During the month of February, all HISD teachers are being encouraged to try something new in their classrooms, as well as share ideas, resources, and lessons learned by posting their experiences and photos on social media using the hashtag #HISDdigital. Each week during the month, we are profiling a teacher or campus that is using technology to break up rows in classrooms, engage students, and innovate instructional practice. This week’s profile features Herrera Elementary.

Students at Herrera Elementary are using tablets and digital programs such as iMovie, Animoto, Prezi, and Roxio to produce digital book trailers instead of the standard book report most of us remembering doing in elementary school.

“A digital book trailer is similar to a movie trailer in that it conveys what the book is about but doesn’t give away the ending,” said Herrera reading specialist Renita Salinas. “ Students can even create story boards to keep their trailers aligned with the books.”

[su_vimeo url=”https://vimeo.com/119389529″ ]

“We search for pictures for our book in Google and put them in our project, too,” said one of the students. They have even made up a name for their production company — Herrera Husky Productions.

“The students have to read the book to fill in all the details in their book trailer,” said Herrera ES Principal Chris Carnes. “It’s been challenging, but a lot of fun, too.”

Read below and learn how other teachers and schools are using technology in their classrooms. You can share too by tweeting with the hashtag #HISDdigital.