"Lights, Camera, Action!" These are the words my 4th grade students will be saying when they get the chance to use a digital camcorder to record, edit and publish classroom presentations. Think about how adults get excited to have their words, pictures and ideas published for others to see on Facebook, Twitter or blog sites. Now think about how highly motivating it is for children to see their creations recorded and shared with others too!
Digital media inspires students to do their best; to write, create, and share information with others in a meaningful context because it provides immediate feedback. In addition, digitally filmed students can learn to see and hear how well they speak; essentially they will discover how to become better communicators.
In our classroom it is a dream of mine to see students write commercials, plays, news broadcasts and more about content learned in class, then digitally film presentations, edit and revise their work so that they may share with a broader audience. Students will also be able to create mini-movies and photo stories with a digital camera. The exciting news is that a digital camcorder can be used in all subjects at school! In Reading, Writing and Social Studies there are unlimited ways students can design and film creations. In Math and Science students can use it to record step-by-step processes by filming mini-movies, and to clarify understanding of vocabulary, or share discoveries in an experiment.
Currently, I face the challenge of finding ways to motivate students in their learning, and maintaining excitement from beginning to end of a project. I would like to use a digital camcorder as a way to inject more enthusiasm into the critical thinking processes. It would increase genuine intrinsic motivation and decrease the boredom of having to do the same kind of work in the same manner. In addition, it will help us meet state requirements of technological integration in the classroom.
Please help our classroom become more technologically savvy. Students need hands-on technology integration in the classroom now to prepare for the technological advancements of tomorrow. Will you help us prepare for the future? You can be the one to make our dream come true!
In addition to the digital camcorder, will need flash drives to save our edited work on because our school computers do not have the memory capacity for us to save all of our creations.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Peebles and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.