DailyBooth for the Classroom?

The idea of taking an image of a student daily, weekly or monthly is actually a neat way to capture the changes in your students throughout a school year. This is not an new idea but many school filters do not allow access to social websites like Dailybooth and youtube. So, how can we do something similar to Dailybooth in an educational environment without accessing a social network like youtube or dailybooth? By using the tools available on your computer and school.

THE EQUIPMENT

Use a growth chart, a digital camera, and video editing tool such as Windows MovieMaker or Photostory2. If you want to use an online application, I would suggest something like Voicethread or Animoto. Those are usually safe online educational applications.

THE STEPS

Decide when you are going to take the pictures; daily, weekly, or monthly. Place one student at a time beside the growth chart and take their picture. Create a file for each student on your computer, so you can move the digital picture from the camera to the computer. Open moviemaker and import the media pictures for one student from the file you created on the computer. (Older students can create the movie themselves. Classroom teachers might want to work with their school's computer teacher to complete this project during lab time.) Drag the photos to the timeline in moviemaker. Add a title, transitions if wanted and any audio. Save as a movie.

If you have the capabilities at your school you could even consider burning the file to dvd in May to create a precious Mother's Day gift.

Here is an example posted by eoraphaely on youtube entitled, "Time Lapse-Grey Raphaely-11 mos", as an example for my early education teachers.

FURTHERING THE PROJECT
Take this digital project a step further for older students by recording the height of your student perhaps at the beginning of the year, middle of the year and end of the year.  How many inches your student has grown? Include all of your student's totals to explore minimum number, maximum number, mean, median, mode, and range. Graph the results. 

Or, have students plot their growth results on a free pediatric growth chart such as this one. Then, use the data on the chart to talk about percentages. 

Older students could even compare and contrast the differences they see in themselves throughout the year after they create their movie project. Students could digitally record their thoughts and add the digital comparisons or contrasts to the moviemaker project. 

Would rather not photograph each student? Elementary students could take turns taking a picture each day of the same scenery outside the school. Viewing the film will be a great way for the children to discuss seasonal changes.

Here is an example posted on youtube by eirikso called, "One year in 40 Seconds."




Another spin on this project might be for upper elementary, middle school or high school students studying a famous geographic area. Students could find as many images as possible of the area that were taken over time. Make sure to include maps. Put the images into the movie application following a chronological time period. Narrate the film sharing details about the changes the area has gone through over time.