BIOME VIDEO Exchange Project
Michele Powell |
The project was designed originally as an alternative to
the Habitat Boxes that many teachers around the country have been involved with.
Due to limited space in my classroom, I thought there would be an alternative
way to exchange information about biomes.
The BIOME VIDEO allows students to investigate their local biome and region while incorporating more technology (and they have had a lot of fun making the video.) Teachers that produce Biome Videos will receive videos from other regions of the country (and the world.) Teachers will start to build a video library of biomes from many varied regions. Biome Videos may be kept longer than habitat boxes AND they take up less space. |
| WHO | Middle/High Bio/Environment Classes |
| WHEN |
Produce video = fall semester Exchange = second semester |
| WHERE | Biomes around the U.S. (or World) |
For now..how do you get started?
I divide my students into teams to research the following areas:
- Your biome in which you live (climate, flora, fauna)
- Local ecosystems with different traits
(for instance...my students live in the southeastern biome but we also live along the coast and have marsh / beach ecosystems adjoining us) - Information concerning your city, town, or village
(good statistics for the kids to investigate) - Finally, information about your school...demographics, etc.
The format of the video has been as a mystery video similar to "Where In the World Is Carmen San Diego?" The students videotape and present the above information WITHOUT naming their biome, ecosystems, town or school until the end of the video. This allows other teachers across the nation to show the videos as an introduction to biomes OR as a review OR even a fun quiz!
Students really enjoy seeing OTHER students. What a great way to bring us all closer together by discussing similarities(and differences.) Of course, one might need an interpreter to understand my students with their "southern drawl."
WRAPUP
When your students complete their video tape, send me the tape with ONLY your production at the beginning of a tape. Be sure the remainder of the tape is blank.IMPORTANT: send enough POSTAGE with your tape for the return postage back to you! (no postage/no return)
All tapes should be completed so I can receive the videos after Christmas (actually, I will wait until the end of Jan to get ALL the last min. tapes in.) I will then copy the BIOME VIDEOS on your tape and then return at the end of February. This past year over twenty-five teachers throughout the U.S. have responded and plan on sending a videotape.
You can indicate your interest in this project by sending me a quick e-mail to verify that your students plan on participating. I will send out a final list of participants each October so you may see who is involved each year.
If we enlist a very large number of schools I will notify you for one of the following options:
- Send me more tapes + postage for ALL copies
- Select the areas of country you would like to receive tapes from
- Allow me to select the "best" of the group and send those
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I hope that this will be a problem!!!!!
Any questions...you can reach me at:
Michele Powell |
Coming next---Biome Video Academy Awards!?
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