Activity And Project

MyTube: Make a Video Public Service Announcement

Grades
7 - 12
Activity Time
30- to 40-minute sessions over multiple days
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Activity Description

Chances are that the teens you know are watching television and videos, possibly even some videos posted on the YouTube website. What better way to get them involved in topics and issues that are important to them than by asking them to make and edit their own videos? After watching and discussing some online public service announcements (PSAs), help teens write their own script and film a PSA.

Why This Is Helpful

Teens need to be able to understand and respond to the many messages they get from the Internet and television (also called multimedia messages). This activity helps teens to think about how information can be presented and how they might create their own persuasive argument or message. The practice here is important not only for the kinds of essay writing they have to do in school but also for the ability to help them build critical thinking skills to be able to analyze and evaluate what they read, see, and hear in the media.

This activity was modified from the ReadWriteThink lesson plan “MyTube: Changing the World With Video Public Service Announcements.”

What You Need

Here's What to Do

Because this activity requires some technical knowledge to produce the video, plan to familiarize yourself with the equipment and software before working with the teen. As an alternative, find someone who has this technical expertise who can support you and the teen throughout this activity, particularly though the process of making and editing the video. Many teens are already skilled at or would enjoy learning about filmmaking.

1. Start by talking a little bit about what a public service announcement (PSA) is and what it is meant to do. Ask if there are any PSAs the teen knows and likes. Talk about your own favorites and share one or more as examples. (A search of YouTube might help you locate some that would be fun to share.)
 
2. Together, watch a few of the PSAs on the Ad Council: PSA Gallery and BoostUp (click Videos) websites. The Ad Council PSAs are professionally made; the other site, which is aimed at keeping teens in school, hosts videos filmed by teens themselves.

Note: See the Frequently Asked Questions page on the Ad Council website if you experience difficulty watching the videos or seek the help of someone with technical expertise who can make sure your computer is properly equipped.
 
3. Provide a copy of the PSA Activity and Questions Sheet and answer the first set of questions together under the heading Step 1: Thinking About PSAs.
 
4. Talk to the teen about issues relevant in his or her life. These may be personal issues, social issues, school issues, community issues, or whatever issues seem to be important to the teen. This activity works best if the teen is passionate about the issue you select for the PSA. Talk about the idea of making a PSA and find out what the teen would like to accomplish or learn in doing so. Keep this goal in mind throughout the remainder of the activity.
 
5. Move on to Step 2: Choosing Your Topic and Step 3: Thinking About Solutions on the PSA Activity and Questions Sheet.

Note: This part of the activity will continue over multiple days while the teen completes research and explores possible solutions for the topic. You will want the teen to have a good base of research and a strong understanding of the topic before beginning to script and film the PSA.
 
6. Once your research is complete, continue on with Step 4: Planning Your Own PSA. This step involves completing the PSA Script Outline together.
 
7.

Make a plan for filming the video. For some background information, watch Shotlists and Storyboards on the Nortel LearniT: Video Production website. Use the information in the PSA Script Outline to make a storyboard and shot list for the video.

Additional things to do before filming include

  • Arrange to use a digital video camera.
     
  • If more than one person is needed for the video, ask friends to play parts.
     
  • Collect any props you will need.
     
  • Set up time to rehearse before filming.
8. Once the video is filmed, you can help the teen edit it using Windows Movie Maker or another editing program. (Tips for Using Movie Maker will guide you if you don’t know the program.) Save the video and encourage the teen to share it with friends and family.
 
9. Refer back to the goal discussed in Step 4 and find out whether it has been accomplished. If not, talk about ways to take this activity one step further in making the goal a reality.
Dani
K-12 Teacher
My students would love this activity. I think I'll use it as a project culminating activity after reading 1984.
Katie
Technology Coordinator
Hi, Peytin,
Making a video or podcast or still photo story allows students to demonstrate their learning in their own words. I have a few examples from one of our elementary sites on our wiki http://gusdtech.wikispaces.com/ES+Keppel Many of these are award winners or recognized by our Chamber of Commerce.
Dani
K-12 Teacher
My students would love this activity. I think I'll use it as a project culminating activity after reading 1984.
Katie
Technology Coordinator
Hi, Peytin,
Making a video or podcast or still photo story allows students to demonstrate their learning in their own words. I have a few examples from one of our elementary sites on our wiki http://gusdtech.wikispaces.com/ES+Keppel Many of these are award winners or recognized by our Chamber of Commerce.
kattie
Afterschool Staff
well this is really cool but what kind of stuff can i talk about in my video
kattie
Afterschool Staff
well this is really cool but what kind of stuff can i talk about in my video
peytin
K-12 Teacher
Why would our students need to make a video?
I think it would be more acceptable if they made an SA.
And for the video most children in my class are shy or scared to make one.
tori
K-12 Teacher
i think thats a good idea but why do we need to make a video when we can make like a play or something....i mean im a reading teacher. but i thing i wil use that as a good warm up or something funn lke that.
Holly
K-12 Teacher
Not all children have to be in front of the camera when making a video. They can take different roles.
Creating videos allows them to practice 21st century skills.
tori
K-12 Teacher
i think thats a good idea but why do we need to make a video when we can make like a play or something....i mean im a reading teacher. but i thing i wil use that as a good warm up or something funn lke that.
Wes Ford
Associate Editor
Hello everyone!

