Video project lesson plan

If I were to incorporate video into my classroom here is one possible option in doing so:

Age: 5th grade
Subject: History project
Title: History in Motion.

Prep work: In order to prep for this project, I would have to take time in class to teach the students how to use the video equipment as well as how to use editing equipment.  This will probably take about a week with at least 3 or 4 days spent in the lab experimenting and using the equipment.  Also, this project would be used at the end of the school year as a culminating activity of everything the students learned that year in United States History.  I would also need to be sure that the students had all materials available to them such as:
- Video cameras,
- Disks, class flash drive, etc. for the students to save work on,
- Microphones (if needed),
- Tripod (if needed),
- Movie Maker 2.6,
- Story board worksheets, and
- Ample computer lab time.

Procedure:  After students learn how to use the equipment in class, I will give them a description of the project.  I will assign roughly 3 to 4 students to a group (depending on class size possibly 4 or 5 in a group) and each group will pick an important historical event that we talked about in class.  The groups will then have to make a video recreating the event with the students acting as the historical figures of the time.  One requirement that I have for the students is that each student must take a speaking part in the video.  Students will need to have props and create a script as well (as an entire group!).  Groups will receive class sanctioned time during specific days and are also allowed to work on this project during their extra time in class as well as during lab time.  I really want the students to research the historical time period and really learn and understand the event as well as come up with creative ways to portray it to the classroom.  They will have about 2 weeks to create their short movies and the movies should range from 3-5 minutes in length.  Once the videos are done, we will have a class movie day where we will watch all the groups' videos and make comments on what we learned!

Challenges:  I really need to be sure that the software is available for the students.  That means it needs to be installed in the computer lab as well as in computers in the classroom so groups can work on it during free time.  I also need to approve the groups' topics and make sure they are grade and school appropriate.  I also need to be sure that the students are all working on task and not goofing around when they are making these videos.  Batteries and tapes on the video camera need to be charged and ready to go the day before filming as well.  I think this project could be extremely beneficial for the students, so it needs to be done right.