Get Better Use out of Your Document Camera

Here are a few suggestions on getting a little more out of your document camera!

1.Show students how to do assigned work. Things are more easily explained when they can see the problems worked out in front of them.
2. Demonstrating 3 dimensional items.
3. Show documents immediately and appropriately sized for students to see, read and discuss
4. Showing and scoring student or sample work.
5. Increased effectiveness in communicating to a large group, from a commonly held document. Example: a page from a book can be viewed by entire group to ensure that all students are on the correct page in the correct place.
6. Model what is expected in the steps included in a math concept.
7. Allows up-close and detailed observations of objects, mechanics of movement, manipulatives, etc. by the entire class.
8. Zoom in on parts of a thermometer, and ruler, showing the smallest units and degrees.
9. Reading picture books to the class has been so much better when the students can see/discuss illustrations.
10. Use the draw feature to focus on specific things.
11. As math students are working on problems have them share their work with the class.
a. This immediate feedback enables other students to understand how one student solved a problem and allows a class to review a student's work for accuracy and completeness. This really encourages writing detailed solutions to math problems.
12. Showing while we are doing....it's much better than trying to hold something up for students to see.
13. Display pictures of historical events that are being discussed. Also use it for political cartoons during current event discussions.
14. Use the zoom feature to look closely at fish scales, pennies, salmon eggs…
15. Students bring objects for "sharing" and place them on the document camera, zooming in where needed.
16. Share student's writing daily.
a. Student’s writing improves greatly when they know their peers are going to look at their work.
17. Placing textbooks, newspaper articles, magazine topics, maps, workbook pages, graphs, charts and art projects to share with the whole class.
18. Show pictures in color.
19. Demonstrate how to do hands-on experiments in science
20. Go over tests with students to show correct answers.
21. Modeling note-taking.