Thing 7: Video

Blinkx has some wonderful, educational videos. The only drawback is that most are preceeded by advertising. I watched video on dinosaurs, Mars, volcanoes and other science topics.
I was unable to view or download video selections from the National Archive link, but had no trouble when I searched GoogleVideo directly for individual subjects however. These were wonderful, authentic historical selections which will be very helpful in the classroom.

PBS had amazing video, including this one on the migration of butterflies which would have application in the elementary classroom. Just the introduction to the NOVA program would be enough for the younger students. I also like the fact that you can see the transcripts. It doesn't appear as though these videos can be downloaded, only shared by link or purchased from PBS.

Totlol has some cute commercial videos for the younger ones, including some Thomas the Train shorts which could be used in character education contexts, however, there are changes in the works for this site, with the possibility of fees being charged in the future. Joining is required to view content.

Google video is easy to search, manipulate, and download. Here is a short 1 minute video on the Masai people of Tanzania that could be used in a geography class.

NeoK12 had wonderful, short, educational options like this one on the northern lights which is difficult to explain but has more value for students to see.
SchoolTube had this cute student-made book review on One Potato, Two Potato, the Bluebonnet Award winner this year. It seems to be a good forum for student-published work.

Thing 4 - Creating/Posting Video

I found this activity to be enjoyable, but frustrating. I used both PhotoStory 3 (Microsoft download) and Windows Movie Maker to create a book trailer for Paint the Wind by Pam Munoz Ryan. I ended up posting the wmv file to Youtube Education and TeacherTube. The uploads were the easiest part. The music was the hardest part. I think I am ready to get a site license to Soundzabound just for ease of use and copyright protection. Here is the youtube embed (TeacherTube reviews the upload and posts it after 24 hours).



I like having more creative control over the end product, but animoto is definitely snazzier than what I can create. I think book trailers are really helpful to promote reading and I intend to make more, but youtube is blocked at our school. We can't see most of what's on neok12 which is a shame. I know my library students will have more fun making book trailers than the usual reports and I look forward to seeing what they will produce. I am also hopeful that teachertube will not be blocked.

Thing 20 - video

Youtube -- familiar territory at last! And I have also used Zamzar before to show a Youtube video at school. Blinkx is amazing, but I think Google Video has more search power which, as always, is both a blessing and a curse. The Portal to Texas History will be very helpful with fourth grade Texas history classes as well. I knew the website but the trailer is fun.

Teacher Tube is new to me and it probably is not blocked at my school. It has much less offensive material, but not nearly the choice in imho. I think it is fantastic for finding out what other schools are doing with video and I really think we'll be making a claymation video, or a storytelling video this coming school year. Here is one example I found.



I sure hope this works. I've always loved this Leo Lionni story.

Here is another video discovered via the Cool Cat Teacher blog on a new way to teach at Woodland Parks High School in Colorado - lectures at home and homework done at school, a flipped classroom.