Making A Difference – A mini docuseries by MYP 1
Empowering Students to Speak Up: A Look into Our Documentary Project
Recently, students in MYP 1 finished a project in which they each created their own miniature documentaries about a subject that interested them. The project allowed them to explore issues they feel strongly about in their school or local area. The purpose of the project was to give students a platform to raise awareness about these issues or celebrate the diversity at school.
Students were given the freedom to choose a topic or issue they wanted to explore. Some of the topics included school lunch, Russian pioneers, class sizes, student behaviour, the need for more rubbish bins, social media’s influence on students, school supplies, and school uniforms.
To complete the project, students were allowed to use their mobile devices, cameras, computers, or any other equipment to make their documentary. They were required to plan carefully and in specific detail, and create a storyboard to help organize their film. This was to ensure that they knew exactly what they wanted to achieve. Here, we can see an excerpt from Arthur Borovsky’s script from his documentary about the need for more physical education in school.
As a part of their project, students interviewed students and teachers throughout the school to gain further insight into their chosen topic. Mr. Jesus was asked about his opinion on social media’s influence, Ms. Andrea was asked to weigh in on the importance of a nutritious school lunch, and, of course, Mr. Jaymes was asked to give input concerning the importance of school uniforms.
The project allowed students to develop valuable skills such as creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. It also gave them a sense of agency, allowing them to use their voices to bring attention to issues they care about. You can take a look at one of the documentaries by MYP 1 student, Norbert Bodor, about social media and it’s influence on students.
The students have produced some great work throughout this unit and I would be more than happy to share some more of their documentaries with anyone who would be interested!
