In this article, the authors describe three specific activities in which they have integrated mini-camcorders in their units on the American Revolution, Civil War, and Post-Reconstruction and Progressive eras that they believe provide outlets for creative middle school students and engage students in authentic intellectual work. The three activities, (1) Battle News Broadcasts; (2) Front Lines Scenarios; and (3) Agents of Change Interviews, are structured so that students will have opportunities to reach challenging levels of content knowledge from the period through researching and constructing their own media. These activities provide a window to examine the social history of groups often not included in the curriculum (e.g., women and African Americans) and major figures who are often marginalized in the textbook. In addition to the three curricular examples using mini-camcorders presented in this article, the authors provide logistical and pedagogical tips for engaging students in historical research and historical interpretation while putting together high quality videos. (Contains 3 tables and 6 notes.)