Awesomely Animated with Animoto

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Reaching critical mass with technology in our classrooms is something that will always be a struggle.  Even with student BYOD programs, there can be some difficulty in outfitting devices with a uniform set of apps.  Creation apps are needed in order to truly transform teaching.  Animoto is a unique video creator that combines pictures, text, and music into a movie.  Animoto movies can be shared on social networking sites or downloaded if you're using an upgraded pro account.  The one drawback is that movies created with the free account are subject to a time limit - 30 seconds.  Still, there's a lot that can be done in that time frame.  In some ways, the time limit may actually help kids communicate more effectively by forcing them to be succinct.  

Some ideas for implementation of Animoto include:
  • Have students take pictures of science experiments and create a video lab report.
  • Share understanding of Social Studies content by creating a video about a historic figure and sharing his/her top five achievements.
  • Summarize a reading selection and recount the main events of a story.
  • Have students create a public service announcement for an issue of their choice and ask them to present both a logical and emotional appeal through words and images.
  • Have students use math to solve a real life problem.  Let them act out the problem in images and walk through the steps to find a solution using text.

Sample Movie Project: The Nile River

Try our slideshow maker at Animoto.

There's an App for That!

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In addition to being a rockin' Web 2.0 tool, Animoto is also available for all of your favorite mobile devices, iOS and Android alike.  Click on the links below to download the app and get started on your first movie project! This is perfect for student-centered BYOD classrooms. 
Download Animoto from the App Store for iOS devices.
Download Animoto from the Google Play store for Android devices.