3 Lesson Plans to Help You Add Video to Your Classroom Today
With classes all online all the time, it can help to have a few lesson plans that let students actively engage with technology. To make your lesson planning easier, we put together a list of 3 easy-to-do video projects that you can have your students start right away.
All of the lesson plans below can be accomplished with a free Animoto account using either our web app or our iOS app. Once you’ve found a lesson idea you like, click to learn how to create free accounts for all your classes.
Before you get started
Here are a few notes that’ll help you get your lesson off the ground faster and with less stress.
Sign up for Animoto
If you haven’t used Animoto before, take a look at our post on how to get you, and your students, started for free.
Share clear instructions
You probably already know that simple directions ensure students understand what’s expected of them. We recommend starting with our Assignment Instructions template. This template lays out basic, step-by-step instructions for creating a video book report, though you could adapt it to almost any lesson.
Explain grading
Reinforce your directions with a rubric for video projects. You can take a look at our post on rubrics for our guidelines and a sample rubric.
Lesson plan idea #1: Learn key terms
One of the simplest video-based lessons is a variation on the ever-popular flash cards. Have students create their own vocabulary video by asking them to find images or video clips that match the definition of a term. Our Vocabulary Lesson template is a good place to start.
This type of assignment works well for learners with a variety of needs and a wide range of ages. Elementary students and students with emergent literacy can create connections between words and meanings. Older students can explore vocabulary in more concrete terms. You can also try it to reinforce vocabulary for English language learners.
To see how this sort of lesson can be applied in your classroom, take a look at our complete vocabulary lesson plan, which includes detailed instructions and suggestions for adaptations.
Lesson plan idea #2: Book trailer
Make responding to class texts more interactive with a video book report or a book trailer. Instruct students to describe the basic plot, setting, and characters in a way that’ll make their fellow students want to read the story. You can write out directions, or use a video describing the assignment, like the one in our Assignment Instructions template shown above.
To make it easier for students to design their own book trailer, we’ve added a Book Report template on the main templates page. Students can customize this template with information related to their chosen book. When you’ve collected your students’ work, you can share the videos and encourage students to view and respond to them online.
Lesson plan idea #3: Video report
Some students are better able to express themselves visually, and a video project gives those students a chance to shine. For instance, you could assign a research project or biography, and let students share what they’ve learned in a video report.
Not all video projects require research, though. You can encourage both tech and media literacy by assigning a video autobiography project, like the one featured in this lesson plan.
Share your ideas
We’re always looking for new and exciting ways to help teachers use video in their classrooms. So if you’re using Animoto, share your lesson ideas with us! We might even feature your idea in a future blog post or share it with our followers on social. If you want to tell us how you’re using Animoto, leave a comment below or reach out on Facebook or Twitter.