Monday, April 18, 2016

Teaching Tip #148



Teacherscribe’s Teaching Tip #148
Now this is something we can learn from:  How to Engage Students in the First Few Minutes
#4 - Play a video clip.
I’ve actually used this one quite often.  I know Mr. Zutz is fond of beginning his slideshows with a video too (I remember the camel talking about humpday as an example).
The one that I like showing is the scary car commercial where this white car is meandering down a winding road.  Soft, classical music is playing.  Just as the car slowly approaches a stretch of bushes, you naturally wait for the car to come out the other side.  Just at that moment a zombie pops up and screams.
If you haven’t seen it (there is another example with an atomic bomb going off and the wave reaching the ship.  Just before the wave hits the ship, the zombie pops up), it will scare you.
I show this and then we talk about the film techniques the director used.
I also show the commercial for Nolan’s Cheddar where a mouse is caught in a trap.  You think for sure it’s a goner, but then the mouse begins doing push ups and you realize the mouse is just getting his work out in as he is bench pressing the trap.
I’ll ask students why the director uses the specific songs she does?  I’ll ask them to explain how the music manipulates them.
Or I’ll show the classic Fire Drill episode of The Office.
This is maybe the most effective way to begin a class.
I’d love to hear what videos you find most effective in your classes.

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