There have been a few comments asking "why make a video?" First off, research has shown that sharing work is an integral part of the writing process, the final cap to creativity. The prevalence user-driven content sites like YouTube and FaceBook show this. The recognition for work well done is a good motivator, and feedback from peers can help students learn.

A play would work as well, of course, but it will not reach the audience that a YouTube video can, nor does it meet current students in the digital world in which they live. Self-produced Internet video is a part of every day life, something that current students are entirely immersed in and comfortable with. A play might not be as appealing, nor does it teach the 21st century skills of video recording, editing, and posting.

And any time students have a lesson that involved working online, it is another chance for teachers and parents to reenforce Internet safety, critical analysis of webpages for trust-ability, and appropriate online behavior such as what it and what is not a good thing to post on line or share with others. This lesson cannot be stressed enough.

Finally, the reason a video was highlighted here is because we at ReadWriteThink are always trying to push the technology envelope and increase the use of new technologies and 21st century learning. We are, after all, a website. Teachers and parents come online to get information and share their successes. We feel students should be able to do the same, and so we actively promote the use of current technologies.

Thanks for your comments!

Wes Ford
Associate Editor

Holly
K-12 Teacher
Not all children have to be in front of the camera when making a video. They can take different roles.
Creating videos allows them to practice 21st century skills.
Wes Ford
Associate Editor
Hello everyone!

There have been a few comments asking "why make a video?" First off, research has shown that sharing work is an integral part of the writing process, the final cap to creativity. The prevalence user-driven content sites like YouTube and FaceBook show this. The recognition for work well done is a good motivator, and feedback from peers can help students learn.

A play would work as well, of course, but it will not reach the audience that a YouTube video can, nor does it meet current students in the digital world in which they live. Self-produced Internet video is a part of every day life, something that current students are entirely immersed in and comfortable with. A play might not be as appealing, nor does it teach the 21st century skills of video recording, editing, and posting.

And any time students have a lesson that involved working online, it is another chance for teachers and parents to reenforce Internet safety, critical analysis of webpages for trust-ability, and appropriate online behavior such as what it and what is not a good thing to post on line or share with others. This lesson cannot be stressed enough.

Finally, the reason a video was highlighted here is because we at ReadWriteThink are always trying to push the technology envelope and increase the use of new technologies and 21st century learning. We are, after all, a website. Teachers and parents come online to get information and share their successes. We feel students should be able to do the same, and so we actively promote the use of current technologies.

Thanks for your comments!

Wes Ford
Associate Editor

Dani
K-12 Teacher
My students would love this activity. I think I'll use it as a project culminating activity after reading 1984.
Katie
Technology Coordinator
Hi, Peytin,
Making a video or podcast or still photo story allows students to demonstrate their learning in their own words. I have a few examples from one of our elementary sites on our wiki http://gusdtech.wikispaces.com/ES+Keppel Many of these are award winners or recognized by our Chamber of Commerce.
kattie
Afterschool Staff
well this is really cool but what kind of stuff can i talk about in my video
peytin
K-12 Teacher
Why would our students need to make a video?
I think it would be more acceptable if they made an SA.
And for the video most children in my class are shy or scared to make one.
tori
K-12 Teacher
i think thats a good idea but why do we need to make a video when we can make like a play or something....i mean im a reading teacher. but i thing i wil use that as a good warm up or something funn lke that.
Holly
K-12 Teacher
Not all children have to be in front of the camera when making a video. They can take different roles.
Creating videos allows them to practice 21st century skills.
peytin
K-12 Teacher
Why would our students need to make a video?
I think it would be more acceptable if they made an SA.
And for the video most children in my class are shy or scared to make one.
Wes Ford
Associate Editor
Hello everyone!

There have been a few comments asking "why make a video?" First off, research has shown that sharing work is an integral part of the writing process, the final cap to creativity. The prevalence user-driven content sites like YouTube and FaceBook show this. The recognition for work well done is a good motivator, and feedback from peers can help students learn.

A play would work as well, of course, but it will not reach the audience that a YouTube video can, nor does it meet current students in the digital world in which they live. Self-produced Internet video is a part of every day life, something that current students are entirely immersed in and comfortable with. A play might not be as appealing, nor does it teach the 21st century skills of video recording, editing, and posting.

And any time students have a lesson that involved working online, it is another chance for teachers and parents to reenforce Internet safety, critical analysis of webpages for trust-ability, and appropriate online behavior such as what it and what is not a good thing to post on line or share with others. This lesson cannot be stressed enough.

Finally, the reason a video was highlighted here is because we at ReadWriteThink are always trying to push the technology envelope and increase the use of new technologies and 21st century learning. We are, after all, a website. Teachers and parents come online to get information and share their successes. We feel students should be able to do the same, and so we actively promote the use of current technologies.

Thanks for your comments!

Wes Ford
Associate Editor

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