What is this?
A document camera is basically a small camera mounted on a stand and connected to an LCD projector. It can also be
simultaneously connected to your computer. A presenter places objects or documents under the camera and the
image is projected onto a screen. It functions somewhat like an overhead projector. However, a document camera
offers enormous advantages over an overhead projector. The cost of a document camera is around $650. LCD
projectors cost about the same, bringing the total cost to about $1200 or more per teacher/setup.
That's a lot of money. However, the impact on students is powerful and it is a good investment for a DPS classroom.
That’s Cool…but what can I do with it?
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Demonstrate math manipulatives
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Demonstrate 3-dimensional items
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Allows up-close and detailed observations of objects, mechanics of movement, manipulatives, etc. by the entire
class
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Save pictures of student work and pictures not in electronic form (replaces your scanner!)
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Explain forms
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Display classroom entry and exit tasks
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Show small units and degrees (on a thermometer, ruler, compass, etc.)
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Replace ALL your overhead transparencies
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Project sheet music
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Project a calculator
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Students use the document camera to “be the teacher”
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Project geometry sketches on white board and then work out problem
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Place newspaper articles, magazine topics to share with the class
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Show visuals for science experiments
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Modeling of the physical process of writing - hand movements
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Audio visual resources from internet
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Whole class participate in practice state test
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Isolate new vocabulary
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Show and Tell
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Book Reports
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Highlighted proper vs incorrect grammar in writing
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Showing selected DVDs or Videos
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Review tests
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Glyphs
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Graphing, charts, tables
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Showing science experiment results
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Creative writing - add a line
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Use Visor to go over practice tests/problems highlighting one item at a time
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End-of-Year video showing progress of work
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As an overhead projector
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Step-by-step math problem solving
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Displaying student work
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Comparison activities using split-screen
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Slide show presentations
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Class Web-Quests
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Vocabulary & Decoding/Comprehension with box feature
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Storyboarding
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Displaying class agenda/schedule/map of school for new students
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Read-aloud
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Modeling note-taking
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Mapping and group editing
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Teaching before computer lab visit
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Live web-cams
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Coins and manipulatives
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Reflections and tesselations
Art - show steps (teacher can work on next step while students work)
Demonstration of any program viewable on your class computer
Magnifying insects
Side by side with project, or interview, and an outline, a finished project to look at as a model while going
through directions
Demonstration with doc camera doing project, no more big semicircle watching the teacher
Visor for predicting outcomes while looking at passages of text or picture books
Online videos
Online disections, microscopes
Freezing images so kids aren't bumping and moving the visual
Sequence of pictures, time lapse, to demonstrate progression
Adding visuals to note outlines
Paperless handouts
Showing hands-on tasks
Compare and Contrast
Step-by-step instructions
Recording teacher lecture
Group editing
Displaying fragile items or print photographs
Freeze screen if papers keep falling off
Record student speeches or presentations
Choral reading
Playing DVD's
Science slides
Cloze activities
Math regrouping activities with manipulatives
Labeling activities - project on a white board and label images
Prediction activities
Power writing activities - adding to category
Display maps, charts, gaphs, images from textbooks
Sharing a 3D process
Sharing a how-to process
Visualization of verbage
Instant feedback on student work
Use split screen for before/after
Dissection
Using visor for critical reading and following directions
Claymation-like slide shows
Using box to single out paragraphs or individual words
Handwriting technique
Descriptive writing activities using image as writing prompt
Puppet shows
Box vocabulary words in contexts
Travel interactively using Google Earth
Picture books with read alouds
Projecting of actual objects, like an leaf
Maps, directions, examples
Visual keywords for reading, keypoints, outlining
Side by side, student work and live action editing
Rubric next to writing using split screen, and scoring the example
Sharing student solved problems and probing from student centered approach
Sharing web resources from other countries
Randomly selected homework being displayed
How to use calculators, rulers, and other tools
Timer with doc camera doing 5 minute activities
Powerpoint Jeopardy Labs
Student taught lessons
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Creating letters
Math Games demonstrations
Use Picture in Picture for ESL or ELL Students. Show image in small picture and have them write the correct
name under the camera.
Side by side comparison showing improvement in student’s work – Split Screen
Freeze screen to get websites up without pop-up interference
Project a blank piece of lined paper onto your whiteboard for students to write on the board.
Giant timer
Looking for some specific lesson plans using a document camera?
And The Beat Goes On! (Middle School Science) (http://www.remc11.k12.mi.us/bstpract/bpIII/136/136.PDF)
Do You See What I See? (Kindergarden) (http://wvpt4learning.org/lessons/pdf07/doyousee.pdf)
Do not miss this link! (fantastic collection of lesson plans by grade level and content) (http://www.avermediausa.com/presentation/lesson_plan.asp#2)