Guide
to Making a Digital Documentary
Digital Documentary: A
movie, slideshow, or radio show that objectively present an important social,
political, scientific or historical subject in a factual or informative
manner. [modified from wikitionary.org]
Narrow the topic by creating an
essential question and focus questions.
The goal of any research based
project is to have students learn to ask researchable essential and focus
questions. Teacher created
questions can model for students how to ask essential questions and the three
types of focus questions. As you
move toward student-generated questions, have students answer the same
essential question but let them choose from a list of teacher created focus
questions. Eventually let students
brainstorm focus questions that revolve around the essential questions.
Essential Questions:
o Are broad questions
o Have no simple or obvious answer
o Are answered after soundly researching the focus questions
o Are not answered with one word or one sentence
o May require the student to take a stand when answering
Focus Questions
o Focus questions are used to guide research
o These questions are more narrow than essential questions
o These lead to definite answers
o When answered, focus questions lead to an answer for the essential question
o Think of these three types of focus questions:
What questions– get at the important facts
So What questions – ask what the facts tell us; probe how the facts relate to the EQ; ask why the facts are important to know
Now What questions – ask what has been learned; look at what are the next steps; investigate the implications of what has been learned; often lead to the next project
Having students or groups of students create and sign a
contract can create a foundation for organization and differentiation. A well organized contract can serve as
the day to day lesson plan for students during the research and creation
processes. The contract can guide
assessment and feedback and can be a vehicle for differentiation through the
listing of specialized learning goals. An effective contract is one that is drawn up based on a
studentÕs strengths and needs. The contract should include:
Do good research to gain answers to questions
The research part of any project can be time consuming and
messy. Students often find
themselves following pathways that are unproductive and may need direction in
order to find more effective approaches.
Teacher generated research sources can streamline the process and model
appropriate sources. Your teacher
web page can offer a workable method for providing useful URLs, suggested
texts, and lecture notes.
Good research:
Write: (Organize the documentary by choosing one of these
writing projects.)
"An Experience is not finished until it is written." –
Anne Morrow Lindberg
2-4
page Research Essay
The
paper should be a 2-4 page essay using the essay rubric and/or essay organizer.
The
introduction and conclusion should be clearly connected by being based on the
essential question.
A
sound essay will incorporate these components:
o Insight: The
thesis should fully answer the essential question and show original and interesting
insight into the meaning of the issue.
o Evidence: Examples and quotes need to be used to clearly and
fully answer each focus question.
These answers support the answer to the essential question.
o Craft: Fluency and artistry are important in writing the
essay.
Points
are expressed clearly.
Essay
is graceful with smooth transitions tying each paragraph to the thesis and to
the previous paragraph.
Quotations
are introduced by sufficient context to make them understandable.
Papers express the writer's individual voice and are grammatically sound.
- OR-
1-2 Page Written Treatment (Treatment: A
description of the documentary.)
A treatment is a description of the project that
provides a focus for the documentary and serves as a guideline.)
The treatment should be organized around the treatment
rubric and treatment organizer.
A treatment explains and legitimizes the project to
others.
Follow these guidelines:
Introductory
paragraph: Explain the main topic or ideas of the documentary. The
explanation should include the essential and focus questions.
Middle
Paragraphs: Describe how the information will be presented. Indicate how the story will be
told. List the segments / scenes
to be included. Describe what the audience will see, think, feel. Include research sources.
Final
Paragraph: Describe why this
documentary is important. Tell who
is the intended audience? Indicate
what you hope the audience will learn.
Assessment is the fuel that drives quality work. Well-defined assessment guides students' attempts toward producing superior work, describes accomplishments, and leads to further growth. Assessment is not the last step in the learning process but an important landmark in a continuing cycle of growth.
Good assessment follows three steps:
Growth Oriented Assessment:
Types of Assessment:
Teacher based assessment
o Based
on project rubric.
o Provides a structure for student work.
o Communicates a definition of quality work.
o Clearly describes expectations.
o Is given as part of the original assignment and re-evaluated at the end of the project.
o Allows teachers to be the authority but offers a feeling of empowerment to the student.
Peer Assessment
o Based
on critical friend sheet.
o Is based on class goals and expectations.
o Allows the student to see his/her work through others' eyes.
o Is designed to help guarantee the success of a project.
o Is given throughout the developmental states of a project.
o Can benefit the assessor as well as the recipient.
Self Assessment
o Based
on project rubric and/or Artist's Summary.
o Places responsibility for growth on the student.
o Allows students to understand their own strengths and needs.
o Teaches students to make accurate descriptions of their own work.
o Allows students a sense of ownership in their own work.
o Allows students to feel a sense of power over their own learning.