MultiMedia Tools: Video

Lesson Idea Name: Create a Public Service Announcement

Content Area: Biology
Grade Level(s): 9th Grade
Content Standard Addressed:

SB4. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to illustrate the organization of interacting systems
within single-celled and multi-celled organisms.

a. Construct an argument supported by scientific information to explain patterns in structures and function
among clades of organisms, including the origin of eukaryotes by endosymbiosis. Clades should include:
archaea
bacteria
eukaryotes
fungi
plants
animals

c. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence to compare and contrast the characteristics of
viruses and organisms.

Technology Standard Addressed:

1. Empowered Learner. Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving and
demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences.

3. Knowledge Constructor. Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct
knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.

6. Creative Communicator. Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of
purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.

Selected Technology Tool:

Microsoft Photos

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable):

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17194/windows-10-see-all-your-photos#:~:text=The%20Photos
%20app%20in%20Windows,Photos%20app%20from%20the%20results.
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):
☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☒ Analyzing ☒ Evaluating ☒ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration:

☐ Infusion Level: Students may work at a higher Bloom’s Level, but they do not have any “Voice or Choice”
during the activity and most of the decisions are made by the teacher.

☐ Integration Level: We would like to see ALL lessons/activities reach this level. The project is student-
driven. Students have “Voice and Choice” in the activities, selecting the topic of study and determining the
technology tool to demonstrate mastery of the standard. The teacher becomes more of a facilitator.

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 MultiMedia Tools: Video
☒ Expansion Level: The projects created are shared outside of the classroom, publishing student work and
promoting authorship. This could be reached by showcasing the project on the school’s morning
newscast, posting the project to the classroom blog, or publishing via an outside source.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Students enjoy creating video projects because of the diversity of methods available for representation of
content. Students are given the freedom to design their videos in ways they believe will be most effective in
communicating their message. The students have diverse opportunities for representation of their thoughts
and ideas which is one of the three components of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. This
representation can be accomplished by providing text and spoken word in multiple languages or
incorporating specific images which may be easier to understand than verbal guidance for visual learners and
students with hearing difficulties. I will encourage students to use the closed captioning when possible to
encourage their cognizance that our classroom as well as their future places of work are inclusive
environments. The students gain experience with the action and expression principle of UDL through
collaboration as strategic, goal-directed learners who must utilize self-control and organizational skills to
accomplish their tasks. The groups will have to develop a plan and execute their responsibilities through
measurable steps and accomplishments in order to create a unified presentation in a timely manner. The final
principle of UDL, engagement, is easily achieved through allowing the students the freedom to create their
own unique product. Students tend to be more interested when they have autonomy in their learning and
expression.

Lesson idea implementation:

This public service announcement (PSA) is the culminating project for our lessons on bacteria, viruses, and
immunology. The students will pick a vaccine to create a video PSA in support of. If there are any students
who are anti-vaccination in the class after we have completed the initial lessons, I will accept that I failed as a
science instructor. These students will be allowed to produce a PSA encouraging people not to use a vaccine
of their choice. They will be allowed to use Taliban leadership or Jenny McCarthy as sources for their
information since they will not be able to use any legitimate science-based information of the past century.
The students will use a video editing application of their choosing to create their PSAs. This incorporates the
Georgia Standards of Excellence SB1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to analyze the nature of
the relationships between structures and functions in living cells. This presentation utilizes multiple
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards including: 1. Empowered Learner. Students
leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving and demonstrating competency in their
learning goals, informed by the learning sciences. 3. Knowledge Constructor. Students critically curate a
variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make
meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others. As well as 6. Creative Communicator. Students
communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools,
styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals. The students will have two days to work on their
PSAs during class time.

The PSAs will be graded based upon a standard rubric. Students will use peer review forms on Google Docs
to rate other groups’ presentations. These ratings along with my assessment will be combined to provide a
numerical score for the official grade for the presentation. The student will receive their score and ratings on
a digital rubric, but they will not be able to see which students wrote what comments. They will only be able
to know which comments came from me. This will allow students to provide and receive honest peer created
critiques which will encourage greater motivation than teacher commentary alone. The students will be given
the option of editing their videos in accordance with suggestions on the peer reviews to receive a higher
score. The presentations will be published to the students’ individual blogs as part of their creations page

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highlighting products that they have developed as part of the learning experience. The student blogs are
password protected to prevent unwanted internet interactions. However, they are accessible for review by
family members and fellow students who have access to the passwords.

Importance of technology:

The students cannot create a quality video PSA without using a multimedia editing tool and that is the
major justification for including this project. I want my students to learn how to use the tools that are
available to them to express themselves most effectively. I want to prepare students for the modern world
which utilizes media for communication in nearly every facet of our existence. While I do want the students to
create an engaging and unique PSA, the more important goal is that students realize that they can use
technology to enhance their message and engage their audience. The modern skills for life are no longer
based upon physical task accomplishment. Schools do not need to generate moderately educated graduates
who can attach parts on an assembly line 120 times an hour. Robots can perform these tasks with better
quality and efficiency and without safety risks or the need for breaks. Graduates need to be able to think
independently and express themselves in ways that engage their audience. Graduates need to know how to
find the information they need and have the skills to package that information in a format that maximizes
consumption of it. If students do not get the experience of succeeding in using technology to accomplish tasks
and express themselves, they will lack the essential skills they need to be successful in the modern business
landscape.

Internet Safety and Student Privacy:

Whenever students are using new applications, their teacher must ensure that the application is not
violating the students’ privacy rights or requesting information that is illegal to collect due to the age of the
student involved. The teacher should also ensure that the application has appropriate safety features to
prevent inappropriate contact from outside sources. I will use applications that are appropriate for my school
system’s as well as national policies. I will keep the parents updated about the safety features of the software
the students are using and send instructional videos explaining how the software works. The parents will also
be encouraged to comment on the projects students post to their password protected blog sites. Facebook is
a great example of how easy it is for adults to become excited about applications once they know how to use
them. Many parents would be far more engaged in the learning management systems their kids’ schools are
using if someone from the school published a step-by-step video guide that could be shared via Facebook on
how to navigate the platform. I will monitor my students’ activities and remind them of the importance of
maintain a safe and secure experience when accessing the internet.

Reflective Practice:

I think that video-based projects such as creating a PSA or animating a cellular pathway helps students
realize they are capable of not only understanding material but finding a way to express that knowledge that
engages others. These projects make for an easy way to let parents experience the wow factor of watching
their children develop the skills they need for the digital age. Students can show off their skills and parents
receive comfort knowing their kids are getting a quality educational experience. There are always more
opportunities for the incorporation of other tools, and I believe in utilizing these opportunities as frequently
as possible. I want my students to be inspired to create the tools that will continue to allow knowledge to be
more accessible to greater numbers of people.

SBooker, 2020