5th graders traditionally create the school newscast for Alta Vista Elementary, but while they were away at science camp 2nd grade teacher Marika Parnell saw an opportunity to try something new with her class!
She collaborated with her Instructional ToSA, Christy Mills, to develop a plan to have her students create the newscast. The topic was field trips. Marika worked with class to produce a set of guiding questions that they would like to explore. The next step was to practice the interview process. Students were grouped into three interview teams, each with interviewers and a videographer. The teams developed a system that included the use of cue cards and the video recording was done with iOgrapher kits.
It took a lot of practice for the students to understand all of the nuances of the process, including how to make sure the interviewer & interviewee stayed in frame, how to capture the audio clearly, and how to navigate the interview process by asking follow up questions when appropriate. Constructive feedback was essential for everyone to work and grow together. When they were ready they visited 3rd and 4th grade classrooms to complete the interviews. Marika said watching her 2nd graders interview the older students was a highlight of the project!
After the interviews they filmed the newsroom portion against a green screen backdrop, and Marika took on the role of editor. When she started she had no experience editing videos with iMovie, but she was able to learn through a process of trial and error with a little help from her STEAM ToSA, Mary Fran Lynch! This reflects the mantra of Marika's class: we try new things and if it doesn’t go well at first that’s ok as long as we keep improving and seek help when needed.
The newscast was an incredible success; Marika’s class is being recognized all over campus for their efforts and they are incredibly proud of their final product. Check out the full newscast below!
You can follow Marika on Twitter: @MarikaParnell
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