Video, project & Presentation creators
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LEGO Movie Maker is a stop motion movie tool that anyone can download as an app onto an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. It is easy to use and is not limited to using LEGOs. Students can use anything (people, clay figures, toys, etc.) to make the video. All a person needs is a functioning camera on his device. The app actually recommends a “rear-facing” camera for optimal performance (iPads and iPhones have this), but forward-facing cameras work fine.
To create a movie, students take a series of photos that, when combined, are spliced together to make a stop motion movie. The user can then modify the images, add music from the app or from one’s library, speed up or slow down the movie, and edit it in other ways as well. Teachers who are looking to use video projects in their class should definitely take a look at this user-friendly app that is also great fun. |
ShowMe: Users can watch any lesson posted on the site for free, or create one’s own video(s) using the iPad app. Teachers can post videos that students can access at any time and watch as many times as they want. Using the iPad app, teachers can type or write on the screen using their finger or a stylus, and then record their voice to correspond with each slide. Teachers can also post material like video clips, charts, graphs, or photos from the internet, their Google Drive, or photo album, such as other video clips, photos, etc.
Some examples of videos that a teacher might create are: a demonstration of how to complete a math problem or modeling the answers to a review sheet, a lesson on one or multiple parts of speech, a tutorial on the water cycle, and an overview of an upcoming chapter on imperialism or causes of a particular war. Students can use the videos at home as part of a flipped classroom lesson to introduce them to a topic, or to help them study for a quiz or test. They can also create their own videos as part of an individual or group project. There is no limit to what can be done with ShowMe. |
EduCreations is an interactive whiteboard and screencasting tool that’s simple and user friendly. Teachers can create short instructional videos and share them with students or have students create their own videos as part of a unit of study.
When you log into EduCreations, you get a blank screen on which you will create a lesson. You can import a file you’ve created or a photo you took and use that as a base to add your remarks or instructions in written form. The drawing tool works like a pen on a white board. You can also write in text. The lesson can have as many pages as you wish. After creating a presentation, you can record a voiceover explaining the lesson and drawing and adding to the lesson as you talk. What comes out is the lesson with your voice as if you were giving the presentation in class. Don’t like what you hear, and want to add something? No problem! Just hit the edit button and delete what you don’t like or add what you forgot. Students can access the lesson on their iPad or the Web using an access code created by the teacher. Lessons can be stored as drafts (limited to one in the free version) or, when finished, completed lessons (limited to 50MB in the free version) and/or uploaded to Cloud or Google Drive. The teacher keeps track of who’s doing what, who has seen the lesson, and who needs questions answered. Lessons can be created on the Web or on the iPad. Lessons work in all browsers, and are compatible with interactive whiteboards and USB drawing tablets. The app comes with pre-recorded lessons in Math, ELA, Science, Social Studies, World Languages, Creative Arts, and Health/PE. Most of the lessons are short, 1-2 minutes, and personalized with the voice of the creator. This app can be used to create lessons on subjects that teachers must repeat frequently, like rules of the classroom at the beginning of the year, grading criteria, or emergency procedures. It can also be used to pass on living lessons to homebound students, or students who miss class for an extended period of time. Teachers can also create lessons for a Flipped Classroom and have students access it through Google Drive. |
BigHugeLabs is a free online website that has creative projects you can do with photos. You can make movie posters, magazine covers, maps, trading cards and jigsaw puzzles out of a picture that you input. You can add special effects and captions to photos. This website can be used by each student to create a great project about themselves in a unique display format. Magazine cover, movie poster and trading card format are very realistic and easy to use. In order to return and keep working on the project, you need to download and save it. Projects are not saved automatically.
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Pixton is a comic creator web app. It is free if students use “Pixton for Fun.” However, students and teachers can get more benefits if they use “Pixton for Schools.” It can be pricey, though. Even at the basic level, students are able to create their own comic by choosing the number and type of boxes (format), a background, characters and text bubbles. Pixton is better than other comic creators because the backgrounds and characters are more realistic and not just superheroes and cartoons. Some of the backgrounds that are provided are actually based on American History. Some background examples include the Roaring 20s, 40s/50s America, and World War II. The app is very easy to use and students will enjoy the opportunity to be creative while demonstrating to their teacher just how much they have learned about various people and events.
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Prezi is a free, web-based program that helps to create more interesting slide shows. It is easy to use; one can just follow the tutorial. Since it is similar to creating a PowerPoint or Google slide show, the user learning curve is not bad. Background pictorials could be a clock, building blocks, road map, etc. There are many different formats to choose from. It allows for each part of the pictorial to be zoomed in on. Students would have to log in and set up an account. This tool makes presentations more interesting for the audience. It could be used in the computer lab or with Chrome books to allow students to create an informational presentation that they share with the class. Prezi projects can also be shared with the teacher or other students if being done as a group project. It is a useful tool for students and teachers.
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