Visiting author, Ralph Fletcher, is coming to our school in two weeks. I had students in grade 5 get into 5 groups and read his picture books. They had to then create a book talk on the book they read. They wrote a script beforehand and then videotaped themselves using the iTouch and students were able to finish in 45 minutes. The first group decided to setup chairs while the second group propped the iTouch on a chair, reversed the screen, and each took turns taping themselves. It was interesting to see how each group did it differently. Make sure you tell students to not be silly with the cameras and stay with their groups. I will play the book talks on the LCD screen outside the library when the author visits.
The example below is the group that proppred the iTouch on a chair and reversed the screen. I downloaded a 2010 PowerPoint template and followed the directions in the notes to create the video below.
