Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Go Animate in the Classroom

Go Animate can be used in the classroom for a multiple of purposes:

- Teachers can introduce a lesson
- Teachers can make announcements
- Students can make a video about something that they wrote or read
- Students can make a Go Animate video as an incentive




Go Animate

Go Animate is a fun tool that students can use to create animation videos.  Students or teachers can pick characters, props, text, and music.  Once the animation is finished it can be published for all to view.  There are three pricing options ranging from $39- $250 a month.  There is also an option to sign up for free.  Students will find this very engaging because they are not just listening to your voice they are viewing it through animation!



Pick your scene, characters, prop, text, and music



Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Scholastic Story Starters in the Classroom


Scholastic Story Starters can be used in a variety of ways that will engage students in writing.  Every morning my third graders have a writing prompt and this would be the perfect tool for them to use instead of looking at the board and writing in their notebook.  It would also be a helpful tool for the teachers because at times we need creative ideas that they can write about. 

Here are some ways to use it in the classroom:
- Morning work
- Model or introduce a writing form (letter, postcard, paragraph, etc.)
- Writing topics
- Classroom job
- Incentives for students

This tool can be used in a telecollabortive setting by having students select a writing prompt and write about their topic the night before and turn it in online.



Scholastic Story Starters


Scholastic Story Starters is gives students writing prompts.  There are four story themes that students can choose from: adventure, fantasy, sci-fi, and scrambler.  The writing prompts are grade level appropriate for grades K-6.  This is a very engaging tool for students to use because they have to spin four different wheels to see what the prompt will be.  After they have spun the wheels they can begin writing on the program by choosing notebook, letter, newspaper, or postcard.  Students also have the option to draw about their writing once they are finished.   

Spin the wheel

Choose your writing type

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Story Jumper in the Classroom

There are many ways to use Story Jumper in the English Language Arts classroom:

- Activity after reading a story
- Creative writing assignments
- Morning drills
- Illustrating your writing
- Sharing writing
- Independent reading or writing center



I can also see using Story Jumper in a synchronous activity.  If you had access to a program like Adobe Connect where people can see your screen and talk to one another this would be a great idea to use when students are sharing their writing.

Story Jumper


Story Jumper is a mostly free account based program.  Children can read and publish stories.  They are able purchase stories that have already been created.  They also can write their own stories.  They can pick a setting, choose images, and create text.  Students are also able to use audio to record their story or read the text.  Once they are finished they can publish their story to share with the class. 



Already created story that you can purchase 


The story I created

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Popplet in the Classroom


You can use Popplet in the classroom for many reading and writing activities.  After you read a story students can create a Popplet for main idea and details.  Prior to writing, students can organize their ideas by using this tool.  Students with special needs may have difficulty with expressing their ideas through writing or verbalizing what a story is about, Popplet could be used to assist these students in those areas.  It is a different way for them to express their ideas.  They can use the pictures or draw their own pictures about a story or a writing assignment.