Service Learning @ Walt Whitman Middle School Fall 2011 from BCCP Video on Vimeo.
The Tale of the Pink House
One day, The Walt Whitman Video Club made chalk drawings on the neighborhood sidewalks. Here is one by Claire and Berlie. Although Claire and Berlie were not thinking of it at the time, they later said that the story reminded them of the earthquake in Haiti; many other students had a similar reaction. As the sun set in Flatbush, night also fell in the chalk drawing, adding to the symbolism and power of story.
The Universe of Names
This fall, we have been discussing the themes of identity and community. We have done projects focusing on names- what they mean and where they are from. Here is a chalk drawing animation by Latea, Denisia, and Barbara in which their names and identities are expressed though design and color (not to mention matching shoes), and music.
Our Trip to Brower Park
Our Trip to Brower Park
by Alison Mercure
When school was over at 2:20, I went downstairs to the cafeteria to BCCP and I saw that they were asking students to sit down. Some students had to leave because they did not get their trip slips signed. So, I got a snack. I ate pretzels and Graham Crackers with Apple Juice. Miss Jill was taking attendance for those who were going, and I was one of them. Before we left, we had to go use the restroom. I took Hadja with me, and then we had to go.
When it was time to leave, we gathered our stuff and we had to walk all the way to the Church Ave station. We had to take the 2 train to Franklin Ave and then we transferred to the 3 train to Kingston Ave. We got off and we were in Brower Park in Crown Heights. We met Phil and he showed us how to plant daffodil bulbs. Phil showed us how to dig in the dirt with a shovel and put the bulbs in order. Then, we covered them with dirt. And work, work, work we did. Meanwhile, we finished. So, we went over to the other side to help Veronica rake the leaves and put them in black garbage bags. I raked the leaves in to a pile and picked them up. I collected the leaves and we finally called it a day. Before we left, we took some pictures and grabbed our backpacks and we left for McDonald’s.
Well, I have to say, the trip was so cool. But, the train ride, not cool! It was so crowded because it was rush hour. Everyone almost fell on the floor. We took the 3 and 2 train back to Church Ave and we got off. We went to McDonald’s and we had McDouble’s and McChicken’s. I ate a McChicken with BBQ sauce and it was the 2’nd time I ate it. Unfortunately, the staff said everyone had to go home. I took Hadja back to the school and there was my Mom. My mother had been waiting for me since 5:30 P.M. Hadja met my mom and she walked home. This was the best day ever! The End!
Walt Whitman visits Brooklyn College!
We had the pleasure of hosting class 803 and 804 at the college this month! Thank you Mr. Thornhill and Ms. Caughman for making these trips possible. The kids had a great time exploring the campus and doing the scavenger hunt, as well as doing arts workshops with Miss Arin…check out some of the photos:
Monsters in the Park
Inspired by a myth about the sun and the moon, as well as a commercial that features a certain Ozzy Osbourne song, the students at MS 246 created this AWESOME animation. We spent a day cutting out shapes for our scenes, which turned into a nice day at the park (except for some brief inclement weather). The next day we animated the scene by using frame by frame animation. At the end of the day, some really adorable monsters showed up and ate everything in the scene.
Shot Composition Scavenger Hunt
In order to better understand the visual language of cinema, the Video Club at MS 246 learned about the different types of shots there are in video, such as high angle, pan, and extreme close up. We also discussed the different emotional and psychological effects these shots have on the viewer. Then the students took to the neighborhood streets and the school’s hallways in a scavenger hunt for the different types of shots. It was fun to be in front of the camera as well as behind the camera. Here is a compilation of some of their findings, many of them beautifully composed and lit.