Students in Ms. Schneider's class at Rosa Parks Elementary have been studying and writing myths. After each student composed their own myth, they posed as a character from their story and took pictures of themselves with digital cameras.

With their myths typed in MS Word, they inserted their picture. Then they used the Autoshape button on the Drawing toolbar to insert stars on top of the image at strategic locations (joints, feet, head, etc.) Next, they used the line autoshape to connect the stars.

Finally, they moved the digital image out from under the stars so that all that was left was the constellation of the character from their myth. They're final version included their myth, the digital image and the constellation. These constellations could also be created with Microsoft Image Composer. Students would need to open the image of themselves and insert clip art of stars over their image. When the stars are in place, they can delete their picture so that only the constellation shows. 

Here is one sample myth and its constellation.

The Magic Chain!

Once far away in a land were you and I have never been there lived a beautiful girl name Caroline she lived with her sister and parents. She once had always dreamed of a time where she could run away and be free. So the time has come!!!

“Mom,” Caroline yelled, "I need to pack.  Tell Maggie to help, and write a letter to dad at the palace saying I love him! I’ll call Bob, the carriage driver, to drive me to Carolina Lane. I can walk to a nearby Hotel!"

Day Two

Where is he I wondered? Finally, I could hear horse feet running in my direction - finally!  "Sorry about that,” I hopped into the carriage.  "So where are we off to?” "Well I’m off to Carolina Lane!"  "YOU DON’T KNOW HOW DANGEROUS IT IS, do ya!!! "Why I don’t think it’s dangerous at all!"  "With all that luggage it is."  "Don’t be silly!" I said.  I hopped off, “ Well, bye," then I ran off. Until I turned around and BANG!

Day Three!

I had been hit in the head. Next thing I knew I was chained up to a wall. Nobody was in the room then out of the corner of my eye I saw a a snake a huge snake. But then I heard something a ……..Person a…Boy! There he was he came and sliced the snake in two then came and cut the chain. 20 years had past and I have past and I have never forgot! But now I am dead and forgotten but now every once in a while I have been brought up and you can still see me on a summer night!

Well, they all got a disease on which to create a web page, that is. Their science teacher, Ms. Susan Powers, assigned students a disease. The students learned to create a web page using Microsoft’s FrontPage 2000, and then each student had to research their disease and create a web page that described their disease and its symptoms, discussed the cures or treatments and some of its history. The students had to include links to Internet sites with additional information on their disease and also links to informative pictures about the disease. Also, each web page contained a link to a bibliography. 

Aside from learning about the disease they researched, the students will learn from each other’s web pages through the culminating activity for this project. This activity will be a Scavenger Hunt where they will have to explore each other’s websites on the Internet to locate information about each other diseases. 

Ms. Powers maintains the Disease Home Page off of which all her students’ web pages are linked. She grades their work online and offers the students opportunities to improve their work before the culminating activity. You can view her home page and her students’ work at the following address: http://staff.fcps.net/wms_centurion/diseases.htm

Also, you may view the 50 Scavenger Hunt questions at the following site:
http://staff.fcps.net/wms_centurion/disease_scavenger_hunt.htm

If you would like more information about this project, or would like to learn how you could adapt it to your curriculum, contact Stephen Holthaus at sholthau@fayette.k12.ky.us.