Student created movies for instructional purposes

Essential Concepts and Skills in teaching Information Literacy, according to the Iowa Core Curriculum (grade 6):

1) Demonstrate creative thinking in the design and development of innovative technology products and problem solving.
2) Collaborate with peers, experts, and others using interactive technology.
3) Plan strategies utilizing digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
4) Use critical thinking skills to conduct research, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate technological tools and resources.
5) Understand the legal and ethical issues of technology as related to individuals, cultures, and societies.
6) Understand the underlying structure and application of technology systems.

Using creative thinking to design and develop products while problem solving and collaborating give students an opportunity to use interactive technology. Allowing students to take an active part in teaching each other allows them to use critical thinking skills and make informed decisions. All this requires appropriate technological tools.

This lesson would involve working with small groups of students to take movies of each other talking in short vinettes about the various sections of the library. These movie shorts would be incorperated in a Virual Map of the Media Center using a power point. Students would plan, film and determine the best cut to add to the power point. Students would be involved in downloading and linking the movie for use in the Media Center. Additionally, students could take this to the next level and create their own podcasts and power points to use in the classroom and for projects. Other opportunities could include making short Book Talks and Math Movies to be linked to the Media Center web site. Students would learn about digital citizenship through the importance of sharing their work in a meaningful way. New students in our school would benefit from their instruction; existing students would be motivated by their example.