Written by Guest Writer – Matt Galea
There is more to iMovie than meets the eye.
We have all used iMovie as a tool to make quick videos with music, sound effects and titles. In the classroom setting, this would be a standard, simple use of this tool. My aim for the term was to use iMovie to showcase student understanding and learning. Using the overlay tools in iMovie added a new dimension to our movies and learning. The learning focus was to present a multiplication strategy by explaining how to use the strategy and include a visual representation. Here’s what we made:
If you’re looking to showcase student understanding and learning in your classroom, follow the classroom resources below.
Student Task :
Pick a multiplication strategy that you would like to explain (for example, arrays)
Have a friend record you drawing the strategy (no audio, just working out)
Record yourself (in selfie mode) explaining the strategy (use expression)
Create your movie and experiment with the different overlay settings
Here’s a video tutorial of the process:
Final Thoughts
iMovie is a versatile tool that can be used with students Prep to Year 6. We’ve coined it versatile as it can be used simply (create a quick movie) to complex with high impact. As a Year 3 classroom teacher, using the overlay tool allowed students to demonstrate their understanding of a specific multiplication strategy. This was helpful during the report writing period as I could assess their understanding. Each student presented their explanation and method in their own way. They were highly engaged in their learning as they became content creators!