Creating Videos

Creating videos for class might sound intimidating or even a little chaotic, but think of it less as a Hollywood production and more as a modern-day book report. Instead of just writing down facts, students get to show what they know in a way that feels natural to them. This approach offers a few key benefits that you just can't get from a traditional test. First, these projects lead to deeper learning; rather than memorizing answers for a test, students must genuinely understand a topic to explain it to an audience on camera, which forces them to become the expert. Second, it builds crucial real-world skills, teaching students how to plan, organize their thoughts, and speak clearly, all vital for success beyond the classroom. Finally, video projects make learning more engaging and authentic, as students are excited by the format, put in more effort, and give you a much more complete picture of what they’ve learned than a single letter grade ever could.

Ready to get started?

Here are three strategies to bring video creation into your classroom without the stress.

Top 5 videos are pretty low-stakes while also having students make a claim and support it with a reason.

Here are five examples for Top 5 videos!

• Science: Top 5 Wildest Animal Adaptations: Students create a video counting down the most unique and surprising ways animals have evolved to survive in their environments.

• English Language Arts: Top 5 Essential Literary Devices: Students identify and define five key literary devices, giving a clear example for each one.

• Math: Top 5 Real-World Uses of Geometry: Students explore and explain five everyday examples of how geometry is used, from architecture to video games.

• History: Top 5 Most Influential Inventions of the Roman Empire: Students highlight five inventions from ancient Rome, describing the impact each had on the world.

• World Languages: Top 5 Survival Phrases for [Language]: Students teach five essential phrases in a different language that a tourist would need to know.

The "Day in the Life" format is perfect for bringing a topic to life. It's a fun and engaging way for students to showcase their research.

Here are a few ideas!

• Science: A Day in the Life of a Honeybee: A student acts as a honeybee, vlogging about its daily routine of gathering nectar and pollinating flowers.

• English Language Arts: A Day in the Life of a Character from a Novel: A student takes on the persona of a character from a book, narrating their daily activities and thoughts as they experience the story's events.

• Math: A Day in the Life of a Professional Athlete: A student pretends to be an athlete, using a vlog to explain how they use math concepts like angles, speed, and probability throughout their day.

• History: A Day in the Life of an Ancient Egyptian Scribe: A student "vlogs" about their daily work of writing hieroglyphs on papyrus scrolls and recording official business.

• World Languages: A Day in the Life of a Student in a Foreign Country: A student narrates a typical day in the life of a peer in a foreign country, using phrases in the target language to describe their routine.

It's definitely the rage amongst the youths. I mean, I've even gotten excited about a haul, especially if it includes cheese. But, it's also a quick way to show how concepts can be broken down into parts.

Here are 5 quick ones!

• Science: Unboxing the Human Cell: A student "unboxes" a model or diagram of a cell, explaining the purpose of each organelle as it's revealed.

• English Language Arts: Unboxing a Literary Classic: A student "unboxes" a copy of a novel, highlighting key elements like the cover art, author's note, and main characters.

• Math: Unboxing the Pythagorean Theorem: A student "unboxes" a box with shapes representing the sides of a right triangle, demonstrating the theorem and explaining how it works.

• History: Unboxing a Time Capsule from Ancient Egypt: A student "unboxes" and describes historical artifacts like a clay tablet, an ankh, and a piece of papyrus.

• World Languages: Unboxing a Traditional Japanese Bento Box: A student "unboxes" a bento box, describing each food item and what it's called in Japanese.

Struggling with students who are nervous on camera or can't remember their lines for a class presentation? CuePrompter is a great, free solution. It's a free online teleprompter service that turns any computer or tablet screen into a professional-style prompter. Students simply paste their script, and the text scrolls smoothly at a pace they can control. This lets them look directly at the camera, speak confidently, and deliver a polished performance without having to memorize a single line. It's a game-changer for building confidence and ensuring their message comes across clearly.

No login or accounts needed! Copy and paste your script right into there, and get ready for the daily news anchors in your classroom!

They were autumn mated.

Made with MagicSchool's Teacher Joke Generator

Contact me to collaborate on your next project, troubleshoot what you do currently, or to just answer a question you have!

Email: bkrause@ltcillinois.org
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Work Cell Phone: (815) 362-4791
Twitter: @bmkeducation

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