Having fun with spelling

Here are two sites which can add variety and interest to spelling activities!

Spell with Flickr

Create words using images from Flickr.  Great for writing names or adding interest to spelling words or creating banners to decorate Virtual Classrooms. Type in the word and click on spell.  To change the look of a letter click on it.  To save the image use can use the snipping tool on your lap top.

GeoGreeting

This is a great way to add some interest to spelling and integrate geography at the same time. You can type a message and the site finds an image from around the globe which resembles the letter.  You could do this as a class activity or send a message to someone.

Here is an example I created

7 Great sites for free images

There are many reasons why we use images in the classroom.  With the internet, we now have access to more images than we have before.  However, we need to be aware of which images we use and the copyright restrictions.

Here are a few sites which provide free images to use.  You still need to check the requirements before you use the image. 

Morgue File

Open Clipart 

Flickr

Free Digital Photos

Free Web Headers  

       

Pixel Perfect Digital

Stockvault

Creating Comics with Photoscape

Photoscape is a free software which you can download. This software has many uses but the one which I really like is the ability to create photo collages and add speech bubbles.

It would be interesting to hear how others would use this software. It is great for creating Digital Storytelling, comics, digital multimodal products and collages.

To create a comic click on 'Page'.

You can then select the size of the page and select the page template you wish.

Change the size by clicking on Edit, an A4 size is Width: 720 and Height 1040

You select the folder with images and click and drag the images into the collage.

To add the speech bubble, click on edit and then object. Customise the speech bubble.
You can then save the page as a jpeg file to your computer.

Creating Photo Collages can also be a great way to tell a story by choosing a theme or take photos of the same object from different angles.  I would love to hear ways you would you this software.

Embed into PowerPoint

I had to share this bit of information.  Yesterday a colleague of mine showed me how you can embed items into 2010 powerpoint.

Go to insert, video and video from website

Copy the embed code from a website such as http://www.voki.com/

Paste in the Code

Select Insert and the embeded content will now appear in the PowerPoint.

For years Language teachers have been asking me how they can save their Vokis without having students sign in.  This is a great way for students to present work from the web.

Vokis in particular can be used for students to demonstrate understanding, reflecting, learning words and greetings, asking questions, responding and give instructions.

Add interest with Glass Giant

There are some fun online sign generators available.  A great one to play with is Glass Giant.  You simply type in the message you want displayed and the site adds it to an image.  I like to use it to create images to use in presentations but you could also make images for work sheets, virtual classrooms or decorate your classroom walls.  Here are a few example.

Back to School

Keyboard Mods

Chocolate Bar

Rocket

Plane Banner

Create Talking Images

This post is an extension of the last post I made where you can attach sounds or speech to shapes.  In this activity you can drawing shapes onto an image and then making the shapes transparent.  This idea was inspired by acolleaue of mine and her great site on using ICT in the Early Phase . 

Ways to apply to learning are:

• Describing the words in a tag cloud

• Describing aspects of an artwork

• Discuss aspects of a photo

• Add music to reflect the mood in an image

• Eye spy photos

To start insert an image into PowerPoint.  Draw a shape over an area of the image.  This can be done by selecting a shape or freeform shape.  Attach the sounds to the shapes as explained in the last post.

Now to make the shapes transparent,  right click the shape and select Foramt Shape.

Move the transparency bar to 100%

Select Line Color and select No Line and your shape will now be transparent.

 

Now you cannot see the shape on top of your image.  To test go to slideshow and move your mouse over the screen, when you click you should hear the sound.

Create Interactive Multimodal Content

Recently I was working with Asian Language teachers who loved learning about creating interactive content by adding speech to shapes in PowerPoint. By combining images, text and sound you are able to create rich multimodal content.

First you create your slides with images or shapes.

Decide what you want to record. Open Audacity and click on the record button and speak to record your voice, click on stop when finished (headset with a microphone is best for this).

Select File – Export as WAV

Go back to your PowerPoint slide, click on the shape you want to attach sound to and select the Insert tab and Action.

If 2003 version right click the shape you want to attach sound to and select Action Setting.

Select Play Sound and scroll down to Other Sound.  Select the sound you recorded in Audacity.  You can test if it worked by viewing as slideshow. When you move your mouse over the shape and click, you should hear your recording.

This activity can be created by the teacher or students can apply their learning by creating their own.


Here are a few examples of how this process can be used:

• a talking ebook

• a talking map

• a talking timeline

• add sounds to music notes

• add music to images

• add avatars and create talking characters

• add voice to photos

• flash cards

• add voices to speech bubbles in comics

• learning languages

• attach speech to images and students give description

• students identify aspects of diagrams or cycles