Document+Cameras

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==== 13. Place real life Science objects like rocks, leaves, worms, cactus, animal dissection, experiment. If your experiment measures liquid in a measuring cup, tilt the camera so that it points at the side of the cup. Use the document camera to zoom in on parts of a thermometer, and ruler, showing the smallest units and degrees and demo how to use 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 etc. ====

==== 15. Using the zoom feature on the document camera place coins under the camera to show detail and prompt discussion. This is especially helpful since many coins are now being re-designed and finding pictures of the new coins is somewhat problematic, especially if one of your objectives is teaching money. ====

==== 16. You can do your interactive writing on paper under the document camera, no more losing the attention of the kids sitting in the back, now everybody can see. All kids love to see themselves or their friends writing on the big screen. ====

==== 18. Using the document camera we project student writing in journals or show examples of good work and to point out features of writing. This is a real motivator for writing, you will be surprised how your students will rise to the occasion. ====

==== 19. Essay Writing Students write for homework. The following day, the teacher randomly selects 3 students' papers. These 3 papers are placed under the document camera one at a time for grading. The teacher does a "think-aloud" grading of each paper, and, when the students are ready, calls on them for input. The assignments are given a letter grade on the spot. These three students receive a grade and all others receive credit/no credit. This procedure sends a clear message to the students, "Your writing may be published at any time, so you better do your best work just in case. The quality of work increases greatly, and the students benefit so much more from the teacher's hard work grading papers. The quality of work increases in spite of the fact that each paper may simply be "stamped" as complete. ====

==== 21. Modeling Writing: Good writing teachers model writing for the students on a regular basis. A document camera makes that modeling very genuine because no longer is the teacher writing on a transparency or a giant piece of paper. She is writing on a paper just like the students will be writing on! She is then able to model correct paper organization, handwriting, etc. ====

==== 22. Off-Task Students: Have a student who struggles focusing on his/her work do the assignment under the document camera. With a writing assignment, there are no "right" answers, so it doesn't really matter if the other students can see. Using this method, the teacher is able to check progress on this student from anywhere in the room with a quick glance. ====

==== 23. Whiteboard Lined, graph, grid paper: Project a blank piece of lined, graph, grid or coordinate plane paper onto your white board. Now you and your students can write directly on the whiteboard and keep the writing straight and neat or graph coordinates or draw isometric drawings. ====

==== 24. Shared Reading: My students can all see the text that I'm reading aloud. They are expected to read along mentally. Every couple of sentences, I drop a word as I'm reading and expect the students to all chorally fill in that word. Every page or so, I stop reading aloud and tell the students to read a certain section mentally. I then hold students accountable for their reading through journal responses, pair share, and whole class discussion. These methods also improve reading fluency as students are encouraged to decode more rapidly than they normally do in order to keep up with the teacher's reading pace. Another bonus is that all students can quickly and easily see the pictures during a read aloud. ====

==== 25. Worksheets, Forms, Text Book: Rather than wasting precious class time running around making sure all the students know where you are in the book, on the worksheet, etc. you can simply point if you use a document camera. Having the students fill in forms is now a snap as well. ====

==== 26. Giant Timer Use the document camera to project a countdown timer. Sure you can buy an overhead timer for about $40. But when you have a document camera, the old kitchen timer works just fine. Use it to keep the kids focused on the task, knowing that the clock is ticking, and they will soon be out of time for that assignment. ====

==== 28. Drama Stage Set: Students can draw the background scenery for a play or skit they will perform in class. Move your projector at a 45 degree angle to the white board. Project the drawing onto the white board, angling it behind the actors. The image will naturally distort, but the overall effectiveness is well worth it. ====

Ideas for using your Document Camera in class:
[|Sample activities from the Elmo website]