4 Apps to Create Designs with Words

Creating designs with words can be a great way to reinforce spelling , learning of new words and describing a theme or topics.  Students can create their own designs and use them to decorate the classroom. here are 4 great apps which allow you to design using words in different ways.

Word Collage

Create a collage of words and customise text, colour and layout.

Path on - Swipe to Type

This app allows you to draw a line or choose a created line and the add text to the line.

Typedrawing

Type the text you wish to use and customise font, size and colour and then draw on the device and the words appear.

WordFoto

With this app you can take a photo or use one from the gallery, type in a set of words and the app will apply the words to the image. There are a few styles to choose from and colour schemes.  The effects look great.

Learning Game Coding

Learning the basics of computer programming can be a useful skill. There are many apps and software designed to be user friendly for students of varying ages, to learn how to code using visual interpretation with drag and drop functionality. There are also games which involve giving instructions and using commands. These processes can help develop skills in sequencing, literacy and numeracy, problem-solving, creativity, and communication.

 

Apps:

Cargo-bot - a fun game where students learn about sequencing and instructions, also good for developing memory skills.

Hopscotch - provides a visual drag and drop platform with colour coding.

Daisy the dinosaur -  This free app offers an easy drag and drop platform to move Daisy the Dinosaur.

Kodable - a game to learn programming concepts and problem solving.

Move the Turtle. Programming for kids - a fun way for younger students to learn the basics computer programming and using commands.

Bee-Bot  - provides a tool for younger students to learn directional language and programming through sequences.

Bee-Bot Pyramid - provides challenges for students to solve.


Software:
Scratch

Stencyl

App Inventor

Alice

Kodu

Game Salad

 

Web Based:

 

Gamestar Mechanic - a game which allows students to learn about game design and make their own games.

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

Creating Digital Multimodal Texts

With the introduction of the Australian Curriculum, there is an emphasis on the use of Multimodal Text in English. ICT offers a great range of tools to allow students to create digital multimodal texts, such as comics, animations, digital storytelling, video & audio, ebooks, poster & cover design and game design .

What are multimodal texts?

A text may be defined as multimodal when it combines two or more semiotic systems. There are five semiotic systems in total:

1. Linguistic: comprising aspects such as vocabulary, generic structure and the grammar of oral and written language

2. Visual: comprising aspects such as colour, vectors and viewpoint in still and moving images

3. Audio: comprising aspects such as volume, pitch and rhythm of music and sound effects

4. Gestural: comprising aspects such as movement, speed and stillness in facial expression and body language

5. Spatial: comprising aspects such as proximity, direction, position of layout and organisation of objects in space.

Multimodal texts can be delivered via different media or technologies. They may be live, paper, or digital.

(Bull and Anstey, 2010)

Link to Comic resources

Link to Online Story Makers

Photostory 3, Windows Movie Maker, Audacity, Soungle, Free Sound Project

Link to Online Animation Creators

Blog Post on Animations

Flip Flash Album Free

My eBook

Use software usch as powerpoint, publisher, paint.net or photoshop

Online: Sumopaint or Glogster EDU

Big Huge Labs: Magzine Cover Generator, Motivator Poster, Movie Poster

Scratch, Game Maker, Alice, Game Salad (Mac), Game Mechanic, Kodu,

Can create using powerpoint, online resources: News Map, Many Eyes, Gapminder, Periodic table of Visualisation Methods, Information is Beautiful

Tag Cloud: Wordle, Tagxedo

Anstey, M. & Bull, G. (2010) Helping teachers to explore multimodal texts. Curriculum Leadership, 8 (16)

Create an eBook using free software

A colleague of mine is famous for his fabulous workshops where he shows teachers how to create ebooks using Flip Flash Album free.  So I thought I would share some information about this application.  It is a free software you can download.  Students can add images, text and flash animations to create an interesting ebook.  This is great for storytelling, presenting a research task, the alphabet, learning a language, instructional manual, art portfolio, digital photo album, etc.  The album can be exported as a flash file.

You can choose the size and template.  Add an image one at a time or select a folder of images.

Select one of the pages and add text and flash animation

Comix - Free Online Comic Creator

I love looking for new ways students can create comics. A colleague of mine passed on a link to me called Comix. It is described as a free preschool online game. It is very easy to use with simple click and drag on the page functions.


The site offers a range of images students can choose from. In the Draw section ,there are text options with speech bubbles or text box. You easily change the size of the cell and add more. Students can also draw and upload their own images. The great thing about this site is you don’t need to register and you can save the image as a jpeg when click on Publish. (It asks for author's name but you don't need to fill it out to save)

Students can use this site for many purposes:

• Creating a multimodal text
• As inspiration for a story
• To interpret a story
• Practice spelling words
• Create a sequence
• Create Big, Bigger, Biggest images
• A poster

Conversations Between Characters

Here is an example of a homework assignment on investigating the important aspects of friendship.  First the characters were made using a WeeMee avatar creator app on my iPad you could use online avatar makers.  Then you can remove the background of the characters this can be done in 2010 PowerPoint, paint.net or photoshop.  Using PowerPoint, you can then selected the background setting and then work on the dialogue.  here is the finished result.

