I'm Thinkin' Thinglink

One of my foremost objectives is to empower my students to use technology in project based ways to create as they learn.  It may be exciting for me to create and share items I've made with technology, but enabling students to create for themselves is MUCH more fulfilling.

Thinglink describes itself as a way to be creative and to make images come alive with music, video, text, images and more!    This recent blog post is a good example of Thinglink in use. With Thinglink you simply upload an image, tag the image and add the media or text that you wish to accent the photo with. Amazingly, Thinglink is available as a Web Based version but also as an iOS app.

A Web Based Thinglink Project

Here's an idea for a project based learning assignment whereby students create a Thinglink collage using the web based version.

#1.  Create an image collage.  

• Search Google to collect images related to a topic.
• Save each image.  Make sure to make a note of the source of each image.
• Insert the images into a Powerpoint slide. Rotate and arrange to create a collage.
• Save the Powerpoint slide as a .jpeg file.

#2. Create interactive Thinglink

• Register for a Thinglink account with e-mail address and password
• Upload the powerpoint .jpeg image collage to Thinglink.
• Click on each image to 'tag' them.
• Include the source URL of each image as well as an explanation as to why that image is suitable to the topic.
• Share the Thinglink.  Each Thinglink possesses a unique URL.

An App Based Thinglink Project 

You will need 2 free apps to support this project.

 #1:  Photo Collage Creator

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/photo-collage-creator/id460538754?mt=8

#2:  Thinglink

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/thinglink/id647304300

#1.  Create an image collage.  

• Search and explore images and clipart that suit the topic.  Select and save at least 8 – 10 images.  
• Copy the URL of each image onto the notepad app.  
• Open Photo Collage Creator.  Select, insert and design your photo collage using the photos you’ve saved to your camera roll.  When finished, save to camera roll 

#2. Create interactive Thinglink

• Go to the website thinglink.com. Add username and email address to create an account.
• Start by selecting the camera icon and then selecting the collage you created from your camera roll.
• Once your collage uploads, tap each image to ‘tag’ the image.  It will place a red circle at the location you click.
• Indicate the website where you obtained the image.  Then, provide an explanation as to WHY you selected that image to fit your topic. 
• When you are finished, slide the toggle next to the speech bubble and click POST.  You will then obtain a unique link that leads to your Thinglink image. 

A Word About E-mail Addresses for Students

Here is a trick in order to go around the fact that some students may not have or cannot have an Email address:

•         Create a gmail account, like "aa.teacher@gmail.com".
•       Then, have each student register to Thinglink with "aa.teacher+1@gmail.com", "aa.teacher+2@gmail.com", or "aa.teacher+anne@gmail.com", "aa.teacher+kirk@gmail.com", or whatever you can think of.
•         This gives them separate accounts, but all the email would go to "aa.teacher@gmail.com". In most email services you can create these "+" aliases which appear as a separate address, but in reality they all point to the same address.

Get these printable directions and a rubric for BOTH projects!!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Collage-Project-Using-Thinglink-958606

Thinkin' about Thinglink and Using Your Smarticles!!

Songify and Autorap

If you are an app fan, you understand the giddy feeling you get when you find a new one.  One app might hold the potential to organize your life like you've never known.  Another might simply occupy space on your device and never be used.  Some might hold the secret to engaging your students beyond belief.  Either way, the novelty of something new is addicting.

 

Recently I downloaded Autorap and Songify.  These free apps are designed to take your words and turn them into songs.  The singular purpose of Autorap is to make you sound like you can rap.  Any innocuous words that you record will synthesize through the app and be turned into some semblance of a rap song.  Songify is similar in purpose, except the product has more of a pop-like sound.

In my testing phase with this app, I decided to record a few basic instructional statements on Autorap to see what would happen.  My goal was to have background music that could be played as the students entered the room reminding them to get started with their tasks for the day.  The results...super silly, but indeed got my student's attention.  Here's my maiden attempt at creating an Autorap.    

Giving this process a bit of deeper thought, I decided to consider how the app might be useful as a classroom tool.  With a bit of creativity, I came upon a few suggestions/ideas and also noted how Common Core Learning Standards can be met with an app that (at first blush) didn't appear to have merit.

Elementary Grades

• Have students sing a song based on a phonic skill they've learned.
• Have student practice saying (and spelling) spelling words

Middle/Upper Grades

• Summarize and record key ideas from a piece of expository text (6.RIT.1, 6.RIT.10, 6.L.6)
• Watch a key event (like a debate) and record statements that make an impact
• Record character emotions/feelings in response to an event in a narrative text (6.RL.2, 6.RL.5)
• Have students introduce themselves at the beginning of the year (6.SL.6, 6.SL.5)
• Focus on vocabulary.  Have students record a vocabulary word, synonyms and/or related words.  
• Have students record synonyms/antonyms

Get the Common Core Widget: