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Granite School District > Educational Technology > Blog > Video Creation Tools

Video Creation Tools

Technology Tip: Greenscreen Videos With Chromebooks and WeVideo

Why write a report on the Great Wall of China or the Egyptian Pyramids when you can be there as a news reporter telling about it?

You can do that with the magic of green screen video effects! Meteorologists use green screen effects when reporting on the weather. You and your students can create green screen videos using a few simple things.

Items Needed

  • A green bed sheet, fabric or thin blanket will work for the green screen (most any solid color you won’t be wearing will also work)
  • Chromebook or other computer
  • Any device you can record video with such as a smartphone, iPod, iPad, digital camera or other tablet
  • WeVideo App for Chrome
  • Optional: keepvid.com is a free and easy web tool if you want to convert Youtube videos to .mp4 to add ready made special effects into your videos

Process

  • Hang your green screen background in a place where you want to film (even lighting is best where it won’t cast shadows)
  • Set up your device to record your video in front of the green screen or have someone do the recording (I set the iPad on a chair in front of me to record)
  • Record your video and then load it by USB onto your Chromebook or computer. I used a Chromebook and loaded it into my Google Drive.
  • Use the WeVideo app or website to edit your video (see tutorial)
  • You can add other background pictures or videos to create special effects. The dinosaur and scenery were two that I found on Youtube.
  • You can use keepvid to convert Youtube videos to .mp4 files that work in WeVideo
  • Render the video when your editing is complete. I uploaded the final movie to Youtube to easily share it on this web page.

Other

  • There is also an iPad app called do ink that can be used to create green screen videos.

Tutorials

Post created by Teresa Bruin, district educational technology specialist and team leader, originally appearing in our November 2017 Ed. Tech. Monthly Newsletter for Teachers.

Featured Resource: GoAnimate

Need an engaging, yet different way for students to share knowledge and understanding? Try GoAnimate for Schools! (https://goanimate4schools.com/public_index) All you need to do is create a teacher account, and then create student accounts. This tool works on all computers and devices (even Chromebooks.) If you want the students to use their voice you will need a microphone, but there are other options if you don’t have one. Students are then able to pick characters to animate. They choose movements and backgrounds. Then, they give the characters a voice– their voice or a robot, that is. Students can have the characters explain how the water cycle works or they can share a story that they wrote. Math, writing, reading, science, social studies: the sky is the limit!

My students have loved to explain concepts they just learned using GoAnimate, as in the example video above. This is a great way to create a flipped classroom! You can create videos for students to watch at home. Read teacher blogs that share experiences of how their autistic students found their voices using GoAnimate, and how the program allowed gifted students to go deeper into topics.

Just play a few sample videos 1, 2, 3 and students will be immediately interested in what you are showing, especially when they learn they get to create them! In my opinion, GoAnimate is well worth the $79 a year price tag, but if you aren’t ready to commit, try the 14 day free-trial!

Resource Review by Tiffany Pontius, School Technology Specialist at Cottonwood Elementary and Truman Elementary.

(We have added GoAnimate to our collaborative list of Digital Storytelling and Presentation Tools. Check out the list and add your own recommendations right in the document.)