County:  San Mateo
District:  Menlo Park City School District
School:  Laurel School

In the 21st century classroom - the student of  the week can star in their very own digital story. What started in Steffany Cressey’s 2nd grade classroom has gone “viral” and K-3 students across Menlo Park City School District are sharing their digital stories. Students are learning to use Flip video cameras to create digital stories about their lives and it is easy to do.

It’s in the bag. Each week, the honored student in class takes home a carry-all bag with: flip camera, tripod, fabric mystery box, and a guessing jar. They use this bag of tricks all throughout their special week as star as they digitally capture their story. The Flip camera is used at home to film what they care about most in their life: family, friends, book, hobbies, pets and more. Back in class, they get the chance to share their story on the “big screen” or their classroom  Interactive WhiteBoard.

This project addresses standards in subjects spanning from language arts, communication, technology, performing arts, visual arts, to life skills at the elementary level. Steffany Cressey, a second grade teacher at Laurel, K-2 school is the initiator of this project and then received a local grant that allowed the project to include all K-3 classrooms in the district.

For more information about this project you can contact Steffany Cressey, 2nd grade teacher - scressey@mpcsd