Animal Moviemakers
Teacher-Librarian: Heather Turner
Lesson Plan Title: Animal Moviemakers
Related Curricular Area: Information Literacy, Science, ELA
Appropriate Grade Level(s): 3-12
Required Time: 4-6 -30 minute lesson periods
Collaborative Potential: Classroom teacher, Teacher Librarian, Technology Assistant
Overview: (a brief paragraph) This lesson plan will take place as a collaborative lesson plan between the
classroom teacher, technology assistant, and teacher librarian. Students will be researching, notetaking,
writing, and creating movies in Photostory 3 (this will include recording and importing photos found
online from open source pictures). The Teacher Librarian and Technology Assistant will collaborate on
the technology aspect of the project. The Classroom teacher will complete the writing piece within
his/her ELA block.
CONTENT TOPIC:
CONNECTION TO LOCAL OR STATE CONTENT STANDARD(S)
Content Standards for Technology: Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase
productivity, and promote creativity.
Content Standards for Technology: Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information
from a variety of sources.
AASL STANDARDS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY LEARNER GOALS
Dispositions in Action
1.2.3 Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.
1.3.5 Use information technology responsibly.
Skills Indicators
2.1.6 Use the writing process, media and visual literacy, and technology skills to create products that
express new understandings.
3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding
in ways that others can view, use, and assess.
ASSESSMENT & CRITERIA:
Product: Teacher Librarian will review notetaking worksheets prior to writing. The Teacher Librarian will
be looking for correct notetaking strategy from the online resources.
Process:
RESOURCES STUDENTS WILL USE
Photostory 3; Microphone; Online databases (Searchasaurus, Amazing Animals);
OTHER MATERIALS REQUIRED
Animal explore file, Notetaking worksheet; pencil, internet access
INSTRUCTION AND ACTIVITIES:
Direct Instruction:
Lesson 1: Teacher Librarian introduces the project in the computer lab. The TL explains that
students will be exploring animals today on Amazing Animals (online database; or one of your
choosing). During this project they will be researching and creating movies.
Lesson 2: The TL will do a mini-refresher lesson on Notetaking. Students will answer all
questions on their research form and will not use complete sentences, punctuation, or capital
letters.
Lesson 3: The TL will show students how to take what they have written and link it to an
appropriate image. The TL will the show students how to find (using creativecommons.org;
Searchasaurus; National Geographic Animals; and Amazing Animals) and save images.
Lesson 4: The TL will introduce the program PhotoStory 3. She will let students see the finished
product.
Modeling and guided practice:
Students will have had instruction in online databases prior to this project. However, limited
modeling will accompany this unit.
The TL will have each student go to the online database Amazing Animals.
o The TL will model the first search under mammals and choose penguins. The TL will
model answering one of the questions on the Animal Explore worksheet.
The TL will show students how to take what they have written and link it to an appropriate
image. The TL will the show students how to find (using creativecommons.org; Searchasaurus;
National Geographic Animals; and Amazing Animals) and save images.
The TL will go through each screen in PhotoStory 3. She will have students import the images,
add a title page, have students record, and include background music.
Independent practice:
Lesson 1: Each student will have approximately 15 minutes to search Amazing Animals to
answer the following questions: Which animal are you afraid of?; Which animal would you like
to be?; Which animal do you like?; and Which animal wows you? Please see attached
worksheet. Their final selection must be an animal that they do not know much about and
cannot be the same as anyone else in the class. They will have a 1 st choice, 2nd Choice, and 3rd
choice on their packet.
Lesson 2/3: Upon choosing an animal students will begin notetaking on their animal using the
provided worksheet.
(In Their Classroom) Students will take their completed research back to the classroom to
complete their writing piece.
Lesson 3/4: Students will bring their writing piece back to the computer lab. They will organize
their paper into pictures. They will find those pictures using provided links and save each image
to My Pictures.
Lesson 4-5/6: Students will import pictures, record their papers on to the appropriate picture
that matches what they are saying, and include background music.
Sharing and reflecting:
Each student will present their movie in front of their class. They will also be available on the
library website for anyone to see.
Students will complete another project like this again during the year to practice their skills.
