Animoto+-+Lindsey

Web 2.0 technology Lindsey Knight 10/12/11  Animoto Animoto is a video slideshow of pictures with sound and or music. Animoto is easy to sign up and use. When you join Animoto, you can choose what type of member you want to be and the amount you want to pay to create vidoes. I choose to be a free member, and this enabled me to create a 30 second video with pictures and music. After browsing the website, I was able to upgrade to an educator member for free. At first, I wanted to see examples of the videos you can create. I was able to watch different videos that users can create by simply uploading pictures from your computer. I found it exciting to create videos of my special events and my classroom. The site takes you step-by-step to upload your photos from your computer or from social networking sites. Then you can add music (again from your computer or the collection Animoto has). Last, you can add text to your video. After these easy steps, your video is ready to view within minutes and share with others!

Animoto can be used in the classroom as a way to engage students when beginning a new unit. Teachers can create an Animoto video of pictures that relate to the content they will be learning about. For example, teachers could upload pictures of American Symbols to share with students along with “America the Beautiful” song to motivate the students as they begin learning about the American symbols and their importance to America. Another example of how to integrate this web 2.0 technology into the classroom is with science/engineering. Students work together to create steps to make playdough. The teacher or the students could take pictures of each step/ingredient that they use. Next, students could upload their pictures to Animoto to show the sequencing of how to make play dough. Each group could share their presentation of how they made play dough at the end of the unit for others to see and discuss what they did differently. This is a great way for students to use technology to show a culminating project!

In my example, I uploaded pictures of my students during the first weeks of school working with computers and manipulatives in the classroom. This shows parents students working in cooperative groups and scaffolding off one another in the classroom. I think this would also be valuable for teachers to use to share with parents at Back-to-School night to show what their children are doing in school. I shared this site with my administration because they like to show their staff working with their students and coworkers. This website would allow her to upload pictures of her staff and add music to have at the beginning of faculty meetings. It is a nice way to reflect on what teachers are doing ever day at our school.

See my example below!! 2, 4, 6, 8, first grade is really great!

[|Mrs. Knight's Class]

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