Yep, I absolutely LOVE Animoto! I was lucky enough to experiment with this incredibly simple application when on the hunt for a platform to share my TK'ers (Transitional Kindergarten) understanding of digital citizenship. As I'm sure many of you will attest, our students -- even four and five year-olds -- are "technology natives"/experts/biologically programmed to use the latest and greatest gadgets, insert whichever attribute you like :) Last year, my kiddos could seamlessly navigate an iPad, access games on Mom or Dad's iPhone, and download books on their Kindle account. I'm not sure whether I could say the same about myself...
Nevertheless, tech skills are not synonymous with digital literacy. I wanted my little guys to have a basic understanding of the rules and responsibilities that come with being a member of our physical and digital world. Visit Hector's World for child-friendly videos and activities about how to stay safe online. Anyways, I used Animoto as a means of publishing short student interviews where I asked students to share what they learning about being safe online. While I don't have permission to post this video here, let me assure you that it was PRECIOUS and parents commented on how professional it looked...oh the secrets of the trade!
Until watching several sample Animotos from previous semesters, I didn't realize all of the potential ways to integrate this handy tool into daily instruction. I am a big fan of Meghan's "Plant Vocabulary" Animoto, where she pairs plant terms with their corresponding pictures. She even selected the most adorable plant background to compliment her theme! I was also inspired by Taini's "Frog and Toad Vocabulary" Animoto, where she matched new terms from the story with visuals and definitions. What a fantastic way to hook students' interests AND set a purpose for reading!
Now, I'm finally ready to share why I chose that sweet little visual at the top of this blog post! You might have wondered how a purse and its contents could strike any relation with Animoto. Well, my wheels are turning and I'm thinking about designing an inferring activity for first graders, using the contents of my purse. And, Animto might be the ideal way to hook the kiddos' interest. I'll keep you posted as my plan evolves.
Have you come upon any Animoto inspiration? If so, do tell!
Andrea,
ReplyDeleteYour Animoto inferring activity sounds very interesting! I would love to see the finished product. All this talk about Animoto reminds me of Mike's Animoto that he created with his students about bullying for Nicole's class last semester. Remember that one? It was truly powerful! I'm excited to start using this tool with my students!
Diana -- wasn't Mike's video incredible? I absolutely loved trying this tool out with my little guys last year. It's easy, free, and the finished product looks mighty impressive...how can you go wrong?!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same about the amount of tech knowledge my little kindergarteners come to school with! I introduced the IPAD to them at the beginning of the year and I couldn't believe they knew as much as I did. I can't wait to hear more about your purse idea, it's sounds so exciting , you're little kids faces will light up! They all will love learning more and more ant their favorite teacher=)
ReplyDeleteAndrea, did Mike save the Animoto on a class site or blog where it can be accessed? Send me an email to let me know.
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