Tool 5

These sites are so easy to use. I've used Animoto before, but this time I tried Stupeflix Studio and Storyjumper. They both take time to use, but there's so much thinking involved, especially as you write your own story in Storyjumper. I used the same set of pictures for both to see what different things I could do with the same pics. The story I wrote in Storyjumper will definitely be a lesson tool for what's wrong with this piece of writing since it's a list and has no real plot. Lots of my 3rd graders start writing this way with no real focus on a climax. The video from Stupeflix isn't really for a lesson, but is more a model of what we can do to show we've learned content, such as with solids, liquids and gases in our first science unit. After my computer is reimaged I plan to make all of the links on Tool 5 favorites in my web browser so I can use them throughout the year with my students.

Emily and Lydia Go to the Beach a fabulous story from Storyjumper.

Texas Girls my video from Stupeflix Studios. Actually, the first video we made (I asked my daughter to sit in with me since she's in the pics) wasn't usable for the blog. The Ke$ha soundtrack was not working for this. This is my edited version.

I think both of these sites, as well as others like Animoto, require users to be 13 or older. How do we get to use these with kids so they can access the sites at home as well as at school without needing to use my account and username? Just curious.