Video Projects: Instruct
Students can learn by creating directions, conducting demonstrations and presenting ideas to others. Involve young people in modeling, tutoring, guiding, reviewing, demonstrating and mentoring activities. Rather than reading and writing directions, watch a video containing step-by-step instructions for a procedure. Then, write instructions for your own video production. Students still get experience writing, but they do it in a different way.
Use props to provide analogies, demonstrate concepts, or reflect the thoughts of an actor. Create science models, dioramas, and other physical materials that can be used to explain how things work.
Watch how teens are Using the Flip Video in a High School Math Class (YouTube): Part 1 and Part 2. Add pipecleaners (Youtube) for some fun with graphs.
Create a Tutorial
Use video to show techniques for producing a product such as a work of art. Explain each step and key techniques. Use over-the shoulder shots and close-ups.
Read Is It Worth It? Student Created Tutorials. Students learned about creating tutorials. Then, instead of a test, they created a video tutorial.
For fun, watch the instructional comedies How 2 Txt in Clas by high school students and Zombies in Plain English by Common Craft.
- Elementary Examples
- The Cookie House Show
- Can an Egg Bounce
- How to Make a May Basket: YouTube
- Bike Safety (Grade K-3)
- Getting Ready for School (Grade K-3)
- How to Get Rich by Recycling (Grade K-3)
- Kids Can Make Pancakes Too (Grade K-3)
- How to Draw a Really Cool Bird (Grade 4-6)
- Cell Phone Etiquette (Grade 4-6)
- How to Make 10-Minute Ice Cream (Grade 4-6)
- Middle School Examples
- Making Brownies with Chef Darren
- How to Play Drums (Grade 7-8)
- How to Make Ice Tea (Grade 7-8)
- How to Ride a Bike Safely (Grade 7-8)
- High School Examples
- The Journey of an Immigrant
- How to Make Friends
- How to Drive a Stick Shift (Grade 9-12)
- How to Make Slime (Grade 9-12)
- The Scientific Method (Grade 9-12)
Conduct an Experiment
Share the process of conducting an experiment. Be sure to include the elements of the scientific method. Focus on each step in the process (i.e., hypothesis, materials, procedures, results). Narrate each step.
Watch What's the Matter? Notice the way the experiments are interwoven with the facts.
Use the following websites to think about experiments students could duplicate or expand.
- Steve Spangler Science Experiments
- Science Fair Central from Discovery Channel
- Hands-on Activities, Science Snacks from Exploratorium
- Bill Nye
- Funology Science Experiments
Demonstrate a Procedure
Demonstrate the proper procedure for completing an activity. Describe how to use a piece of equipment. Incorporate examples of proper use and incorrect approaches. Be sure not to do anything that is unsafe even for a demonstration. For instance, focus on health or safety rules (i.e., weather, water, cooking, fire, science, laboratory, bike).
- Elementary Students
Explain a Concept
Video can be used to explain a concept and provide examples.
- Middle School Example
- Snow White and the Author's Purpose. Learn about the author's purpose in writing.
- High School Example
- Energy Transformation. Learn about science.
Demonstrate Strategies for Personal Health
Create a video showing ways to manage a stressful situation or deal with feelings caused by disappointment, separation, or loss. Consider topics such as bullying, peer pressure, and other common problems connected with home and school life.
- Elementary Example
- Middle School Example
- High School Example
Try It: Demonstrate a Skill
Create a movie containing a series of short video clips that demonstrate a process, procedure, or skill. Use a variety of shooting techniques such as an establishing shot, close-up, over-the-shoulder, and medium shot to meet particular needs.