The Marvelous Mashup: Adobe Express in the Math and Science Classroom #AdobeEduCreative @RebeccaLouHare

I've been spending a lot of time tinkering around with Adobe Express recently, and let me tell you, it’s a phenomenal resource for us educators! If you haven't heard of Adobe Express, or maybe you just haven't found a way to incorporate it into your classroom yet, sit tight because I have some fantastic ideas for you.

First things first, what’s Adobe Express? It's a super user-friendly online tool from Adobe that helps you create stunning graphics, webpages, and videos. The best part is, you don’t have to be a tech wizard to use it. And yes, it's perfect for the Math and Science class. Let’s dive in!

The Marvels of Math with Adobe Express

Lesson 1: The "Graphical" Tale

Math can be a bit daunting for some students. Why not take those intimidating equations and turn them into a graphical story? In this activity, have your students use Adobe Express to create a story with graphics representing mathematical concepts. For instance, a tale of two numbers 'dividing' their possessions (think pizza slices or cookies) can be a creative way of understanding division.

Remember, it's okay to be a bit silly with the storyline! We're trying to create a safe space where learning is fun. Here is a fun example of Pi sharing Pie. 

Lesson 2: Mathematical Masterpieces

Let's face it, shapes are everywhere. From the soccer field to the kitchen table, we are surrounded by geometry. This activity involves students capturing images of different geometrical shapes in real life, then annotating them with Adobe Express. They can create a collage or a slideshow of the shapes and even write a description about where they found them.

The Splendors of Science with Adobe Express

Lesson 1: The Eco-system Storyboard

Science is all about exploration and understanding the world around us. This project is all about ecosystems. Assign different ecosystems to students or groups and ask them to create a storyboard on Adobe Express detailing the various components of their assigned ecosystem, like flora, fauna, climate, etc.

The catch here is they have to present it as a story. It could be from the perspective of an animal, a plant, or even a droplet of water! 

Lesson 2: The Element’s Journey

In this activity, your students get to pick an element from the periodic table and detail its journey. Where is it found? How is it used in everyday life? What reactions can it undergo? They can illustrate these using Adobe Express's visual tools. This helps in understanding the practical application of elements.

For instance, Carbon's journey could start from being a part of a plant to becoming a diamond ring! The possibilities are endless. Here is an example of the first page of the project. 

So, there you have it folks, four ideas to get your creative juices flowing and your students exploring Math and Science in a new, fun, and interactive way. Remember, Adobe Express is a tool, and like all tools, it's not about what it is, it's about what you do with it.

Can't wait to hear about all the awesome projects you'll be creating!

Enhancing Assessments with Adobe Express #AdobeEduCreative @RebeccaLouHare

As educators, we are always on the lookout for creative ways to engage and assess our middle school students. I want to share with you an amazing digital tool that can be used in a variety of ways for assessment purposes: Adobe Express. This powerful platform allows students to create and share visually stunning projects while demonstrating their understanding of content. Below are three examples of how Adobe Express can be utilized for assessment in different content areas.

Social Studies: Building Interactive Timelines

When it comes to social studies, there's a lot of history to cover. A traditional paper-and-pencil timeline might work, but why not kick it up a notch with Adobe Express? Students can create interactive, multimedia timelines that not only display key events but also include images, videos, and audio to help bring history to life.

To assess students' understanding, have them create an interactive timeline of a specific historical period or event. For example, students studying the Civil Rights Movement can create a timeline highlighting key events, figures, and legislation, with accompanying images and videos. Teachers can assess students' comprehension of the material based on the accuracy, depth, and creativity of their timelines.

Science: Crafting Multimedia Lab Reports

Lab reports are a staple in science classrooms, but let's face it, they can be a bit dull. With Adobe Express, students can create multimedia lab reports that are both engaging and informative. Students can include photos of their lab setup, videos of the experiment in progress, and audio explanations of their observations and conclusions.

To assess students' understanding of the scientific method and lab procedures, have them create a multimedia lab report for a recent experiment. For instance, if students are learning about chemical reactions, they can document their experiment with baking soda and vinegar, sharing images of the reaction, videos of the process, and audio explanations of their observations. Teachers can assess students' understanding based on the clarity, accuracy, and depth of their multimedia lab reports.

Language Arts: Digital Storytelling

Digital storytelling is a powerful way for students to express themselves and demonstrate their understanding of a text. With Adobe Express, students can create visually captivating stories that incorporate images, videos, and audio to enhance their narratives.

As an assessment, have students create a digital story based on a piece of literature they've read in class. For example, after reading "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton, students can create a digital story that retells the plot, explores a character's perspective, or examines a key theme from the book. Teachers can assess students' understanding of the text based on the accuracy, creativity, and depth of their digital stories.

Adobe Express is a versatile tool that can enhance assessments across various content areas. By incorporating multimedia elements into their projects, students can demonstrate their understanding of the material in a creative and engaging manner. As educators, we should continue to explore innovative tools like Adobe Express to ensure our assessments are both effective and enjoyable for our students.

Cutting Board Challenge #MakerEd #AdobeEduCreative

We are starting the school year with some fun challenges in our Innovation and Design Level 2 class. I really want to focus on physical making with digital making as a support and design tool. Our first project will be using Adobe Creative Cloud Express to create their own logo. From there, we will use the laser cutter to put their logo on a keychain. Here is my example I will be using with the students,

From here, students will be design their own themed cutting board. I was able to get a bulk order of 5"x8" bamboo cutting boards for the class from Amazon. Students will design a PNG in ACCE and we will use the laser cutter to etch the design. Their logo will go on the back. Once they have created their cutting board, they will need to create an ad for it. Here is my example,

One of the things I trying to do this year is not make my examples over the top. I spent lots of time on other examples in the past and I had students say they would not be able to match my example. I think that impacted their effort. For first time project examples, I'm going to scale back the examples until I can use student examples. 

All of these examples and projects will live in their portfolio on Seesaw. By the end of the trimester, I hope to have each student with a collection of their design work. 

Feel free to share some thoughts and ideas on how I could tweak this to make it better. I appreciate all of the feedback. 

Hugs and High Fives, 

N Provenzano