Media Smarts
Teaching TV: Television Techniques
As part of a five-lesson unit on how television uses technology and film techniques to communicate meaning, elementary students create their own media productions that demonstrate their understanding of these concepts.
Media Smarts
Thinking About Television and Movies
As part of their study of the influence of TV and films, class members consider how music, lighting, costumes, camera angles, etc. are used to influence the response of viewers.
Curated OER
Camera Shots
Understanding how visual codes such as long-shots, close-ups, and camera angles affect meaning helps prepare young filmmakers to plan their own productions. The concepts embedded could also be used to analyze photographs and paintings.
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What Make Good Reality Television?
Young scholars brainstorm what they believe makes a good reality TV show. Students compile a set of attributes that they feel distinguishes the best of the reality TV shows from the others. Using the attributes that the class agrees...
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Lights, Camera, Campaign
Learners employ their technology skills to produce campaign commercials. In this political campaign lesson, students discover the appropriate uses of video cameras and create fictitious campaign commercials.
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KORN-TV Newsroom
Role-play to learn. Writers pretend to be a team of news writers. They research information about genetically engineered corn and the impact of biotech food products. Then create a video, Powerpoint, or oral presentation to present their...
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Lights, Camera, and Action!
These activities center around acting out a play to help create fluent readers who use expression and emotion. As readers work through the play the first time, they also practice decoding strategies. In small groups of four, they then...
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So You Want to Be a TV Reporter!
Students work in pairs to interview each other. They identify interviewing skills and methods, conduct a preliminary interview, develop a working script from the notes and participate in a final interview for the camera.
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Creating a Television Commercial
Fifth graders discuss commercials they remember seeing, and reasons they remember them. They write and perform their own television commercials designed to "sell" a compound machine.
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Springfield Digital Storytelling Project #6: Grapes Commercial
Here is a fabulous lesson that should have your class very excited! They utilize the GRAPES formula in order to produce a commercial like ones we see on TV. Working in pairs, they must come up with a script, take video, provide music,...
Teachers.net
How to Write a Movie Review from a Pet's Perspective
When would two paws up denote a blockbuster film in your classroom? Only when young writers create movie reviews from a pet's perspective in this imaginative expository writing practice. This engaging topic begins with a class discussion...
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A Tale of Two Schools
Students create different photographs using photographic techniques of camera angles, lighting, and composition. They write non-fiction stories about people they interview and create two school newsletters that portray a fictional...
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You've Gotta Have a Gimmick!: A Lesson in Junk Food Advertising
Young scholars examine marketing techniques used in television and magazine snack food ads. They analyze and discuss Internet kids clubs, complete various handouts that examine ads for food, and create a commercial for a food product.
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Persuasive Writing -- Commercial Style
Students create persuasive TV commercials for common products. They develop a list of products, write the script for a commercial, and act-out and videotape the commercial to present to the class.
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Publishing a Book Review
Pairs use desktop publishing software, as well as digital video and camera equipment, to craft a book review. These reviews are then shared with others in the school community through the class or school website.
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SPEECHES TO INTRODUCE
Pupils create multimedia speeches of introduction which focus on women and Hispanics. They introduce their famous person and, using a video camera, video tape their speeches.
Tennessee State Library & Archives
Vietnam War
A picture can speak 1000 words. Scholars research the Vietnam War through the lens of a camera. Examining photos from the collection of Christopher D. Ammons allows open interpretation of life during one of America's darkest conflicts....
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Lesson Two: Creating Great Images (of People) for Video
Students study basic concepts necessary to produce beautiful, professional looking visual compositions (which can then be used in professional television productions).
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Privacy in the Age of Video Surveillance: This Is Not Your Father's Candid Camera
Eighth graders examine the use of video surveillance in the corporate world and other life situations. In groups, they determine how many times and in what situations they believe they are being watched. They use the Constitution to...
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Careers in Television
Learners discuss and research how a news program is produced. They watch a web based video before working in small groups to produce a news program. They role play different jobs as they produce the program to share with at least one...
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Use of Digital Cameras
Pupils become familiar with the operation of the school digital camera. They insert photographs into WORD procession software and use text boxes and arrows to create labels.
Wctech
Cinematography and Film/Video Production #3
And that's a wrap! This final activity in a series about cinematography and film/video puts class members in full production mode. With over 20 activities, young cinematographers can film, edit, create movies, and organize news clips.
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Basic Visual Language
Young scholars gain knowledge of the basics of visual communication. They are introduced to the three fundamental elements of visual language. Those are: camera angle, lighting, and compositions. Students video each other from different...
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Digital Photographers
Young photographers practice taking photos with a digital camera, and then upload them to a computer. The iPhoto program is used, and I'm sure your charges will love this instructional activity. There is a "100 Ways to Use Digital...