Media Productions
Areas of Focus
Media Productions – Course Overview
The Media Productions class is designed to develop students as creators and critical users of technology, rather than passive consumers. Serving students in kindergarten through fifth grade, the course builds a vertically aligned foundation in digital literacy, creativity, and responsible technology use.
In kindergarten and first grade, students learn the basic mechanics of digital creation using tools such as Wixie and Google Draw to express ideas through images and simple designs. Second and third graders expand their skills by creating digital presentations across multiple platforms, learning safe and responsible technology use, and gaining introductory exposure to coding concepts. In fourth and fifth grade, students apply their skills through hands-on exploration of photography, videography, podcasting, yearbook production, digital design, and advanced digital citizenship.
Through this progression, Media Productions supports communication, collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving while preparing students for future CTAE pathways and technology-rich learning environments.
Student Impact
Media productions is a great pathway to choose if you like working with computers , technology and photography! Mrs Nicholson teaches us new things and helps us when we get stuck. We get to use cameras and take photos , we get to animate on Canva , and we get to sell stuff to the other grades! You get to learn the basics of marketing and design. I feel so lucky to be in Media productions! -Ayla Marelle
Media Productions has taught me how to edit and use computer programs better than I would’ve before. Mrs. Nicholson is a great teacher and makes everything seem fun. She has taught me so much on computers and how all the other programs work. It even inspired me to start editing videos at home. Media Productions helped me learn a lot about computers, and I can see my skill on computers rise a lot, and it's all from this pathways. -Leela Jones
Student Journal Exemplers
Student Engagement
Kindergarten and 1st Grade
- Kindergarteners learn to create simple entries in their journals to reflect what they are learning about.
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They work in Wixie to learn how to use simple digital tools to create stories, animation, and audio to text.
Learning Simple Animation
- Kindergarten and 1st graders use Wixie to learn basic animation digital tools.
4th & 5th Grade Podcasting
- As part of both the STEM choice pathway and the after‑school club, students create, direct, and record small podcast segments that contribute to the school’s overall podcast.
- Podcasting is offered as a STEM choice pathway and an after‑school club, where students create, direct, and record short segments for the school‑wide podcast.
DECA High School Connection
As part of both the STEM choice pathway and the after‑school club, students create, direct, and record small podcast segments that contribute to the school’s overall podcast.
Shark Tank
Students created a product idea and presented it to the class and two visiting high school students.
Future Forward
Students created a small product to sell and held a market day. They designed logos, mottos, advertisements, and shirt designs to represent their product. We visited FCHS and high school marketing students guided them in the creation process.
Digital Design
Community Partners
FCHS DECA
Future Forward
5th Grade, October 2024
FCHS DECA students worked with 5th grade students to create a marketing scheme to help them brand a small group craft project. Students took a trip to the high school to work on creating logos, mottos, advertisements, and marketing techniques. DECA students also came to Whitlow on two occasions to present.
Otwell Middle School
Podcasting
5th Grade, April 2025
Otwell Middle School invited Whitlow students to collaborate with their podcasting program, offering a tour of their impressive studio and equipment. This visit supports ongoing work to strengthen vertical alignment between the schools. Both the podcasting class and the news crew participated in the experience. Looking ahead, Whitlow students will begin developing their own podcasting studio and launching a school podcast for the 2025–26 school year.
Innovative!
We were invited to present our CTAE vertical alignment to the Board of Education. Students were able to share their voice on the impact that our programs have had on them.