Category: Writing

Apps, Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, Education, Games, K-12, Problem Solving, Teaching Tools, Writing

Draw a Stickman Epic

Terri Eichholz

The makers of “Draw a Stickman” have just released a new version, “Draw a Stickman Epic“.  At this time, it is available for iPhone, iPad, and Windows 8.  The Android app is coming soon, according to the developer’s website.  “Epic” comes in the free, trial version, or the paid version ($1.99).  The main difference is the number of levels.  With the free version, you get 3 levels, and the paid version offers 14.  The other difference, I would assume (since I have not purchased the paid version), would be the presence of ads.

“Epic” is much more interactive than its predecessors, and demands the use of some problem-solving skills in order for your stickman character, which you will draw, to rescue its stickman friend (which you will also draw).  In order to do this, you must strategically draw fire to destroy obstacles, as well as rain clouds.

“Draw a Stickman Epic” would be a good app to use as a reward or in a center for students.  With a projector, it could even be a whole class activity; after a level is completed, the students could write about what happened, and even use it as a story starter for further adventures.

Apps, Education, ESL, K-12, Language Arts, Teaching Tools, Universal Design for Learning, Websites, Writing

Talk Typer

Terri Eichholz

Talk Typer is a website that works best in the Google Chrome Browser.  Without installing any software, you can choose from several languages, then speak into your microphone, and Talk Typer will print the text of your speech.  You can then look at what it produces, make any corrections you would like, and then move it into the bottom portion of the page.  In this second level, you can e-mail it, tweet it, or even translate it seamlessly into another language.

This free tool could be so useful for ELL classrooms, foreign language classrooms, and even regular classrooms where students might use this as an aid or an extension.  For teachers who are looking to incorporate Universal Design for Learning into their classrooms, I think this resource is essential.

(Here is a link for speech to text options in OSX and Windows 7)

Books, Creative Thinking, Education, K-12, Language Arts, Reading, Student Products, Websites, Writing

Storybird (Reblog)

Terri Eichholz

For the summer, I have decided to use my Tuesday and Thursday posts to reblog some of my favorite posts that some of my readers may have missed the first time around:

As a teacher, do you ever have a moment when no one needs your help, and you are standing in the middle of your classroom wondering what you should be doing?  In my twenty years of teaching, I think that’s happened twice:  when I was student teaching and had no idea what I was supposed to be doing anyway, and today.  I showed my students Storybird, which allows you to choose sets of art to illustrate a story that you write.  I meant for it to be a station on some computers in my classroom, but the students who started at that station didn’t want to leave.  So, I started pulling out laptops until everyone was working on their own stories.  For over an hour, there was silence in my room, and every child was engaged in creating his or her own story.  We had been studying Figurative Language, and the assignment was to create a story with a winter theme that used at least 4 different types of figurative language.

After lunch, I thought the students might be weary of sitting in front of computer screens.  I began saying, “Okay, you have a choice.  You can either continue working on your Storybirds or – ” I didn’t even get to finish.  They unanimously agreed that they wanted to continue.

Storybird is free.  Register as a teacher, and you can add a class of students easily.  The students do not need e-mail addresses to register or log in.  You can view their work at any time, and they can also view the work of other students in the class by clicking on a tab at the top.  They can comment, as can the teacher.  It’s online, and easy to share, so they can show friends and family.  The teacher can post specific assignments or the students can just create.  Collaboration on stories is possible, and reading the stories of others is inspiring.  The art work is charming and lovely.

3-12, Creative Thinking, Education, Language Arts, Student Products, Teaching Tools, Websites, Writing

PicLits

Terri Eichholz

PicLits is a website that basically offers a catalogue of pictures for which you can make captions.  The captions can be created from a word bank underneath that changes based on the selected picture, and variations of the chosen words are offered (such as plurals).  This is one of those sites where the user can differentiate for him or her self.  Single words can be selected for beginning English speakers – or entire sentences and paragraphs can be added.  Some users offer famous quotations for the pictures, while other users lend a sense of humor to the image with a quip, as you can see below.  There are links to several blog sites that give recommendations for using PicLits in the classroom.  As always, though, it is important for the teacher to preview images before recommending the site to your students.

PicLit from PicLits.com

See the full PicLit at PicLits.com

3-12, Creative Thinking, Education, Language Arts, Student Products, Teaching Tools, Writing

Grace is Overrated Journal Pages

Terri Eichholz

The 49 journal pages on “Grace is Overrated” are inspiring and thought-provoking.  They include quotations, fill-in-the-blanks, and questions that are great for self-examination.  The layout of each of Christie Zimmer’s pages is fun and attractive as well.  Some of them are more suited for adults, but I have used several with my students.  The kids enjoy voicing their feelings on such a variety of topics and discussing the quotations!

UPDATE 5/20/14: Grace is Overrated has moved to Adventures in Guided Journaling.  You can find journal pages for kids here.

3-6, Creative Thinking, Education, Language Arts, Parenting, Student Products, Writing

Summer Superheroes

Terri Eichholz

Summer Superheroes is a “Parent & After School Resource” on ReadWriteThink.  It offers an interesting twist to the concept of creating your own superhero by challenging the author to invent a superhero whose powers are somehow dependent on the warmest season of the year.  The detailed instructions for motivating the child and for helping him or her to develop the story include interactive resources on the ReadWriteThink site.  This would be a fun idea to share with parents, or to use in the last month of school – when everyone’s mind is on summer anyway!