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Using Video in the Content Area Classroom
I’m now offering workshops on Teaching Teachers Technology (see description at the bottom of the page). One such piece of technology is the Point-and-Shoot or “Flip” video camera. It is the size of an I Pod yet can film 1 to 2 hours of video. Made by Pure Digital, the camera uses a USB drive to transfer video to your computer. Two double AA batteries can supply up to 4 hours of taping. The Flip, as seen on Oprah, costs between $100 (2GB) and $200 (2GB in High Def). You can find out more about the Flip at http://www.theflip.com/index.shtml. Hint: You can find lower prices at such sites as www.Zappos.com.
Digital Book Talks™
Dr. Robert Kenny and Dr. Glenda Gunter at the University of Central Florida in Orlando conceived of using video book trailers to motivate reluctant readers to read books. Students make a “movie preview trailer” of a book they’ve read to entice other readers. For more information about this wonderful program at UCF, go to http://videobooktrailer.com
Chris Roberts, a teacher at Lakeview Middle School in Winter Garden, Florida, implemented the UCF program with her students. She has kindly allowed me to include a few samples of her students’ work. Chris requires her students to script out their movies in Story Boards before they are allowed to begin filming. Note that she has expanded the use of video by having her students make commercials, as seen in “The Hoverboard,” in order to learn propaganda techniques. Chris’s students began transferring their video skills to other classes. Be sure to watch “Confucius Boy,” a film a sixth grader made for Geography. It’s a reminder of why we love middle school kids.
Videos
The Husband
The Lightning Thief
The Fall of the House of Usher
The Hoverboard
Confucius Boy
After one of my workshops on Using Video in the Classroom, teacher Jomel Villamil at Franklin High School in Los Angeles implemented the Flip camera in his Environmental Science classroom. His students made films about such topics as Poverty, HIV-AIDS, and Alternative Fuels. Here is one of his students’ films on Global Warming. PS-note who catches the blame at the end!
Global Warming
Student Video “Oscars” Program
For a number of years, middle school students in Marietta, Georgia have been studying such relevant topics as child homelessness, immigration, child labor, and genetically modified food. Each year the students make 2- to 3-minute movies of their research, and the school holds an “Oscars” program. Films are judged in categories such as: Best Documentary, Best Cinematography, or Best Dramatic Comedy. To see pictures of this wonderful event and samples of winning films, go to http://mabryonline.org/archives/mtv.
 
Copyright note: As with any project, make sure students properly site their sources for art and music. Check with your own administration or media specialist for more information.
Teaching Teachers Technology
 Many teachers feel woefully behind the curve in their use of internet and computer teaching strategies. This workshop is designed to get them over that psychological hump that hinders their use of technology in the classroom. In one day in a computer lab, teachers will learn the following:
- How to create a movie in Windows Movie Maker
- How to download video, pictures, and You Tube video into their movie
- How to include special effects, titles, and transitions into their movie
- How to add music and narration to their movie
- How to integrate Movie Maker films into their curriculum
You may never see prouder expressions on your teachers’ faces after this day! Detailed handouts are provided.
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