At Philip W. Sugg Middle School, the eighth grade Music Appreciation Classes were challenged to create a virtual tour of the school. Mr. Scott Trach, the music teacher at PWS, provided students with the equipment, such as video and still cameras. There were at least ten students to each group and everyone had a different area of responsibility in the group to help create the final project.

The videos and pictures were put on iMovie with audio created on a program called GarageBand. GarageBand allows students to create and combine different music to make it their own production. The iMovie program allows students to insert pictures and video into a move. Another program used during the project was NoteShare. NoteShare allows students to “share” their project with their team, and get the pictures and videos from other student’s laptops. As Advocate reporters we asked Mr. Trach how he came up with this project and why he did it. “I had been talking to the district technology coordinator, and there was a need for a virtual tour of the middle school. The eighth grade classes had been familiar with the different programs so I thought it would be a great opportunity for a project,” shared Mr. Trach. When asked if he would do this again, he replied “most definitely.”

The students worked on this assignment in every music class since they were told they were going to be doing the project. Jessica Campbell, an eighth grade music student shared “I enjoyed doing the project because it was something different that we have never done before. We got to go around school video taping classes and see how every teacher teaches differently, and how every kid learns differently.” As Advocate reporters we wanted to know what the students’ favorite part of the project was for them. Caitlin Colby shared “I was the narrator, so the recording was fun, and using NoteShare on our laptops.”

The students took pictures, videos of classes, after school activities, and of the school building. Upon completion of the four different informational projects, Mr. Trach and Principal Rick Green will choose the best movie and post it on the school website at www.union30.org.