GoAnimate.com+-+Nicole

**__GoAnimate__**
GoAnimate.com is an animated video production site. Once you sign up for a free account, you are not required to download any software, the program is ready to be used. You are able to create your own creations by selecting animated characters, a few different settings, and many different features. Once you select your character you are able to change the speaking voice, facial expression, and action. You are also able to edit the colors of the scenery and text.

I have included two screen shots. The first is what your story board looks like when you first begin. You can change the setting by clicking on the little hill button, as well as, add music (musical note) or props (the basketball).



This one shows how you can change the characters facial expressions and actions to match what is happening in the video. This is a great feature. It is also on this screen where you can see the tab for voice, which allows the creator to change the voice of the character speaking. You are able to preview each voice before you select one.

One negative is that some of the items (characters, scenes, having more than one person talk per scene) requires GoBucks, which the user can purchase. You have the option to sign up for a 1 month free trial, and then the plans start at 4 months for $18 and go up to $108 for 25 months. A GoAnimate Plus account provides the user will no limit to the animation length, the ability to add your own images and videos, and advanced character customization. While I don’t believe these things are necessary for classroom use, I do find the some of the video features are limited (which you will see when you watch my creation).

I think that this could be a great center activity in reading class. Stories can summarize their favorite part of a story or create a different ending to a story. The students could also use this to illustrate what they think might have happened after the story’s ending. Another reason I think that this would be a great activity for students to use in reading is because it doesn’t require a lot of reading, so struggling readers can use this site and be very successful.

The video that I created was used to illustrate a bad relationship. A reading teacher in my school was doing a lesson on various relationships that characters can have with one another and she asked me to create a negative example. While I’m no Steven Spielberg, I think it turned out and the students were able to identify the examples of negative relationships in my video.

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