit an iMovie was pretty cool.”

In addition to editing, students learned how to add music and credits to their movies, said Loftus.

“Students were graded on content, visuals, cooperative work and oral presentation,” she said. “It’s all project-based learning, where the kids come up with a project and work on it over a longer period of time.”

Although it was a graded project, students still managed to have fun.

“Our iMovie went wrong and it started going in slow motion,” Neiman said. “We got to see a sneeze in slow motion, we saw Jonathan go, ‘ACHOOOOO,’” he said drawing out the pronunciation of each letter.

For information, logon to: www.bullis.losaltos.k12.ca.us/Bullis/classrooms/Room13/room.html.