New Reel/Movie Trailer Assignment Idea

One of my ideas for an assignment for my class this coming year is to have the students make news broadcasts or movie trailers on the iPads about significant topics in the history portion of our sixth grade curriculum. I plan to divide them into groups and allow them to choose their topics. Once they have chosen a topic I will allow them class time and homework time to do research into the event, movement, etc.
Hoping most of the reading and research will be done at home (utilizing a flipped classroom set up) and the students can use class time to interact and create their videos I would allot a fair amount of time for them to get to know the apps in the iPads and allow them time to edit their footage together. I would encourage them to utilize videos found online to splice into the footage they are shooting of their group members for added interest.  I would have the students use iMovie or Green Screen to create the news reels or movie trailers.

Once the videos were completed I would have the students share each group's work with the class and present a lesson on their topic to teach the other class members about their topic. After this work is shared with the class I would post the students work on our class' website Popplet.
The Popplet will be utilized to share the ever evolving and expanding curriculum with the students and parents. By posting the work on the website the students will be able to share their hard work with family members at home to instill a sense of pride. By consistently showcasing the work the students have done in this manner it will encourage them to put more effort into their classwork and constantly encourage them to strive to do better.

Bringing Technology Into The Classroom

During my time in the CJP TTF Cohort, I have gain so much knowledge of not only the applications on the iPads to bring into my classroom, but knowledge on ways to entirely change my classroom set up for better learning. Discussing the concept of the Flipped Classroom in our Cohort gave me wonderful ideas on ways I could entirely change my approach to the curriculum in the upcoming school year.
As an educator who has always learned best through kinetic education, finding new ways to engage my students not just through aural, oral, and visual lesson plans is always inspiring. My students are in the sixth grade and by the time they arrive at religious school have spent long days sitting at desks. Being able to offer them time to learn while still getting to expel energy is like a gold mine to me as their teacher!
I would like to design my program next year utilizing a website that will be host to a number of links and projects, but will begin with a Popplet highlighting our curriculum. On the Popplet I would like to showcase the main ideas we are discussing in class and springboard from there. On the website parents should be able to access articles to discuss with their children, students should be able to access review materials and watch videos with their families.
I would also include homework assignments and future in class assignments to help get the children excited about what is to come and allow them to collect materials beforehand while helping them develop time management skills. I would also like to include on this Popplet photos of the students in class and the work they complete. Link to the videos they make would be a very enticing way to get parents to continue to check in on the website and remain engaged with their childrens' education.