Learning Documentaries- Weather
Ana-Lauren McKeen Pacific University, Forest Grove2006/07
Materials Needed:
- Digital Video Camera
- Tripod
- Mini-DV tapes
- Computer with/ iMovie software
- Any cords necessary to connect camera to computer (I used a firewire cable)
What the project is:
This project involves students participating in filming sessions in which they discuss what they are learning throughout a unit of study as well as examine themselves as students and learners. Students start by filming predictions about the unit and talking about how they feel about school and themselves as learners. They will be asked to think about what is easy and hard for them in the classroom. Throughout the unit students will meet 4-5 more times to share projects, new knowledge and reflect upon growth and difficulties. At one point I will “secretly” film them during class and let them watch their own behavior and comment on it. At the end of the unit students will watch the video of themselves and decide whether or not they have changed and how. This project is designed with the hope that it will encourage students to think about the learning process and not just the outcomes, as well as encourage them to take pride in and responsibility for their learning behaviors in the classroom.
What I did:
At the beginning of a unit on weather with my 2nd grade class, I talked to the students about what I wanted them to gain from the unit and the assessments that we would be using to see how much they had learned. As part of an authentic assessment, students were given the option to participate in this project. They were told what the project entailed and I asked for volunteers. I selected 4 students, based on what I had seen from them in the classroom. I tried to get a variety of learning styles so that I could get 4 different perspectives on the video. Students met with me throughout the unit, sometimes during recess or lunch, sometimes when the rest of the class was working on their assessment projects. At the end of the unit, the participating students got to help me edit the video and received a copy to take home.
What I would change next time:
- I think this lesson proved powerful for most of the participants, however it did not work well for all of them. Next time I would do a “trial session” with the participants to make sure that they were willing to speak in front of the camera and were capable of appropriate behavior and reflection. This type of project did not fit every learner, but I didn’t catch this immediately.
- Next time I would also try to secure a quieter location to film the sessions. Often, I had no choice but to do it during class so other students wanted my attention or the participating students felt nervous. I may just try even sending the student into the hallway or library to record by themselves (though this might work best with a slightly older age group).
- These were the longest videos I had ever worked with in iMovie, and next time I will be more prepared for the amount of time it took to edit these. It took about 6-8 hours per student to get the videos edited, and I was not prepared for this.
- It turned out that one of the most powerful things that I did was let the students watch the video of themselves working in class. After students saw what they did during a lesson most tried to improve their habits and behaviors to benefit themselves as learners. I had not initially planned to do this piece, but I would definitely include it again.
Contact Info:
If you want more info about this project, or other projects I am using my camera for, you can contact me at or visit my webpage fg.ed.pacificu.edu/sweb/mckeen.