Lights, Cameras, Action!
Students were asked to fill out a job application and were interviewed to develop real-life job skills. We participated in a video workshop conducted by Mr. Larry Moore of Kentucky Educational Television which covered the basics of elementary school video news production. Students were assigned the following jobs and a few others on a weekly rotating basis: anchor camera person, outside camera person, anchor newsperson, holiday reporter, weather reporter, KERA Writer reporter, backdrop designer, sports reporter, and advice column reporter. Teams prepared individual spots such as the weather and sports. They were encouraged to be as creative as possible. After taping sements through Wednesday, the
program was shown on Thursday morning to all students in our school.
Our students were very excited about being part of the team and proved to be responsible, capable, and dependable in carrying out their duties. They gained technical skills, knowledge of broadcasting careers, and improved their public speaking, writing, and research abilities. Non team members looked forward to being taped and watching the weekly productions. Although the project was quite time-consuming, it was well-worth the effort and we hope to continue and expand it!
Discipline, subject : social studies
Public : cycle d'orientation
Sek I, BWK
lower high school
10608 National Turnpike
Tel : 502-485-8234
Pédagogie, pedagogy :
Apprentissage, learning : The students produced a weekly video news program which was broadcast to all of our classrooms over our closed circuit cable TV system. They learned about careers, video production, public speaking, writing, etc.
Enseignement, teaching : The teacher serves as a director of activities, but students write scripts, gather all news material, plan skits, use cameras and audio equipment, and fill all roles in the production.
Technique : The teacher should be moderately familiar with the operation of a video camera and a VCR.
Société, society : The project provided our students with many ways to develop self-esteem, public speaking skills, poise on and off camera, and pride in being able to operate video equipment.
Culture : The students leaned about careers in broadcasting by visiting a news studio and by being visited at our school by a local news anchorperson.
Institution : We had a computer in our classroom which was connected by modem to the Scholastic Network and America On-line. Using these networks, students researched weather, sports and other news, and projects such as Scholastic's Artic Explorers. They used this information in our weekly program. They also used a word processor to type screens for titles, etc. We also had two video cameras and a VCR in the classroom.
Logistique : We found that it took about 2-1/2 hours per week to gather the school news, make cue cards, and tape the anchor segment. Another two hours per week were required to film other segments around our school and to edit the film when necessary. Teams of students missed regular classes for portions of this time, not the entire 4-1/2 hours.
Remarques, remarks :