Lesson 6: Video Production

Day 1 consists of the following activities:

• Hook: CIC From a Judge’s Lens (5 minutes)
• CIC Judging Criteria Analysis Using Winning Videos (30 minutes)
• Optional: Take a Test Drive with Canva Pro (40 Minutes)
• Wrap-Up: Sharing & Canva Takeaways (5 minutes)

Guide students through a quick-write and/or discussion on the following prompt: If you were a judge for the CIC competition, what would you look for in a winning video?

• Here are examples of past submissions that have done well in the competition in a variety of ways. Use the CIC Judging Criteria Analysis worksheet to review at least 2 videos that are relevant for your classroom and discuss how and why you think they may have scored well in the competition. Consider completing the first analysis as a whole class before asking students to analyze one or more additional videos in small groups. This worksheet uses a student friendly version of the CIC Judging Rubric.
  • Elementary School
    • “Composting” (3:48) by Stephen, Amari, Anthony, Axel, & Bryce, 5th grade students at Roland Rodgers Elementary School in Galloway, NJ
    • “Nanoplastics” (3:36) by Carolina, Rasa and Rainier, 5th grade students at Carlos Gilbert Elementary in Santa Fe, NM
    • “Reusable Rainstorms” (4:00) by By Aailiyah, Aaron, Annabella, Diego, Giuliana, Jack, Jorgina, Kristy, Peter and Sofia from Amy Biehl Community School in Santa Fe, NM
  • Middle School
    • “Fire Resistant Houses in Los Angeles” (3:38) by Lilli, 7th grade student at Sante Fe Preparatory School, Sante Fe, NM
    • “Hurricane Day Not So Exciting Anymore” (4:00) by Bleakley, Medha, Anna, Megan, Grace, Stella, Trisha, Lila, Fern, Julie, Brianne and Caroline from Maclay School in Tallahassee, FL
    • “Building Gabions to Avoid Soil Erosion” (3:42) by Margaret, Leonard, Marvelous and Sharlet, middle school students from Mwakingali Primary School in Voi, Kenya.
  • Reiterate the end goal, which is to design a creative solution to a problem caused by climate change, and then communicate this idea in a short video (under 4 minutes). You can revisit the CIC Judging Rubric to help guide students.
  • If desired, provide students with additional time to revise their scripts and pre-production documents now that they have a stronger understanding of the criteria they will be judged on.

NOTE: We recommend Canva Pro because it is free for educators and students, however CIC accepts all videos in an MP4 format. If your students choose not to use Canva Pro to create their CIC projects, we offer alternatives in the orientation section.

• Using Canva Pro, consider showing these tutorial videos to get started:
  • Canva Video Editor – COMPLETE tutorial for Beginners (16:33)
  • Canva App Video Editing Tutorial (8:42)
  • How to Use Canva’s AI Video Generator to Create Engaging Content (4:34)
• Try this activity to help students get acquainted with the software. This activity can be modified to work with any presentation or editing software.
  • Give students the one of the following prompts:
    • You have 40 minutes to make a 20-30 second video on Canva Pro that…
    • Describes your favorite season and explain how, if at all, climate change is affecting it.
    • Talks about a passion or hobby you have and shares how you first became interested in it.
    • Recommends a book and explains why you think others should read it.
  • The video must contain the following attributes
    • At least 3 relevant and engaging visuals
    • Transitions between visuals
    • Recorded narration
    • Text on screen that emphasizes certain words or phrases
    • Music that might cause your audience to be influenced by the message you are trying to convey.

When 35 minutes are up, ask for student volunteers to share what they have made and the tools they chose to include for this activity.

Days 2-4 consist of the following activities:

• Hook: Video Editing Tips & Tricks (15 minutes)
• Video Production Work Time (2-3 class periods)
• Optional: CIC Judging Criteria Self/Peer Analysis (20 minutes)
• Submission Instructions
• Next Steps

• Ask students: What tips and tricks should we remember when using Canva (or another video editing software)?
• Make a list on a whiteboard or projector for students to reference during video production. Add or share additional considerations and tips from the lists below if applicable to your students in order to prepare them to work effectively on creating their videos.

• Now, your students will take everything they’ve learned in this curriculum and put it into action. So far, they’ve studied regional climate impacts, creative and innovative strategies, and how to tell an effective and engaging story using film or video as means for communication. Now they are ready to produce their projects.
• Considerations and Tips:
  • Interviews/Locations: Students should consider if they are going to record themselves or others, conduct an interview, etc and what locations they will need to film in if this is happening. They should add this information into their script.
    • If students plan on interviewing someone for their project, please have them inform the interviewee that these recordings will be included in a video project that may be put on the internet.
  • Recording Audio: Students may want to record their script as an audio track before designing the visuals for their video. Students can record an audio file separately and upload it to Canva, or record their script directly on Canva using these steps:
    • Click “Uploads” on the left hand menu of a new presentation or other type of project > click “Record yourself” > click “Record a talking head” to record an audio recording (the student’s image can be changed or hidden after the fact if desired)
  • Taking Action: If students are taking action as part of their CIC project, they should consider what they want to share with their audience in their CIC video. Are they creating a prototype? Implementing a project in their community? Volunteering? What needs to happen before video production takes place?
  • Tracking Progress & Goal Setting: Build ownership and self-management skills by having students set goals and track their progress for each day of the video creation process. These can also be done as a class.
• Additional Video Resources
  • The resources below offer additional guidance and suggestions that students can use while making their videos:
    • How to add Royalty Free Music to your Project
    • How to Use a Smartphone for Filming
    • How to Use Additional Film Accessories

• At some point near the end of the time allotted for video production, ask students to assess their own video or the video of a peer using the purple section of the CIC Judging Criteria Analysis worksheet.
• Students should use their takeaways from the exercise to improve their video.

• We have detailed instructions on the submission process here. Please start this process early, so as to ensure a smooth experience.
• We also have a video tutorial on how to submit to FilmFreeway.

Now that students have completed their CIC project, what’s next? This handout offers other contests or opportunities for students to engage in climate action.