HOW WE USE VIDEO PRODUCTION TO HELP TEACH SCIENCE IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM

You need a log book, story-board sheet, movie camera (preferably a camera that works and has sufficient storage space and battery charge)

Before finalising your movie, remind yourself of something that has interested or inspired you that might add some extra emotion to your movie. Consider having an introduction that includes a short interview with a teacher or grandparent talking about your topic. Here is an example:

IF YOUTUBE FAILS, TRY VIEWPURE:JOAN FEYNMAN - KEY TO SCIENCE

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a movie (using ART & TECHNOLOGY) about the design and performance of your STEAM experiment(s) (ENGINEERING & MATHS), using the scientific method (SCIENCE) described below:

Video 2 (below) is an example of a documentary science video made by students for their 'Forces' project in 2015. This was their first attempt (proper attribution required):

IF YOUTUBE FAILS, TRY VIEWPURE:Example WPS Science Project Documentary (2015

Start by writing brief notes in your log book, using the following headings (1 - 10 below)

Before starting your experiment, fill in your story board with notes explaining what content you will include for each section and how you will shoot the content for that section (including close-ups, distance shots and so on).

Decide what the role will be for each member of your group and for each part of your story-board content before you start creating your movie.

Think about the kind of 'feeling' or 'artistic effect' that you would like your movie to have (should you have a music background or include an interview, or insert images etc)?. Should the music/interview/images be serious, funny.. or have no background music at all?

Maybe you could simply design an artistic image to use at the start/end of your movie, or a make a poster to promote your movie?

Describe what your experiment will be a about. Keep it short and simple:

For example:

Our experiment investigates what happens when weights are suspended from a pulley

Write a short description of what you are predicting (guessing) will, or will not, happen:

For example:

1. When two equal weights are suspended from different heights on a pulley, the
   weights will level up. 

2. When a heavy weight and a lighter weight are suspended on a pulley, the side
   with heavier weight will fall an amount that depends on the weight difference.

Provide a link or reference to similar experiments or research that relates to your experiment - including any Internet or text-book references:

For example:

This question was part of the on-line Science Quiz:  http://goo.gl/forms/H7llGKsB4L
Additional information was supplied here:
http://wps.flipster.org/doku.php?id=learn:forces:discover:q01:home

Describe what you will do in your experiment in a way that is simple enough for someone else to repeat:

For example:

We suspended two equal weights from a pulley: One weight initially higher.
We released the weights at the same time and observed any movement.
To make sure the pulley was not 'stuck' by too much friction, the experiment
was repeated with a small amount of extra weight added to one side.

The full apparatus is shown in our movie and in our labelled diagram (below) 

Describe which things/values that you will change and what you will measure (and record in your log book)

For example:

In the first part of our experiment, the weights were equal.
In the second part, we will use exactly the same setup but add a small amount
of weight to one side.

Write down all values (weights) that were used in your experiment:

For example:

Two weights of 500 grams
Two weights of 20grams
Two weights of 5 grams
See values entered in log book  

In your log book, create a simple, clear, labelled diagram for each experiment

We used a variety of weights to help show that results (in experiment where the pulley did not move) were not simply the result of friction in the pulley.

Include a screen-grab of the wiki page and/or the quiz page that you mentioned in your EVIDENCE section (above)

For Example:

Investigating what happens to two equal weights suspended on a pulley

Figure: Equivalence of a lever/balance to a simple pulley

At the end of your movie include photographs of your diagrams, any results or graphs that you created in your log book. Include these photographs at the end of your movie (only if they relate directly to your experiment or have been mentioned in your experiement)

Think about each of the following points.

Write some notes based on the following - your summary MUST include:

1. A brief summary of the results (NOT your opinion about what the results mean), based on what you discovered as a result of your experiment.
2. Compare your findings with your hypothesis - did the findings agree or disagree with what you had expected.
3. Based on your hypothesis and the results, what was the most interesting thing that you discovered by performing this experiment (or, even if you thought the experiment was a total waste of time, then say why!)
4. Anything that you or others should/would do differently if you repeated this or a similar experiment

At the very end of your movie, create a section titled 'APPENDIX“

It should be obvious to your movie viewers that the stuff in appendix is separate from the main part of your movie (the first 9 subject headings above)

The Appendix should include all of your photographs, pictures of story-board, log book, diagrams and finally, any extra entertaining out-takes and/or bloopers.

HINT: If anyone goes out of frame during a part that you want to include, then simply insert an an image or illustration for the period that they are out of frame (leave the voice track running) and then cut back to the live action when they return into frame.