An App for That
Content
An App for That A skit Cast: (Mr or Mrs.) iKnow-it-All (the host) iKnow Device (no talking) Greek Chorus (3 or more people) Development Team One (2 or more people) State Education Official Development Team Two (2 or more people) Pencil (no talking) Student Development Team Three (2 or more people) Rock Band (assorted musicians)
The scene opens on stage with the Host convening a group of people (Greek Chorus) in a focus group. They are seated at a table (sort of like American Idol) while he paces the floor. Host: Welcome, everyone, to the development session of the iKnow Device Focus Group. As some of you know, our fearless leader and visionary -- Bill Jobs -- has given us the task of developing Apps for the new iKnow device ... Greek Chorus (interrupting him) : We know! We know! Host: Umm, ahem, right, well ... the iKnow is about to launched to the school public ... Greek Chorus: We know! Host: ... and, well, we need some addictive Apps that kids will learn to love, and that teachers can at least understand. Now, we understand this is a difficult balance but we think we might be able to do it. (He pauses, waiting for the Greek Chorus to interrupt, but they don’t. He seems surprised). First, let’s take a look at the iKnow, shall we? (The iKnow devices comes onto the stage, does a graceful bow and
stands before the Greek Chorus). Host (pointing): Look at this wonderful device. It’s everything you wanted but just didn’t know that you wanted. Notice the sharp cardboard exterior -easily recycle-able and lives up to our Green is Good golden standards. The brain of this operation runs with the efficiency of a human brain because, well, it is a human brain. We even modeled it on a third grade teacher! And pay attention to how portable this iKnow really is. (The device starts to jog around the stage, like a model on a runway). It’s an amazing device. Greek Chorus (starting to get more impatient): We know! We know! Host: OK. Now, then, we’ve had some of our App developers locked up inside Storage Closet B for a few days now and the only way out for them has been to come up with an App idea. We’ve had to slip a few cheesy nachos under the door to make sure they survived, but I think our engineering process worked. I know you are eager to see what they have created .... Greek Chorus (more impatient): We know! Host: So, eh, let’s get started. Team One, come forward and tell us what you have. (Team One comes on stage. They carry something that looks like a standardized test). Team 1, Developer 1: Thank you. What we have here is something we are calling the Big Test Translator. Team 1, Developer 2: That’s right. How often have students read through a state test and had no clue about what was being asked of them? D1: Too often. D2: With this revolutionary App, students can get a translation of test questions into comprehensible English. For example, when the test asks
for the Product of two numbers, the Big Test Translator converts that to “ multiply the two numbers.” D1: And when the test asks for Character Traits, what kid knows what that means? The App wisely suggests, Tell what you know about a character. The App is simple to use and ... (The state education official runs onto stage, waving their hands wildly.) Official: What is going on here? This is not an accepted accommodation! Greek Chorus (happily): We Know! We know! Official: Remove this App at once! At once! Arne Duncan would not approve! (There is a scramble as the official chases the development team off the stage) Host: Yes, well, there are always some programming bugs to work out. Moving on .... our next development team has a very practical App for anyone who has spent any time in a classroom with students. (Development Team 2 comes on stage, following by a large Pencil and a student) Host: Team, what have you got for us? Team 2, Developer 1: Our App is directly inspired by teachers. It is called the Instant Pencil Finder. D2: That’s right. For some reason, pencils seem to disappear from the desks, lockers and fingers of students of all ages. It’s as if a pencil-sucking black hole existed in every classroom. Our App seeks to reverse that. D1: The Instant Pencil Finder uses an elaborate GPS system to track down pencils, providing a map of all pencils hidden in corners, in binders and even in pockets of pilfering students. With this App, no student again
will be able to say they can’t get started on that assignment. D2: Let us demonstrate. Here, we have a pencil (points to Pencil) and here we have a student (points to student). Now, imagine the pencil rolling away (Pencil rolls on floor) and the student can’t find it (student looks confused). I just call up the App (on the iKnow) and ... presto ... the pencil is found (the student starts to reach for the pencil, which plays hard to get. It’s another chase scene on the stage). Host: Thank you, team. Well done. Now, if you can just adapt that to help adults find their cell phones, we could expand our audience ... Greek Chorus (in agreement): We know. We know. Host: And now to our last development team. Team three, come on out. (Team three enters) Host: What have you got for us? Team 3, Developer 1: Now, you know that just about every school in the country has a Talent Show night, right? Greek Chorus and Host, together: We Know! D2: But, to be honest, the talent of teachers is pretty limited. Greek Chorus and Host, together: We Know! D1: Our App is called Big Noise! What it does is transforms common educators into holographic rock and roll stars and turns the volume up. Just call up this App ... D2 (finishing the sentence): .... and watch what happens. (They turn to the back of the stage, where the band takes off with the song. Everyone does some dancing on stage).
DataFlow I read, I write, I learn, I think I see the world change in a blink I need to have the latest ... iKnow I calculate, investigate I watch my parents hesitate I need to have the latest .... iKnow I’m like an island in the sea The world, it comes to me with data flow s and videos to see! Host: So, there you have it! Three Apps to change the world. The iKnow advertising blitz is already underway, folks, so be ready for iKnows, everywhere. Greek Chorus: We Know! We Know! Host: Remember: while “they” might have an “App for that,” we have an App for everything else. Also in development are: • The Grade Remorse Calculator, for determining the grade of a project if a student had put in more effort; • The Progress Report Translator, for converting the standard-based assessment gobblygook back into the “good ol’ days” of letter grades; • A game of Virtual Quidditch, Hallet-style; • and of course, the very popular the Homework Free Pass Creator.
