Mr. Hyman's Virtual Media Center

For this project, I ask students to choose a book they've read recently and would like to recommend to the class. Then they create a synopsis, or overview of the book, keeping in mind what attracted them to it and why they liked it so much. The idea is to let the class know about the book without telling them everything about it.

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Next, students have the option to create a storyboard using the table format

in Google Docs (Microsoft Word also works) to help them organize their ideas.

Other mind-map recommendations are Popplet on the iPad, which is a great

mind-mapping, idea-generating app or Mindmup for a free online mind mapping

outlet.

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After storyboards are complete, students begin gathering photos from (1)

pictures that they design themselves in Microsoft Paint or another program that

we’ve used before, or a combination of pictures that they create along with pictures

that they find by doing a search…(2) flickrCC or Google images to represent the

key elements in the book. I have students use flickrCC because all images on this site fall under the Creative Commons license and are free to use as long as they are cited. This is a lesson in itself, as most students believe that anything on the internet is free for the taking. As they are gathering their photos, they are also creating a photo citation page in Google Docs or Word so that they may give credit to their sources at the end of their movies.

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Students then build their book trailers using the Windows 10 Video App or a free online video editor of their choice.