The Bird's Word Video Podcast

This lesson can be used with ANY subject or content area. The teacher begins the lesson by reviewing a topic or concept that the class has recently learned about. Next, the teacher explains that today each of the students will be starring in a movie! He or she may ask, “Guess what this movie is going to be about?” The students will know that the movie will be about the topic you have been reviewing. The teacher should explain the process of creating the movie as class:
1. Each small group (3 or 4 students) will be given a smaller topic that fits into the main theme. (For example, if the large topic is Clouds, small groups may each be given specific types of clouds or specific parts of the process of how clouds form and precipitate)
2. Each group will get 5 minutes to brainstorm ways to creatively teach the audience about their topic. Groups should be encouraged to give a definition, to give an explanation, to act it out, to demonstrate, to give an example, and to be creative! Students should use their own words. During the brainstorm, no ideas are off limits! Every idea gets written down and considered during this time. The teacher should walk around, actively monitoring, listening and helping each small group as necessary.
3. When time is up for the brainstorming session, students should begin writing the script. Each student must be in the movie at least once. It works best if students are in the movie individually, however, a good idea which includes more team members may be used with teacher approval. Scripts should include the exact words and actions that students will be performing in the movie. Remind students to break ideas into short pieces so that everyone gets an equal share. Short lines are also easier to memorize! Give students 10-15 minutes to write their scripts. The teacher should rotate from group to group, reading over scripts, giving suggestions, and helping to translate brainstormed ideas into the script.
4. Students will begin working on another class assignment. Small groups will be called one at a time (or two, or three, depending on the number of Flip Cameras available) to go into the hallway and record their script. Students should take turns holding the camera and recording. Be sure to leave your door open and keep one foot inside and one outside so that you can monitor all of your students! Give each group a firm time limit and let them know when time is almost up.
5. Students will upload the videos onto the computer. The teacher can edit them together to create one large video which covers all of the topics each group recorded. The video will be posted to the teacher’s website, the school’s website, and possibly other websites to be shared with parents, family, friends, other students, and community members!
Monitor the class and keep them on track. Assist them, but don’t give them ideas – they will surprise you with their great creativity! I have used this lesson with Kindergarten classes through 5th grade classes and it has always been a great success! I am positive this lesson could work just as well with students at the secondary level as well. At our school, we post the videos on our school website each week. Students, parents, and community members enjoy viewing and reviewing our learning videos! Students actually request to view them again and again not realizing that they are reviewing important information that they will be tested over in the process! What a fun way to learn!