Animation Overload

*Note - Please have a look at the previous blogs for images of what was explored over the last workshop. *

Every week Greg tries to fit in a massive amount of resources for us to explore into a space of two hours and this week was no exception! One after another they kept on firing. It was brilliant!

This week was all about how to construct and enhance storytelling through animation!

Some websites could be used to create characters, such as Reasonably Clever (http://www.reasonablyclever.com/). This site uses familiar building blocks from Lego to create characters that you could use as part of your character portfolios in creative writing. Using Lego in the classroom in a hands on way allows students the freedom to explore their creativity in creating scenes and props for their characters while the site gives their imaginary character a digital image. There are so many brilliant Lego creations around. I still have a big box filled with Lego somewhere at home. Definately a site I will use in my classroom.

Build Your Wild Self is another create-a-character website (http://www.buildyourwildself.com/). I’ll have to admit that I have fallen completely in love with Build Your Wild Self. Not only can students (or yourself) create a character that is completely out of this world, but the site creates a name for your creation, AND give you information about the animals from which you selected your parts. There are so many avenues that you could take this. The created character could see students exploring more about the animals that make them up (clear connections to Science and Geography foci) or could be a basis from which stems creative writing opportunities. I could imagine my classroom walls being covered by a sea of Wild Animals!

Some websites focused on storyboarding and creation of a story through the platform of a comic strip such as Zimmer Twins (http://www.zimmertwins.com/) and Xtranormal Text-to-Movie (http://www.xtranormalcom.html/) and the adult version Devolver (http://www.dfilm.com/). Even though the adult version led to the creation of some rather risqué cartoons (thanks to Greg!), if you were to create your own version to show students the potential of what could be created using such software, I believe that it would be an interesting and definitely engaging introduction to any lesson. I was able to create a short movie (see separate post) about an alien being chased by an elf, definitely one of the more tame entries that could have been posted! With a little know-how, and a few tips along the way from people in the business such as in the Inspire Galleries on the Roller Mache website (see www.abc.net.au/rollercoaster/rollermache/default.htm). I particularly liked the short clip about Shaun the Sheep from Wallace and Grommet fame, and the creation of “Pet” by illustrator Rick Carton.

Myths and Legends Story Creator 2 (www.myths.e2bn.org/create) is a fantastic way use ICT creatively when thinking about the way students develop their writing. It connects pictures created by the students to their words on each page, just like a picture story book, and moves the story along like a slide show. Students are able to express themselves through the written word and enhance their writing through animation. Its animation catalog is focused on classic imagery of Myth and Legend stories, but could definitely be used in conjunction with an integrated inquiry topic of the same nature in the classroom.

Another idea that connects images to students work is the creation of Rebus Stories (see www.storygames.com/TeachManPF/Rebus.html). This form of communication and storytelling was prevalent in my last Teaching Rounds. I had a class of students around 10 years old that were non-verbal in their communication. They used AAC devices to communicate, personal computers called Mighty Mo’s, that connected images to words and allow students to communicate by connecting images to words that are vocalized by the device (see pervious blog entries on Teaching Rounds for more information about the devices). Each Monday we spoke about our weekend news and using the program called Clicker 5 (also see previous blog entries) we constructed a retelling of the students information. Images appeared above many of the words that were associated with what was being written. Clicker 5 also had the capability to read aloud what had been written. Brilliant program for use in a specialized setting!

I found a funny little adaptation of the Rebus Story on another website (http://www.highlightskids.com/) called Rebus Round Up.

‘The Cold Wind Blows’ and ‘The Little Sea Gull’ lets you create a silly story using different image and then be able to read the original story. The Noise asks you to match the images to the words already in the story. This site is definitely aimed at younger children, and I would suggest that it would be used as a tuning in and explorative activities.

All in all I found this workshop very inspiring. I hope to bring many of the ideas that were discussed here into my classroom at some point in time. It really does show you that the only limit to our creativity is our imagination – something that we should never limit in young people! It is time to think outside the box and create something new and wonderful – just take a look at my Atoo-ho-conda-fro-iger-butterfly! Who would have thought?!

Sketch Swap

www.sketchswap.com

I was a little hesitant to send my image off into the world wide web on this site. You don't know what will come back. Perhaps a little limitation to this otherwise pretty nifty site. Greg mentioned that the creators do say that they moderate the site, however things can slip past. I'm not sure I would take the chance in my classroom.

The premise of the site is to draw something using the mouse and a digital marker onto a blank white space. Once you have completed the image you submit it and it swaps with another image from somewhere around the world.

The idea of the website is pretty cool. And you could potentially control the content that was being submitted if your children sent them to classmates, other students in the school or even family members.

Build Your Wild Self

http://www.buildyourwildself.com/

This site is engaging, creative and has links to other websites such as different American Zoos and Aquariums. Even though this is the case, there is great research potential using this site as a staarting point. You could definately steer students to Australian sites, such as http://www.zoos.org.au/ and explore the vast range of information and events that are on offer.

It could form the plan for 3D modelling using artistic mediums, the beginnings of character development in literacy activities, or even a great icebreaker for the start of the year. I really love the little facts that the site presents about each animal that you have chosen a part from.

It definately would capture many students imagination.

Zimmertwins

I can't wait to use this website in the classroom! It has an easy to design storyboard with so many different graphics. You coul lose so many hours on this site if you weren't careful, so planning and mapping out of a story before hand wouldn't go astray. If I were to use this site I would allow students to explore the site first, to get a feel for what is on offer by means of graphics, sounds and effect before creating some form of storyboard before completing the finished product.

But the possibilities are vast and could be very entertaining. I mean, who know's what Space cat will find on that new world?! :-) I guess you will just have to wait and see.

www.dfilm.com

www.dfilm.com

More on Teaching Rounds

Over the last few weeks I have been amazed at how the students in the class that I am in have learned how to use the AAC (augmentative, alternative communication) devices to communicate. It is brilliant that communication technology is now available that enhances the lives and expands the possibilities for children, and adults, living with a disability.

TRACKER PRO

One student (D) showed my another brilliant device that uses a web cam device to track the head movements of the person in front of a computer screen with a reflective disk placed in the middle of the forehead, near the eyes. The device is called Tracker Pro. It is used as a computer mouse replacement that enables people with little or no hand movement to perform all mouse actions by moving their head.

Watching (D) navigate his way through literacy and numeracy activities on the computer using only the movement of his head was definately fantastic to watch. The potential of this device opens up so many pathways and opportunities for his future and at the rate technology is heading, there are bigger and better things to come in the near future. These devices enhance and extend the learning potential within the classroom in so many ways. The only limitinig factor is the price of such technology. A speech pathologist within the school filled me in on the long and sometimes frustrating process of applying for funding for communication tools such as these. An upgrade of the AAC device mentioned in the last post (MightyMo) would require the outlay of more than $7000, of which only some is covered by the school. One day I hope to see these devices more readily available to students with disabilities so that access to education and interacting within the wider community is not just a hope but a reality.






Zac Browser


Another fantastic piece of computer software that I have come across in my educational support work in schools fot students with Autism is the Zac Browser. It is a simplified version of an internet browser, that limits the distractions and potential for students to get frustrated and lost while accessing the internet. You can access different games, activities and videos that have been 'specifically chosen for their positive effect on children suffering from Autism' (http://www.zacbrowser.com/).

I'm not so fond of the use of 'suffering' as a term to explain the disability, but this browser is definately worthwhile in a classroom for students that are easily distracted of have limited knowledge about the use of the internet. It is a safe and controlled environment that is geared towards students that have attention difficulties, or other issues that may impair their learning and interaction within the classroom in some way.