The idea of having two characters having a conversation means the characters can be talking about any topic such as reflecting, giving information, revison, speaking in another language, using spelling words etc.

Creating Characters for Comics

Yesterday I ran a Digital Graphic novel workshop for teachers which lasted all day.  We looked at a range of learning activities using comics to engage students in learning. One activity was to provide a comic with empty speech bubbles and the students add in the speech. This allows students to interpret the image and then decide on the appropriate text for the comic.

I have added these two examples here to show how you can create characters for comics by taking images One is simply using dinosaur toys and removing the background and replacing it with a desert scene. The second was created using a ball of modelling clay and pushing in features to create the characters. I have left the bubbles empty in case you want to have a play and add in the speech. These characters could also be used for Stop Motion Animation.

Clay Yourself

There are many sites which provide you with tools to create your own character or avatar. These sites can be used in many ways such as:


• Make own avatar and use in a personal profile listing hobbies, interest and goals.

• Students can use an avatar instead of a photo when posting on the web to protect privacy.

• Teachers could make on of themselves.

• Make own avatar with background and accessories which represent their interests. The students can explain what the visual images represent, eg. A guitar because they love to listen to music.

• Students can divide into pairs and make avatars of each other.

• Students can make their own avatars, print them out and collect them. Shuffle and distribute them out. Students match the avatar to the person who made it.(Great ice breaker activity)

• Use as a character in a game or animation such as flash or scratch.

• Print out the character and pin the joints to make it movable. This could be used as a puppet or could be brought to life in a stop motion animation.

• Make a 3-D interpretation of the character in clay or construction materials

• Re-create characters from a book, film or play.

• Print out avatars with the student’s name underneath and use them to decorate and personalize the classroom.

• Make characters and write a story about them.

• Use them to make comics by adding speech bubbles

• Add interest to worksheets or virtual classrooms

• Design a character and convert the image into an artwork. It could be used in a screen printing activity, painting or drawing.

• Or just to have some FUN!



A new site I have come across on twitter thanks to @neslidrmsgl it is called http://www.clayyourself.com/  . The great thing about this site is it has a 3D look as though you are made from clay. You can save your final character; the site also has a name generator and a script writer for a story where you fill in the missing words. This is a fun site to have a play with.

For more Avatar making sites go to this slideshare link.

Shape Collage

An interesting way to present images is in a collage. A free download software is http://www.shapecollage.com/ . This program will allow you to select your images and the shape you would like them arranged in. You can select shapes, letters or even words. There are many ways to use this:


• Do a class collage of images of students in your class into the shape your class name eg. 3B

• Create the alphabet using images starting with that letter

• Create your name using images representing you

• Display images relating to themes to stimulate ideas and discussion

Simply drag your images into the photo area and select your shape.

Here are some examples:

D for Dinosaurs

Creating Characters

I love using online tools and apps which allow students to customise and develop their creativity.  There are many avatar makers and creature creators available.  I have updated this presentation to include a few new ones I have found.  I have also included a few ideas on how to use them in the classroom.

Creating Characters

View more presentations from S. Hendy.

Talking Avatar Videos

I know this is not a new device and many people use it but I thought I would share some ideas anyway. The Logitech webcam offers a great function.

You can choose from a range of avatars and the camera calibrates to your face. This makes the avatar move with you, the eyes blink when you blink and the mouth moves as you speak. The webcam has a built in microphone allowing you to film and record a voice at the same time. Here are a few of the avatar options.

It is very easy to use, simply select the avatar and sit in front of the webcam, you need a well lit and quiet area. I encourage students to practice first and then record. Students may need to do a few takes. The video saves to the computer. Using this device is fun to use and encourages students to practice their speaking skills.  It is also useful because you don't need a classroom of computers.  All you need is access to one lap top or a computer and one web cam, students can take turns using it.

Here are a few ideas on how to use it in the classroom

Student use:

• Reflection of a task
• Reflection of an excursion or camp
• Research task
• Book review
• Use in a poetry unit, write and recite a poem about one of the avatars
• An alternative to an oral presentation for students who are not comfortable
• Read a book to share with younger year levels
• Read out a story they have written
• Speak as though they are a character from a story eg. Gingerbread man
• Use to practice speaking languages other than English
• Add to a PowerPoint presentation
• Add to a blog or Glog
• Use as an introduction to a movie or animation students are making

 Teacher use:

• Project on a screen or IWB at the beginning of the lesson to gain students attention
• Use to give instructions
• Give hints to a new unit of work
• Add to a virtual classroom
• Add to PowerPoint presentation
• Use at a staff meeting
• Use at a Subject selection night