Here is an example of a class VoiceThread. 3rd grade students each created their own instrument on the New York Philharmonic Kids' website, then wrote/recorded about how sound was being created (a social studies standard).
I feel very fortunate that I have a district subscription to VoiceThread. It is a great tool for digital storytelling, collaboration, blogging, and providing student feedback. You can upload images, videos, pdf, document, presentations, and audio files, making it really versatile for many different projects. Then, you can share your VoceThread and student can comment or provide feedback using voice or text! It is great for younger kids because the typing doesn't hinder them, and it is motivating to all kids because they ALL have a voice.
Here is an example of a class VoiceThread. 3rd grade students each created their own instrument on the New York Philharmonic Kids' website, then wrote/recorded about how sound was being created (a social studies standard).
Here is an example from a 2nd grade class. Students created animals on Switch Zoo, and then wrote about the adaptations using their science knowledge:
Here is a VoiceThread example from a 4th grade class. This video was produced by a group of students showing their understanding of Native American clothes then and now:
This is a kindergarten example. The students each wrote a book about how they changed. We scanned it in as a pdf, and they recorded their voice to make a digital book.
This is a 3rd grade example of a video that was shared using VoiceThread. Students produced videos in groups to show what they had learned about different continents, then shared them with classmates.
This is another example of how you can use VoiceThread. These 4th graders used VoiceThread to explain how they solved this math problem. It was great way for me to assess their understanding of different strategies.
VoiceThread can be used in many ways with many different grade levels. It is not a free tool, however, I believe worth the money. How have you used VoiceThread in your classroom/library?
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Little Bird Tales is a great tool for digital storytelling! Students can add voice and text to images to create their very own story. The images can be uploaded from your computer, or illustrated right on the site. Then, you can easily share your story via a link or embed code. Below is a intro video about this tool. I have used this tool as a way to publish student writing. In this second grade class, students created personal narratives with their classroom teachers during their writing instruction. Then, I helped them use Little Bird Tales to illustrate and publish their work online. Here are a couple of examples: Little Bird Tales let you create a free account, but it has limited storage. I recommend the free version for families that want to create at home. I purchased the premium teacher account for $24.99 a year. You do have to set up each students' account (or you can do it in a batch), but it is really easy for the students to use once it was all set up. It is a great tool for the classroom! How can you use Little Bird Tales in your classroom/library?
ISSUU.com is great tool for sharing class books or individual student projects. You simply create a free account, upload a pdf, and your digital book is born! To share, you can get a direct link, share via many different social media sites, or embed it on your website. I use this site frequently to share class books (where you may only have one copy, but you'd like to send it to all parents), or to an audience that is not in our area. Here is an example of a class book 1st graders wrote after their landform research (they typed and added the photos themselves): Here is another example of a class book kindergarten students created after visiting with author Jennifer Ward: I've used this tool with other students as a way to elicit feedback from others. They upload a pdf of their draft to our class blog, and everyone is able to view it at the same time. They can tell each other what they like about their project and any suggestions for improvement. It is powerful to get peer feedback and it easily done digitally. Here is a sample of a 5th grade project, where students did research and created their own "Who Would Win Books" based on Jim Pallotta's series. Then, they uploaded it to issuu, and shared it with their classmates for feedback, giving everyone a voice! ISSUU is a simple, but very effective tool. How have/could you use it in your classroom or library?
ThingLink is a great digital tool for students! You just upload a picture (or a collage pic), and then you can tag the photo with text, links, videos, etc! You can share it with a link, via social media, or using an embed code. I've used this tool with students in grades 1-6. Here a first grader shows what they know about prairies after some research: Here is an example from a 5th grader. This project was about comparing and contrasting past and present Olympians and Olympic sports. I've even seen examples where students illustrate or draw a key concept, upload it, and then tag all the key ideas or components, like an interactive diagram. ThingLink is a great way to assess students' understanding of a concept, or to publish a final product. How can you use ThingLink?
Learn more about ThingLink from their "Learn" Page. Learn about the ThingLink Educator Challenge here! Flipgrid has become my most favorite web tool for ALL grade levels! Students can respond to a question or prompt by using a webcam. It is great for younger students because they can share by recording themselves, instead of typing. Only the teacher is required to have an account (no student accounts), so it is easy to manage. Students find it really easy to use as well. Even my first graders were able to independently use it after a mini-lesson, and they were highly motivated to share what they know. There is a yearly subscription of $65, but you can try it out free for a few weeks. You can use it with as many students as you want and can use it with any grade level, so it is well worth the money! Check out this example from some first graders, sharing some key details from the book, What Do You Do With a Tail Like This by Steve Jenkins. All students were able to share their favorite poem during Poetry month using this flipgrid: Click here to try it out and see how easy it is! Respond to this question: How could you use flipgrid in your library?
Go to www.flipgrid.com to create your own account! Symbaloo has been around for awhile, but I still think it is the best bookmarking site for me. The reason being, it is visual and its easier for younger students to locate sites by a picture. You can pick an icon or upload your own image to represent that site. There is also a Chrome extension to make bookmarking even easier! I've made Symbaloo webmixes for special projects, databases, holiday links, and for favorite sites. You can borrow others webmixes, adapt them to fit your needs, or simply create your own. You can preview the ones I've created by going to the websites below! How have you used Symbaloo in your library or classroom? Please share your ideas in the comments below.
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AuthorMisti Werle is the newly hired Library Media Systems Innovator in Bismarck, North Dakota. Archives
June 2015
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