QUESTION: What is an interesting way to show a documentary in class and make sure students are still engaged?

[Kimberly Hawks]

Every once in a while, I like to be able to show a documentary from PBS or the History channel to my students because it can visually show a lot more than I can in the 50 min class period.  Usually I will come up with a "guided watching" kind of worksheet with questions that the students have to answer as they watch.  If I do this each time we watch a documentary though, it seems to get really old for me and my students.  Any ideas of what I can do differently that engages the students and doesn't just turn it into nap time, which completely goes against the whole reason why I am showing it to begin with?

[Linda Woodard]

Kudos and thanks for this whole scenario.... this is what teaching SHOULD be like. :-) AND thanks, too, for sharing ALL of what transpired for you have given me some ideas to use/amend as I plan already for next year (yes...already as we are revamping the curriculum and I was STUCK in one unit).

[melinda Wilson]

Consider a visible thinking routine like 'connect extend challenge'. It is a routine that can help students unpack the main ideas in the film. A routine like this can also extend into some big questions that could direct the next few enquiry lessons. As an alternative, I find visible thinking really helps the students to keep on track with the main ideas.

[Kimberly Hawks]

Melinda, could you expand on what you mean by visible thinking?  I am trying to visualize it in my head, without much success.

[melinda Wilson]

Visible Thinking

The Philosophy of Visible Thinking is to make thinking processes visible in the classroom and to equip students with the routines that help them to approach a problem with a structure for their thinking. It involves a number of routines that could be applied for a specific task. The outcomes of the thinking need to be displayed in the classroom so that it is all more accessible for the students. Hence, it is visible thinking.

The link above goes to the visible thinking site and explains the philosophy and processes that are currently in use in many schools areound the world. I am in Sydney, Australia and know of many local schools that are using these protocols (and we are only just beginning compared to other schools).

We are finding that students who become familiar with the routines are able to apply them across the curriculum and it makes our teaching a much more student led process. The routines are not used every lesson but when ever is appropriate.

Hope this helps.

 

[Tia Miller]

Consider doing some analysis on the construction of the documentary itself.  Have the students discuss what choices the director made (did he use pictures of artifacts? re-enactments? experts? etc.).  Then, have them consider how else the story could have been told.  Have them think about what info they were given and what info they were not given (identifying bias and perspective) and consider why certain info was left out.

[jeremy T agrdin]

as a new teacher i have ran into the same problem and found if I am using a video I try to stop and explain or have a discussion about what is going on or how it relates, also if you have questions to ask them, stop the video and ask a few, this has helped me!