I've already used Creative Commons Image Search for Still Images, but what's the Blip.tv tab I see there next to the Flickr tab? Videos. Well, why not use it this Monday to start a lesson on Multiples that is titled Riding Ferris Wheels.
The teacher's guide to the math book opens with a few questions such as "How many of you have ever been on a Ferris wheel?" and "Did you ever wonder about the number of trips around that you would get?" and "How does the size of the Ferris wheel affect your ride?" The guide also suggests using (cardboard?) circles (with a seat drawn on them) on a screwdriver to illustrate ferris wheels.
Why not show a quick video first? The students actually see the ferris wheel revolve, and to add a bit of a "problem" element into the quick intro, I could ask students to figure out how long it takes for one full revolution. This is slightly challenging for 6th graders because the video only shows the upper half of the ferris wheel.
In terms of visual literacy, this video adds the visual element, particularly movement, to the senses being integrated in this lesson intro. So theoretically students' attention and memory encoding will be better (if what I read about Sensory Integration on the Brain Rules website is accurate). However, I don't believe this video will deliver too much when it comes to emotional impact. So in that sense, there is still room for a better video although, can Ferris wheels be very emotional ever?
Here's the video, courtesy of Matt Black's Video Sketchbook on Blip.tv
Definitely not the most exciting video, but still a thousand times better than a piece of cut out cardboard! If one of your students had never been on a Ferris Wheel, or even seen one, this would help them understand what it is so much more effectively. Great use of Creative Commons!
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