Sydney Laub EDU 202

Name of Lesson Plan:

Country Video Group Project
Grade Level Appropriateness:
Grade 8
Standards:
InTASC Standard 5 Application of Content- The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use
differing perspectives to engage learners critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related
to authentic local or global issues.
Common Core Grades 6-8 Literacy in History/Social Studies Standard 7- Integrate visual information (e.g. in
charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print or digital texts.
NET*(S) Standard 3 Research and Information Fluency- Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and
use information.
Grade 8 Nevada Technology Standard 2.A.8.1- Collaborate to create and publish digital products for authentic
audiences in a variety of digital environments.
World Geography 8 Standard 1.1 - Students will identify the five themes of geography: location (absolute and
relative), place, region, movement, and human-environment interaction on all seven continents by utilizing one
of the big 11 social studies skills.
Objective:
Students will be able to work effectively in small groups., and apply individual knowledge to complete a
specific part of the group presentation. Students will be able to locate the five themes of geography for a
foreign country using websites and library books. Students will learn how to utilize basic video recording and
video editing programs. Students will apply knowledge of APA format to list references used to gather
information. Students will learn about a variety of foreign countries.
Materials:
Teacher materials An interactive white board equipped with webcam and video editing software. Example
video setting a minimum outcome expectation for students. Premade audience participation papers.
Student materials Computers/tablets equipped with word processing software, a webcam, video editing
software, and internet access. School Library. Reliable websites such as: National Geographic Kids , CIA
World Facts
Suggested group size:
3-5 Students.
Procedures:
Teacher Show the students an example of a finished project. Give the students a brief introduction to the
webcam, showing them how to access the webcam, how to begin recording, and how to save their content.
Show the students how to locate the video editing software, upload their videos, and how to crop them. (It is up

to the group to add other special effects.) Once the students are familiar with the two programs explain that
they will be broken up into small groups and each group will be assigned a country to research. Ask the class
who has previous knowledge of video making and be sure to disperse those students among different groups.
Make sure to provide the students with reliable websites and access to the schools library.
Student Students will be broken up into groups of three to five and assigned a country. One or two group
members are to collect information answering the five themes of geography from reliable websites and books
provided by the teacher. One group member will create a script or outline of the video content. Once the
groups have the data needed, the entire group will use it to star in an informative video about the foreign
country. The style in which they deliver the information is up to each group (i.e. news report, documentary,
fictional movie). One or two group members will be the video editors in charge of cutting and adding special
effects. Videos should 3-5 minutes long.
Closure:
When the videos are completed each group will have a chance to premier their clip. The audience will be
active listeners during their peers presentations by filling out audience participation cards. Each card will
provide room to write down the name of each country presented and the five themes of geography for each
country.
Assessment:
Each student will get a grade for their groups video presentation as well as their personal audience
participation card that features the five themes of geography that they have learned about each country.
Resources:
National Geographic Kids , CIA World Facts
http://www.fresnostate.edu/academics/oie/documents/assesments/Blooms%20Level.pdf
http://www.corestandards.org/wp-content/uploads/ELA_Standards1.pdf
http://www.ccsso.org/Documents/2011/InTASC%202011%20Standards%20At%20A%20Glance.pdf