Document Camera

The Reading Zone posed some questions (on her blog) about how other teachers use document cameras in the classroom. Since the document camera I was fortunate to have was bestowed upon my room last year, thanks to a grant from DonorsChoose, my teaching has been transformed.

When the document camera first arrived, my students joked that I was using it for everything. Anything and everything that was somewhat small got projected through the document camera and on to the t.v. (I later received another grant for an LCD Projector, so now I project onto a white screen that hangs from the ceiling.)

DAILY: I use my document camera to review answers to math problems, to explain how to use math manipulatives or a new math game, to show-off students’ writer’s notebooks, and for my demonstrations during Writing Minilessons.

NEARLY DAILY: To enlarge pictures in a picture book for the entire class to see (e.g., during read aloud); to show the process for classroom craft projects; during Morning Meeting Share Sessions.