Inquiry-Based Learning
“How can producing a video documentary create environmental awareness as a result of students analyzing the cause and effect relationship between humans and their water supply?"
Creating a video documentary is no easy task for an adult--nevertheless an eighth grader! Making a documentary involves several important tasks: researching, story-boarding, filming, interviewing, editing, etc. While it may be a lengthy and challenging process, planning and producing a documentary film can serve as a rich learning experience for students. They not only improve their researching skills throughout the process, but they are also exposed to a variety of informational texts. The task for this assignment was simple: find a problem involving your local community's watershed and propose a solution.
The idea for this came about in ECI 546-New Literacies and Media, a course instructed by Dr. Hiller Spires. I was intrigued as to how this project would affect my students' environmental awareness. Krista Henderson and I tackled this assignment in the Fall of 2010. Sixteen of my eighth grade students participated in this project. Students were split into groups of eight, and each group investigated a different local water issue. The end result was a five-seven minute documentary film. Documentary filmmakers and water quality experts acted as consultants as students demonstrated their learning through the craft of film-making. Each group used flip cameras and digital cameras, along with voice recorders to create their documentary film. Students had access to Windows Movie Maker at school, and used this as their platform for their documentary.
Prior to beginning the film-making process, the two groups decided to focus on stormwater runoff and upstream pollution. Each group conducted several interviews with local water experts and some footage of these interviews were included in their films. Students spent several days researching their topic and also had a one hour Windows Movie Maker lesson . They practiced using this web 2.0 tool and learned how to use flip cams and upload footage. Students had a mini-lesson on story-boarding and were required to complete a storyboard and write a script as part of the film-making process. Two-three students acted as film editors while the remaining group members worked on researching the issue, story-boarding, writing a script, and conducting interviews. The video below shows you the two documentary films created by my students:
The idea for this came about in ECI 546-New Literacies and Media, a course instructed by Dr. Hiller Spires. I was intrigued as to how this project would affect my students' environmental awareness. Krista Henderson and I tackled this assignment in the Fall of 2010. Sixteen of my eighth grade students participated in this project. Students were split into groups of eight, and each group investigated a different local water issue. The end result was a five-seven minute documentary film. Documentary filmmakers and water quality experts acted as consultants as students demonstrated their learning through the craft of film-making. Each group used flip cameras and digital cameras, along with voice recorders to create their documentary film. Students had access to Windows Movie Maker at school, and used this as their platform for their documentary.
Prior to beginning the film-making process, the two groups decided to focus on stormwater runoff and upstream pollution. Each group conducted several interviews with local water experts and some footage of these interviews were included in their films. Students spent several days researching their topic and also had a one hour Windows Movie Maker lesson . They practiced using this web 2.0 tool and learned how to use flip cams and upload footage. Students had a mini-lesson on story-boarding and were required to complete a storyboard and write a script as part of the film-making process. Two-three students acted as film editors while the remaining group members worked on researching the issue, story-boarding, writing a script, and conducting interviews. The video below shows you the two documentary films created by my students:
The following video is the based on the inquiry-based learning experience and was my final product for ECI 546.