Making Movies Together

Students are intrinsically motivated when they have the opportunity to be creative. When we create our movies, the paper and pencil approach to learning will be vastly limited, and when students have to use paper and pencil, it will be for the authentic purpose of creating a media product. I have never met a student who does not enjoy performing or creating with film. This project could be the missing piece for those students who need a little extra encouragement when it comes to learning.

The three major objectives for this project are as follows:
1.The learner will be focused, engaged, and even inspired to learn about language arts.
2.The learner will have a creative outlet that will allow them to contribute no matter what the learning style.
3.This project has the versatility to both inspire those who struggle with school and being on grade level as well as challenge those advanced learners who need to work in the format of a project.

To judge whether or not the students are learning the following will occur: During each class period the students will be in teams. Their teams will have the responsibilities of each production divided among its members. Each team will be given a student-friendly rubric which will state the expectations of the teacher for their project. The rubric will cover the objectives being taught. For example, if they are doing a skit that teaches onomatopoeia, the rubric will require them to have 3 examples of onomatopoeia in their production. The expectations will be clearly explained to them by the teacher and clearly stated on the rubric. This will allow the students to have a firm grasp on their roles and responsibilities. I will also be able to compare discipline referrals from other classes to my class, to see if my project is reducing time spent in the office for students. I can do the same thing for attendance records to see if my students’ attendance is higher because they are excited about the projects that we are doing at school.

The movie making projects will be ongoing, from the beginning of the school year, to the end. The projects will look differently depending on the demands of the curriculum. At the end of the year, I’d like to burn DVDs for the students with all of their performances on them. It would serve as a nice memento from fifth grade.