Imaging and Writing

The writing of the "script" by the student to demonstrate learning is the key to success using authentic assessment strategies. These are two script writing activities with the tools below to allow students to demonstrate what they have learned.

Returning to the Moon
Students in a middle school science class are asked to visualize ahead to the year 2022. They are the first Americans to walk on the surface of the moon since Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt in December of 1972. The astronaut teams are requested by NASA to hold a press conference from the moon. The students form astronaut teams and are prompted to create a script for a sixty second opening statement for a press conference that will be broadcast and podcasted to every country on earth. When the students have prepared the rough draft of the script, they can use any digital recording device (MP3 recorder or computer microphone) to rehearse the script and complete a final presentation. The final presentation could be in the form of an audio podcast or a more formal presentation using a video recorder to make a vodcast. This authentic assessment stimulates the writing process because the students are scripting a press conference that will be broadcast back to earth.

Using Art to Stimulate Writing
Students in an elementary art class have learned about Henri Rousseau and used his artistic style to create their own jungle scene paintings. Upon completion of their work, students must write a postcard from the scene depicting in their painting and describe what life is like there. The student must read and record their postcard using a microphone and computer. Then, the teacher takes a picture of each student’s work and makes a video of the pictures and podcasts created by each student. Using a video editor such as Photo Story 3 or Windows Movie Maker, the teacher creates a video that displays the paintings and audio recordings of each postcard. This project requires students to learn about a specific topic, paint a picture, write a script, and record their work. Students tend to put more effort into a project or assignment when they know that their work and script will be displayed on the classroom’s big screen in the form of a movie.

Microsoft Movie Maker

Microsoft PhotoStory 3

Picnik Photo Editing Tool

VoiceThread Video Editing

Video Sharing for the Classroom