A couple of weeks ago, I released a #TalkingThursday: Be Intentional About Your Read-Aloud.
While read-alouds are an effective tool to introduce or review skills, a video-aloud is an effective option, as well.
You may ask: What’s a video-aloud? Video-Alouds consist of playing a commercial, YouTube, Live-Action, Pixar or Disney clip for your students. Throughout the course of this routine, you can engage in think-alouds, ask students to respond in writing, and foster critical thinking.
There are several other benefits, too.
- Content Differentiation: Students receive information in a different way than normal.
- Increases Engagement: Using cartoons and live-action clips sparks the interest of students
- Accessible To All Students: Whether a student is below, on, or above-level, they can access the lesson and learn the skill.
Here are a few examples as to what it looks like.
Summary: Soar
Mini-Lesson: To introduce a summary, I go over a B.M.E.(Beginning, Middle, End) anchor chart…explaining that the beginning is the setting/problem, middle is the events(or steps to solve the problem), and the end is the solution and resolution.
After introducing the concept, I play Soar. Then I model how to find the summary of the short film.
Beginning: A young girl is on a farm when a small boy crashes his plane and gets lost from his family.
Middle: To fix the plane, the girl tapes sticks together. That doesn’t work so she puts a parachute on it. With a little boost, the boy begins to fly again.
End: At the end, the plane is fixed and the small boy rejoins his family. As a thank you to the girl, the little boy lights a star.
Following the modeled instruction, I release students to practice summary with a partner and then independently.
Character Change: The Selfish Giant
Mini-Lesson: Before playing “The Selfish Giant”, I tell students to pay attention to the character’s traits at the beginning and the end. Think about why he changed.
Modeled Instruction: Once the video concludes, I model how to analyze the character change in the story.
Beginning: Selfish
End: Caring, Loving
Why did the giant change? He realized that the kids were important to the garden.
Following this, students practice character change with a partner and then independently.
Author’s Purpose(Explain): How To Floss
Mini-Lesson: Explaining Author’s Purpose comes on the 2nd day of my Author’s Purpose Unit. So, I review the terms and then guide students through several pictures and video clips. One of those clips is “How To Floss.”
We(Do) or You(Do): While watching the video, students do “The Floss” dance. After it’s over, I ask them to determine the Author’s Purpose, which is Explain.
Conclusion: Utilizing video-alouds, instead of read-alouds is a mindset shift but it meets students at their level, not ours.
Conduct a Video-Aloud.
Be Phenomenal, Mr. Short
The Phenomenal Student 