The 4th-grade students did an incredible job producing their first News Team using all of the incredible multimedia equipment we were able to acquire as a result of the generous grant from Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation.
While the 4th grade has been doing News Team for more than 10 years, the multimedia equipment allowed them to take it to the next level, engaging their creative and critical thinking abilities and making their learning experience truly authentic.
To begin this project, each student had to learn how to conduct Internet research and validate online resources that they would use to craft their news reports. Once they completed their research, they learned how to summarize their findings and create a news report-style script, which they loaded onto our teleprompter. Students then broke into News Teams of 3 students each, in which each student had a role as a newscaster or anchor. In their teams, they also took turns operating the studio equipment, from the microphones, greenscreen, and teleprompter/camera recording equipment to on-air camera and director roles.
Students recorded their news team reports in front of a “live audience,” which included parents, teachers, staff, and other students. Finally, students took their live recordings and used iMovie to create, edit, and publish their news team reports. These reports were published (unlisted) on Youtube for their families to view. Members of our Gillispie community can view them here: Playlist of News Team videos.
Finally, students learned how important it is to collaborate and practice the Gillispie ICARE Values along the way.