Imagine you are flying above Florida, looking down at the winding (and in some places straight) Kissimmee River, the enormous Lake Okeechobee, the patchwork quilt of farmlands, the watery green Everglades, and the urban sprawl of houses and roads. For those of us who are not superheroes with the ability to fly, the students participating in our Digital WAVE program can give you that opportunity. They have been learning about climate change and the water pathways throughout south Florida, and have created a 3D virtual south Florida to illustrate these crucial environmental issues. Take a photo tour of south Florida with us, and you will be amazed at the progress amd creativity of these young people. (Click on each image to see a larger picture.)
Posts Tagged ‘ climate change ’
Making Movies. Creating and scripting 3-D animations. Navigating in virtual worlds. Customizing your own avatars. Learning about climate change and its effects on South Florida. Designing structures to withstand hurricanes. Combine all of these elements, and you get the Museum’s program entitled Digital WAVE: Warming Winds and Water. Nineteen students participated in a two-week summer program in which they were able to do all these things. Students learned about climate change and its effects on South Florida, including how hurricane intensity and frequency may be related, and designed and built their own virtual 3-D structures with the help of an experienced technology teacher and mentor. Then they watched what happened as their virtual hurricanes roared past their structures.
At the end of the two weeks, the Museum held a Family Day Finale Event and Student Showcase for Digital WAVE. Each student created a short movie which showed their structures either withstanding or being destroyed by their virtual hurricanes, and also featured some photos and other work the students had completed. Parents and other family members were invited to see the Student Showcase and hear about students’ work and experiences. After passing out certificates for completing the program, and eating some cake, the big question from the students came, as they started to leave: “When is the next program I can sign up for?”