Introduction
Global challenges as a result of worldwide population growth are real. These environmental and social crises grow larger every day and rest upon the energy and creativity of the world’s citizens to find a solution. Through the World of 7 Billion video contest, students are given the platform to solve one of three global challenges and share their findings in a short video. Each video has the power to not only educate viewers on a topic, but may even persuade someone to take action.
In this activity, students will create a short video (no more than 60 seconds) about human population growth that highlights one of the following global challenges: Climate Change, Ocean Heath, or Rapid Urbanization. After selecting one of the challenges, students will conduct research to create a video that covers both how population growth impacts the issue and at least one idea for a sustainable solution.
About the contest
Create a short video – up to 60 seconds – about human population growth that highlights one of the following global challenges: Climate Change, Ocean Health, or Rapid Urbanization. All videos must include:
a) how population growth impacts the issue and
b) at least one idea for a sustainable solution.
Consider narrowing your focus by concentrating on a subtheme within your topic. Possible subthemes include:
- Climate Change – weather events and patterns, impact on
agriculture, impact on coastal cities, human health, ecosystem disruption - Ocean Health – overfishing, coral bleaching, climate regulation, habitat loss, pollution, dead zones
- Rapid Urbanization – sprawl, sanitation, air and water quality, megacities, migration, slums and informal settlements
Procedure
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Introduce the World of 7 Billion video contest to your class. We offer a short Welcome Video from the contest managers for you to share.
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Walk student through the “Here’s how...” section of the Student Video Contest page to provide an overview of the contest steps.
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Have students select one of the three global challenges for their video and read the Background Reading covering the topic. Explain that vid-eos do not need to cover the topic in its entirety and sometimes taking a more narrow focus can strengthen a video. Here are some ideas for sub-topics your students may want to consider:
• Climate Change: impact on agriculture or coastal communities, human health, ecosystem disruption, changing weather events and patterns
Concept
Persuasive video messages are an effective way to create awareness about global challenges related to population growth.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Make connections between population growth and envi- ronmental and social impacts through research from a variety of sources.
- Create a sustainable solution to a global challenge using support- ing evidence.
- Use filming equipment and editing tools to create a video communicating an argument for a targeted audience.
Subjects
Science, Social Studies, Media & Communications, English Lan- guage Arts, Art
Skills
Problem-solving, research, evaluation of primary and sec- ondary Sources, communication, argumentative writing, use of multi-media equipment
Method
Students develop a sustainable solution to a global challenge through researching, writing, filming, and editing a video.
• Ocean Health: overfishing, coral bleaching, habitat loss, pollution, dead zones, impacts on biodiversity • Rapid Urbanization: sprawl, slums and informal settlements, sanitation issues, air and water quality,
megacities, urban migration patterns
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Once a topic is chosen students should conduct further research on the issue, gathering information about how the issue is related to population growth and why the topic is something we should care about. Have students take a look at the Research Page for ideas of where to get started.
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When students have built an understanding of their global challenge and are ready to develop a solution, introduce the Sustainable Solution Organizer. This document will provide guidance for researching, formulating and evaluating their solution ideas. The solution is an integral part of the contest and will need to be clearly articulated as well as supported with strong evidence.
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As students are editing their scripts and videos, be sure to have them read through the Judging Rubric. This rubric serves as a checklist for the student to be sure that all components of the contest are met. The rubric can also be utilized for grading purposes. You could translate this score into a number or letter grade for the assignment.
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Further assess student learning and comprehension of the activity through the questions below.
Free Response Questions:
A. What did you learn about your chosen global challenge while working on your video? How did you conduct your research? What source provided you with the most information?
B. What process did you take to develop a sustainable solution? How did this process differ from other forms of problem-solving that you have done?
C. How difficult was it to craft a message in 60 seconds or less? Do you think it would have been easier to create a longer video? Why or why not? What do you think the average viewer’s attention span might be?
D. What (if any) were some of the challenges you encountered in making your video? Were you able to create the video you had imagined or were there modifications you needed to make?
E. If you saw a video like yours or those of your classmates, would it peak your interest in the topic? Would it be something you’d want to share with acquaintances? What are the elements of the most effective video “messages” you’ve seen?
8. Students must submit their videos by uploading the entry to the World of 7 Billion website no later than 5:00PM (eastern time, US) on Thursday, February 19, 2015. Additionally, all entry forms must be completed by this time.
Deadline for submissions is February 23, 2017.
For more information click "Further official information" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
https://www.worldof7billion.org/student-video-contest/