Video cameras these days are much more affordable then they used to be. Many teachers are using video cameras as a valuable tool for student projects and presentations. One of the most popular cameras for classroom use is the Flip Video, it sturdy, runs on two AA batteries, and is available for as low as $149.99. There are also special programs and incentives available for teachers interested raising money to purchase Flip Video for their classrooms. This week we wanted to share some simple ideas for using video cameras in the classroom.
Music – Have students write and perform a rap or a song telling about an important historical in music
History – Have students write and perform a monologue telling about the life of an important person in history
– Interview a family member or friend regarding a specific time in history that they experienced
Science – Have students record various steps of a science experiment and embed the video into a student Web page or PowerPoint presentation as visual evidence of collected data
Language Arts – Have students film an ad persuading other students to read a particular book
Communications – Students create short video clips for the school website to encourage students to join a club, attend an event, or volunteer for a community event
Field trips – Record and take digital pictures of class field trips and use the media for follow up class projects and discussion. For example: visit the zoo and then create a PowerPoint exhibit that includes video/photos and facts about a specific animal.
Introduce concepts – Film video introductions to concepts for example, these videos were created by teachers and posted to TeacherTube: Mr. Duey-Fractions Official Video
You can create your own videos or find videos online that you can use to introduce concepts in the classroom. BrainPOP is a wonderful resource that contains hundreds of videos and quizzes that can be used to introduce concepts for grades 3-12. BrainPOP Jr. is dedicated specifically for grades K-3 and another widely-used teacher resource.
Extra credit – Film extra credit lectures and post them to the class Web page for students to listen to at home and complete assignments on such as a position paper regarding the lecture.
Evaluation – Film class presentations for self evaluation
For more great project ideas visit RubiStar, a database of over 100,000 rubrics over almost any K-12 subject. Use an existing RubiStar rubric or create one of your own for free!
