Russellville Middle School current events class produces weekly videos

Learning on camera

Reilly Steinman and Bladen Kremer rehearse their script for the "That's Amazing" segment of the "Indian Report." Landon Plochberger, left, and Brevyn Miller, right, served as technical assistants for their recording in the Russellville Middle School current events class.
Reilly Steinman and Bladen Kremer rehearse their script for the "That's Amazing" segment of the "Indian Report." Landon Plochberger, left, and Brevyn Miller, right, served as technical assistants for their recording in the Russellville Middle School current events class.

"Indian Report" deadline day means studio silence when the iPad video camera is recording student-prepared segments in front of the green screen.

For Russellville Middle School social studies teacher Sheri Koestner, the new current events class added to seventh-grade schedules this year has been a work in progress.

A suggestion brought from the high school by new Middle School Assistant Principal David Volkart, the new elective presented great potential, she said.

Gathering news, weather and fun facts weekly for two publications makes a demanding schedule, Koestner said. In between crisis and preparation, Koestner still finds time to instruct on the finer points of fact versus opinion and finding reliable sources.

The sixth online "Indian Report" was posted on Jan. 29 on the school's website and YouTube.

The class began with a newsletter, "The Spear," which they continue to publish as well.

Eventually, Koestner sees students being responsible for the video editing. Already, holding the camera is a popular, if not tricky, job.

During the most recent "Indian Report" deadline day, the dozen students were full of giggles, nervous to be in front of the camera and goofing off behind it.

However, when the red button to record was pressed, the room fell silent.

Reilly Steinman and Bladen Kremer recorded their regular "That's amazing" segment, with the image of a Maine coon cat above them on the green screen. The pair received critiques from fellow students - remove gum and sit up straight.

photo

Farmington guard Jason Purdy, left, and Huntsville guard Bailey Counts battle for a loose ball beneath the basket during the Cardinals’ 53-45 win on Feb. 27 at a Class 4A regional playoff game in Farmington.

Then, their content received on-the-spot editing as Koestner pointed out the "amazing" fact was the cat's size, rather than what the boys originally had in their script - that it swims.

With additions made, Steinman and Kremer read it perfectly. However, the camera wasn't rolling.

On the other hand, the camera was on for other groups when they had bloopers or forgot their lines and had to start again.

Gage Abrams said he isn't good at reading aloud, but he does come up with good ideas.

He researched the three "most poisonous" animals and wrote the scripts for his voice actors to read off camera with the photo. Next, he's thinking of featuring the "most expensive."

"We're still learning," Koestner said. "But we've improved greatly."

For one thing, the students have learned to look at the camera, Schrimpf said.

"You're more aware of what you're doing when you're not on camera, too," she said.

The "Indian Report" is emailed to elementary school teachers to show to their classes, and the middle school students watch it during lunch on Fridays.

"I always thought this would be interesting and relevant," Volkart said. "And with all the technology we have today, a newscast should be fun for the kids. They've done well with it."

Links:

View latest "Indian Report" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BYbtmQtvEM&feature=youtu.be

Access others at www.cole.k12.mo.us/cms/page_view?d=x&piid=&vpid=1447843710378