ISTE Article 7

These Infomercials Teach Science
Lindsay Cesari and Patrick Donahue

Students in New York were instructed to explore the periodic table of elements and present it in a video, promoting the element like a product on an infomercial. not only did students have to conduct research in order to learn about their "products", they were also developed skills in storyboard-making, movie production and copyright etiquette. This is such a creative way to inspire the kids to get really involved with the topics they are studying. And what's really cool about this is that although they may forget most of the elements in the table, they will have that one single element engrained in their minds.

Q1) There are a ton of elements and only so many students. What would I do with the elements that were not assigned to a student?
I would give extra credit to those who double up. Or maybe even pair up elements that are often linked together. Like NaCl or Carbon dioxide.

Q2) What "products" would math students be able to advertise?
I think it would be so cute if students pretended they were mathematicians like Euclid or Pythagoras and had to advertise their theorems. Just picture a 13-year-old boy in a robe and a beard trying to convince you that a squared plus b squared equals c squared; isn't that just priceless?

Cesari, L. & Donahue, P. (2010). These infomercials teach science. Learning and Leading with Technology Journal 37.