Document Cameras are hundreds of dollars cheaper than a SmartBoard. If you don't have money to purchase a Smartboard, A Great Alternative would be a Document Camera.
Why would I use a Classroom document camera?
A document camera is one of the easiest and quickest ways to integrate technology into your classroom. There are very few special skills needed to use this piece of equipment. A classroom document camera can be connected to a DLP/LCD projector through a computer or connected directly to a DLP/ LCD projector. This one piece of classroom technology can be used to actively engage students in the learning process. Visual learners will benefit from the use of a classroom document camera by seeing small items, text, demonstrations in a much bigger way. Hands-on learners can also benefit from the use of a document camera by allowing them to be the ones placing objects or items under the document camera and explaining what they are showing. Another benefit of using a document camera is the decrease in copying expense. Schools are always looking at ways to maximize the financial resources that are available. A classroom document camera can drastically reduce the amount of copying a teacher has to do. Instead of copying 30 quizzes for a class, place 1 copy of the quiz under a document camera and either have students answer the questions on a sheet of paper or use clickers such as the Classroom Performance System (CPS) to have students answer the quiz questions. Many teachers refer to all classroom document cameras as "Elmos" but there are several companies that make document cameras including Elmo, Epson, and Lumens.
How can I use a document camera in my classroom?
Preschool - Primary Grades Classroom Document Camera Ideas
- Show and Tell
- Science Experiments
- Zoom in on small items to see the details
- "Big Books" - Big books are expensive. You can turn any book into a big book by placing it under the document camera
- Math manipulatives
- Place a timer under the document camera to help with time management.
- Picture schedule. Place a picture schedule under the document camera. Turn the classroom document camera and projector on when it's time to transition to the next activity and show the students what the next activity will be. "We just finished centers (show picture of "centers" on the schedule), now it's time for math (show schedule picture that represents "math")
- Demonstrating letter formation
- ABC tiles - let students come up and rearrange the tiles to create words
- Maps
- Photos and images
- Worksheets - students can view you filling out the information instead of just listening
- Save images for later use. A classroom document camera connected to a computer can act as a scanner. Teachers can place items under the document camera and use them in class that day and "save" the image for future use.
- Save an image of what you did in class on the document camera to place on classroom websites. Parents can "see" what their children are learning throughout the day.
- Saved images can also be incorporated into PowerPoint Presentations and Windows Movie Maker to use in activities such as end of year programs, classroom review and back to school nights.
Intermediate/Middle School Classroom Document Camera Ideas
- Place a timer under the document camera to help with time management.
- Displaying student work
- Model note taking skills by using an actual piece of notebook paper.
- Model sentence and paragraph structure, punctuation and grammar editing
- Worksheets such as study guides or daily assignments. Fill out the worksheet with the students.
- Complete graphic organizers as a whole class
- Project a test for grading; students follow with their eyes and not just their ears
- Daily Oral Language - can be saved from year to year without writing it on the board each day
- Math Manipulatives such as compass, ruler, thermometer, base ten blocks, etc
- Demonstrate how to use a calculator
- Show students how to set up math problems using notebook paper
- Math workbook pages
- Displaying and creating graphs
- Science experiments
- Dissections
- Zoom in on small items to see the details
- Maps
- Small items. Use the "zoom" feature to see the small details
- Valuable items you may not want to put in the hands of students
- Overhead transparencies (you may need to put a white sheet of paper behind it)
- Pictures of historical places and events from a book or photo
- Art pictures or projects
- Let the student be the "teacher"
- Save images for later use. A classroom document camera connected to a computer can act as a scanner. Teachers can place items under the document camera and use them in class that day and "save" the image for future use.
- Save an image of what you did in class on the document camera to place on classroom websites. Parents can "see" what their children are learning throughout the day.
- Saved images can also be incorporated into PowerPoint Presentations and Windows Movie Maker
High School Classroom Document Camera Ideas
- Place a timer under the document camera to help with time management.
- Bell ringers or exit slips (activities for the students to do as they are coming into class or right before they leave)
- Model writing skills, editing, revising
- Worksheets such as study guides or daily assignments. Can be filled out as a classroom activity.
- Complete graphic organizers as a whole class
- Display textbooks
- Reference books
- Math manipulatives such as rulers, compass, algebra tiles, geometric figures
- Model how to use a calculator
- Graph paper
- Model setting up and steps for solving math problems
- Science experiments
- Dissections
- Microscope
- Science worksheets
- Science manipulatives
- Model chemistry problems, solving physics formulas
- Zoom in on small items to see the details
- Social Studies maps
- Resource material you may only have one of or do not want to put in the hands of students
- Historical items
- Art projects
- Displaying student work
- Save images for later use. A classroom document camera connected to a computer can act as a scanner. Teachers can place items under the document camera and use them in class that day and "save" the image for future use.
- Save an image of what you did in class on the document camera to place on classroom websites. Parents can "see" what their children are learning throughout the day.
- Saved images can also be incorporated into PowerPoint Presentations and Windows Movie Maker.
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