Many classrooms in the district are now home to a handy little technology tool- the document camera.
The models of the cameras vary from room to room, but the basic functions are the same. Most project, zoom, take pictures, record video, and some have a light function. Here are some engaging ways to get the most out of your document camera in the classroom:
Read alouds-turn any book into a "big book" under the doc camera
Utilize math manipulatives
Science experiments/demonstrations
Demonstrate an app
Show a piece of music
Demonstrate how to set up interactive notebooks/how to take notes
Let students be the teachers and explain how to solve a problem
Show art work or projects
Demonstrate dictionary skills
Show-and-tell on the big screen
Zoom in on rulers
Project graph paper
Display student work
Take and save a picture of student work to save for use with later classes and/or posting on a class website
Take photos of other items/documents and save image for later use
Record video-Work out a problem, narrate a demonstration, etc and add to your website or upload to YouTube. Perfect for students who are absent.
If you don't have a document camera in your classroom and think it would be something you would use, let a tech coach know. We will find one for you to try out!
What other ways are you using a document camera in your classroom? Post below and let us know!
It is a real-time image capture
devices for displaying an object to a large audience. Like an opaque
projector, a document camera is able to magnify and project the
images of actual, three-dimensional objects, as well as transparencies. They
are, in essence, high resolutionweb cams,
mounted on arms so as to facilitate their placement over a page. This allows a
teacher, lecturer or presenter to write on a sheet of paper or to display a two
or three-dimensional object while the audience watches. Theoretically, all
objects can be displayed by a document camera. Most objects are simply placed
under the camera. The camera takes the picture which in turn produces a live
picture using a projector. Different types of document
camera/visualizer allow great flexibility in terms of placement of objects.
How could I use it in the Classroom?
Real Time Video Projection –Teachers can demonstrate/show a procedure to the class using the document camera and project it on the board.
(Ex: Science lab demonstrations, art demonstration, etc.)
Essay Papers – The teacher can place handwritten essay papers
submitted by children under the scanner and review it out loud so that
everyone can learn together.
Dictionary Skills – This device can also be used to
enhance spellings in the classroom. The teacher can place an actual
dictionary under the camera allowing the students to be involved in the
process of locating words, understanding their meaning and learning the spelling
Whiteboard – Instead of using a whiteboard, the
teacher can put a paper under the camera and write on that instead.
Reading/History –Teachers can use this technology to share a book in a group reading
session. The book can be placed under the camera and projected on the
screen to allow everyone to see it. This ensures that everyone is on the
same page, literally.
Document Projections–Teachers can project a page of any book or paper to share with the class
See Video:
Where can I find one?
There is a document camera available in each building. **See your technology coach about using it in your classroom.