Good night and good luck! (The band kicks into the song again ... fade away)
--THE END!
The scene opens on stage with the Host convening a group of people (Greek Chorus) in a focus group. They are seated at a table (sort of like American Idol) while he paces the floor. Host: Welcome, everyone, to the development session of the iKnow Device Focus Group. As some of you know, our fearless leader and visionary -- Bill Jobs -- has given us the task of developing Apps for the new iKnow device ... Greek Chorus (interrupting him) : We know! We know! Host: Umm, ahem, right, well ... the iKnow is about to launched to the school public ... Greek Chorus: We know! Host: ... and, well, we need some addictive Apps that kids will learn to love, and that teachers can at least understand. Now, we understand this is a difficult balance but we think we might be able to do it. (He pauses, waiting for the Greek Chorus to interrupt, but they don’t. He seems surprised). First, let’s take a look at the iKnow, shall we? (The iKnow devices comes onto the stage, does a graceful bow and
stands before the Greek Chorus). Host (pointing): Look at this wonderful device. It’s everything you wanted but just didn’t know that you wanted. Notice the sharp cardboard exterior -easily recycle-able and lives up to our Green is Good golden standards. The brain of this operation runs with the efficiency of a human brain because, well, it is a human brain. We even modeled it on a third grade teacher! And pay attention to how portable this iKnow really is. (The device starts to jog around the stage, like a model on a runway). It’s an amazing device. Greek Chorus (starting to get more impatient): We know! We know! Host: OK. Now, then, we’ve had some of our App developers locked up inside Storage Closet B for a few days now and the only way out for them has been to come up with an App idea. We’ve had to slip a few cheesy nachos under the door to make sure they survived, but I think our engineering process worked. I know you are eager to see what they have created .... Greek Chorus (more impatient): We know! Host: So, eh, let’s get started. Team One, come forward and tell us what you have. (Team One comes on stage. They carry something that looks like a standardized test). Team 1, Developer 1: Thank you. What we have here is something we are calling the Big Test Translator. Team 1, Developer 2: That’s right. How often have students read through a state test and had no clue about what was being asked of them? D1: Too often. D2: With this revolutionary App, students can get a translation of test questions into comprehensible English. For example, when the test asks
for the Product of two numbers, the Big Test Translator converts that to “ multiply the two numbers.” D1: And when the test asks for Character Traits, what kid knows what that means? The App wisely suggests, Tell what you know about a character. The App is simple to use and ... (The state education official runs onto stage, waving their hands wildly.) Official: What is going on here? This is not an accepted accommodation! Greek Chorus (happily): We Know! We know! Official: Remove this App at once! At once! Arne Duncan would not approve! (There is a scramble as the official chases the development team off the stage) Host: Yes, well, there are always some programming bugs to work out. Moving on .... our next development team has a very practical App for anyone who has spent any time in a classroom with students. (Development Team 2 comes on stage, following by a large Pencil and a student) Host: Team, what have you got for us? Team 2, Developer 1: Our App is directly inspired by teachers. It is called the Instant Pencil Finder. D2: That’s right. For some reason, pencils seem to disappear from the desks, lockers and fingers of students of all ages. It’s as if a pencil-sucking black hole existed in every classroom. Our App seeks to reverse that. D1: The Instant Pencil Finder uses an elaborate GPS system to track down pencils, providing a map of all pencils hidden in corners, in binders and even in pockets of pilfering students. With this App, no student again
will be able to say they can’t get started on that assignment. D2: Let us demonstrate. Here, we have a pencil (points to Pencil) and here we have a student (points to student). Now, imagine the pencil rolling away (Pencil rolls on floor) and the student can’t find it (student looks confused). I just call up the App (on the iKnow) and ... presto ... the pencil is found (the student starts to reach for the pencil, which plays hard to get. It’s another chase scene on the stage). Host: Thank you, team. Well done. Now, if you can just adapt that to help adults find their cell phones, we could expand our audience ... Greek Chorus (in agreement): We know. We know. Host: And now to our last development team. Team three, come on out. (Team three enters) Host: What have you got for us? Team 3, Developer 1: Now, you know that just about every school in the country has a Talent Show night, right? Greek Chorus and Host, together: We Know! D2: But, to be honest, the talent of teachers is pretty limited. Greek Chorus and Host, together: We Know! D1: Our App is called Big Noise! What it does is transforms common educators into holographic rock and roll stars and turns the volume up. Just call up this App ... D2 (finishing the sentence): .... and watch what happens. (They turn to the back of the stage, where the band takes off with the song. Everyone does some dancing on stage).
DataFlow I read, I write, I learn, I think I see the world change in a blink I need to have the latest ... iKnow I calculate, investigate I watch my parents hesitate I need to have the latest .... iKnow I’m like an island in the sea The world, it comes to me with data flow s and videos to see! Host: So, there you have it! Three Apps to change the world. The iKnow advertising blitz is already underway, folks, so be ready for iKnows, everywhere. Greek Chorus: We Know! We Know! Host: Remember: while “they” might have an “App for that,” we have an App for everything else. Also in development are: • The Grade Remorse Calculator, for determining the grade of a project if a student had put in more effort; • The Progress Report Translator, for converting the standard-based assessment gobblygook back into the “good ol’ days” of letter grades; • A game of Virtual Quidditch, Hallet-style; • and of course, the very popular the Homework Free Pass Creator.
Good night and good luck! (The band kicks into the song again ... fade away)
--THE END!
