3A is Going Batty

Objective: Students will create an informational video about bats.

Instructional Strategies:

Day 1:
Send home informational letter and permission slip to parents, asking permission for students to appear in an educational video on bats.

The students will work with their parents to decide on a frequently asked question about bats that they would like to research and present on the video.

Day 2:
After collecting student responses, the teacher will assign a question to each student (making sure there are no duplicates and that each question is pertinent to the topic and reasonable to research).

The students will work in the computer lab, using the internet to research their topic. Teacher will guide students through the process of conducting research online - the use of keywords, search engines, and validating information.

The students will supplement their internet research by using books in the classroom.

Day 3:
The students will put together their research to form a well-put together answer to their bat question. The students will design scenery for the background, and will decide on a narrator and format for the video to take place.

Students will work on using projection skills to speak loudly and clearly for the camera.

Day 4:
The teacher will record the students' performance using a video camera. Students will ask a question, and one student will read his/her answer to the question. The students also come up with creative interludes and other interesting jokes and stories about bats to provide entertainment.

Day 5:
Students will work with teacher to edit the video and publish it to a DVD.

Future Plans:
The video will be used in classrooms throughout the school to provide information on bats.