Have you ever used equity sticks (popsicle sticks with each student’s name written on them) to ensure that you are calling on all your students equally? Wouldn’t it be great if your sticks could do more? What if your they could help your students build higher order thinking skills? Or what if they could help your English language learners improve their English? With Stick Pick, you can!
It's the last week of school and nothing will prove more fun than a few more intricate stories woven into your academic day! Have fun with the following sites and apps provided by Tech and Learning.
Digital Storytelling is the process of telling a story through the use of
digital means. It also happens to be one the easiest ways to integrate
technology into the classroom. Educators can use digital storytelling with
almost any subject and can even "flip" their classroom by using mobile apps.
Below is my comprehensive list of sites/apps that can be used for digital
storytelling, presented in alphabetical order.
With the world a blaze on the latest cell phone frenzies, apps are the place to go when you need varied reinforcement for your child's online learning modules. These apps are free and can be utilized on the way to doctor's offices, sports events, or social outings. They are quick and easy and encourage your online learner by reinforcing or challenging the various subject content matter that he needs. Take a moment an peruse the list noting those of interest to you!
various locations around the city. Have them research the history behind a place
and tell the story behind that place for others to listen to when they
Animation Creator HD Lite For IPad- students can create their own animations
for a story. They can use this app to create the characters for a story and even
add audio. Have them create dialogues, flesh out characters, or create graphic
novel type stories with the animations they create.
IAnimation I App- instruct students to take a series of pictures for a story
they will be creating. Students can use this app to animate these stories, then
string these together for a digital story.
Bubble And Pebble Story- kids will love helping these lovable characters
undergo adventures. Kids can then create their own Bubble and Pebble drawings of a new adventure then share these stories and drawings with their peers.
Toontastic – students can create stories based on cartoon characters.
Journal Jar – students simply shake this app to get a writing prompt. Give
them about 5 to 10 minutes to come up with stories based on this prompt.
StoryKit App- students can create detailed books about their lives, what
they imagine, or change the ending of a classic story. This app allows students
to take old classic books like the 3 Little Pigs and edit the pages. Students
can even tell the story from a different point-of-view.
Fotobabble App- students take a picture and tell the story of that picture.
Have students take a picture of their favorite place and talk about it or if you
are reading a story, have your students take a picture that reminds them of a
scene from the story and explain why they chose that picture.
VoiceThread- students can post videos, drawings, images and more then have
their classmates comment on what they upload.
Choose Your Path Free – students finish this Choose Your Own adventure type
Videolicious- have students create video stories about themselves. They can
try a 3,2,1 introduction where they list 3 places they would like to visit, 2 of
their hobbies, and 1 embarrassing moment.
Posterous- have students create poems or audio stories.
Flixlab – another great app for making movies.
Sock Puppets- great for collaborative stories in pairs.
Animoto Video Creation App
Shmuppet – students create a podcast or tell a short story with a puppet and
send them to their friends via email, Facebook, or Twitter.
Bunsella Bedtimes Story- students narrate a children’s story and send to a
children’s class in the local elementary or a younger brother or sister or for
children in another country. They children then can respond to these read
Audioboo- create a podcast of local news around the school
Create A Comic Android App- students can create comics about any topic you
App Store – Narratavius Story Engine – Interactive Fiction And Text
Adventures- a choose your own adventure story
MindBlowing App For Idevices- students collect audio and video clips as well
as images under any theme. This is a multimedia mindmap app.
Talking Tom & Ben News Reporters- students create dialogues that reflect
any news item worldwide and around the school. Kids will love when Tom and Ben
report that news.
One of the coolest, most innovative sites I've come across this year that is ideal for bloggers, Web designers, schools in a one-to-one enviornment, is Conduit Mobile. If you're looking to create a great-looking mobile app that is FREE, you've got to check out this site. Think about it, you can create a great way to share news or homework in a mobile environment. It's free and easy to use.
"Your users are going mobile. Isn’t it about time you meet them there? At
Conduit Mobile, we’ve created an easy way for you to engage your users wherever
they are. Our simple, yet powerful cloud-based mobile platform is built to meet
the demands of the ever-evolving mobile world, giving you the tools you need to
build a community for your brand, connect with your fans, manage your mobile
user base easily and effectively, and always stay one step ahead." - Conduit Mobile
Valerie Bourbour is a certified educator and past Co-Director of The Academy of Ormond Beach. Ms. Bourbour has experience in online learning platforms and aims for student success.