Introducing Document Camera and Digital Microscope to Students

When you think of using a document camera, we think of using it for just that - documents. It's the high tech version of an overhead. Just as folks became inventive with using an overhead with transparent coins and shapes, you can be creative with a document camera.

Here's an activity to try.
Take your students on a safari outside. They are looking for interesting objects to share with the class. When they return - depending upon the age of the students- have them write a few sentences to a paragraph about their object. Instead of passing the object around the class (remember your show-and-tell days) the student would use the document camera to give the class an up close and personal look at their object.

When the activity is complete students have used their...
Reasoning skills- to determine which object to present
Descriptive Writing skills - by writing the sentences or paragraph about the object
Presentation/ Public Speaking skills- by sharing the object with the class

Not to mention the fact that they just used a cool tech tool.

This activity can be modified for use with the Digital Blue Microscopes found in many schools and classrooms.