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Date: 4/6/2017
EAST LONGMEADOW – Computer generated animated cartoons might seem more of an art project than math and technology but Suzanne Collins, the STEAM teacher at the Birchland Park Middle School would disagree.
“There is a lot of math embedded in the [computer] programming,” she explained.
This is the third year for the project that involved sixth and seventh graders creating a short film.
This year, thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, professional storyteller Mary Jo Maichack worked with the students on their narratives.
“I really feel that having here enhanced the quality of the art and story,” Collins said.
Collins said the students took nine weeks to develop their stories, which were “pourquois” or “why” stories that pose and answer a question. The questions were developed in brainstorming sessions.
The finished films were shown to family members and the students at two screening on March 30.
The participating students included
• How the Sea Urchin Got Its Spikes, by Michael Carlon
• How the Parrot Found Her Voice, by Abby DeVoie
• How Dinosaurs Went Extinct, by James Doty
• The Great Nut Famine, by Landon Feher and Fizaan Muhammad
• How the Elephant Got His Trunk: Rick Harrison’s Pawn Shop, by Paul Gosselin and Christian Thomas
• How the Dodo Went Extinct, by Brandon Hannouche
• How the Zebra Got its Stripes, by Alanarloyce and Ainsley Smith
• How The Robin Got Its Hops, by Tanner McTaggart
• Ending Thingy, by Caelan Asher and Jolm Scully
• Title Page: Welcome to the Animation Expo by Cameron Collins
• Why Porcupines Have Spikes, by Kyle Birks and Jacob Paschetto
• How the Bird Learned to Fly, by John Dieni
• Why Frogs Eat Flies Instead of Ants, by Dylan Dulchinos
• Why Chickens Waddle, by Colin Evans and Kyle Fisk
• Wheet, Wheet, Wheet, by Nicholas Gasperini
• The Elephant and His Trunk, by Nolan Johnson
• How Sharks Are Made, by Robert Kane
• How Elephants Got Their Trunks by Aman Khurana
• Why Sloths Are Slow, by Christopher Upton
• Why Unicorns Are Extinct, by Jake Reid
• Welcome to Scratch, by Emmanuela Anwuzia
• Why the Puffin Has a Colorful Beak, by Anna Calkins
• Why Dogs Chase Cats, by Joseph Dimichele
• Why Groundhogs Have Shadows, by Luke Haynes
• Why Dogs Chase Cats, by Finnean Richardson
• Why the Skunk Has a White Stripe, by Brigid Jordan
• Why the Giraffe Has a Long Neck, by Owen Cameron
• Cat's Unpurrdictable Emotions, by Molly Mckittrick
• Why the Giraffe has a Long Neck, by Dominick Seymour
• How the Lion Got its Mane, by Allyson Voight