Supporting Apps
Out of the apps that I reviewed, several stood out to me as good choices to implement in a third-grade classroom. One of the apps was Storybird. I loved how easy the platform is to use. There is preloaded art on the website. Students will have a blast picking their base illustrations. I can see a few different activities that this website could support. Some students may have a story already in their head, and find illustrations to match it. Other students may want to write a story based on illustrations they find. There are many creative options on this website. I didn't note any distracting features. I think that students will be engaged in creating their stories and motivated to use fresh images.
Another website that I liked was StoryPlanner. I loved how many options this website provided. This website provides guidance for story structure, story summaries, and the story world. This website would be most helpful for older students, but there were still elements I found usable by elementary students. I liked how it sorted the templates by time to complete, ease of use, and development stage. This makes it very easy to look through and pick which template you need. I haven't seen a website like this before, and I think that students that need extra guidance would really like it.
Lastly, I really enjoyed the noredink website. This was a new website for me. I can see myself using it with my third-grade students. I like that it covers grammar and writing. One thing I did not like is that you need a premium account to access all assignments. Still, this looks like a fun way to have students practice grammar rules and do fun writing prompts. I liked that I could select specific grammar rules and have students practice questions with them. I could see using this website as a writing center.
These apps stood out to me for several reasons. They all had distinct and engaging features. I could realistically see my third-graders asking to use these websites. I thought the interfaces were simple enough for students to navigate independently. I did not see any features that I deemed distracting from work. Out of the three websites, Storybird will probably be the one they enjoy most, because most students enjoy looking at art, and the art on this website is fantastic.
Katelyn, I like your idea with using No Red Ink a writing center. I know that grammar is not my students favorite skill to practice. I like that this website engages students with grammar practice. Using it as a writing center can help students get that grammar practice in through a more engaging method. Storybird was also one of my favorites apps that I explored. It's a great tool to help students with their writing ideas or, as you stated, to find pictures to match their story ideas. I also like how Storybird offers different styles of writing for students to use.
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ReplyDeleteKatelyn, I really appreciate your idea of using noredink website as a writing center. I am aware that practicing grammar is not a favorite skill among most students. I appreciate how this website effectively engages students in grammar practice. Utilizing it as a writing center can provide students with an opportunity to practice grammar in a more engaging manner. It's a real game-changer for students, helping them hit the nail on the head with their writing ideas, and finding the perfect picture to paint their story ideas. I also appreciate how Storybird provides students with a variety of writing styles to choose from.n
DeleteHello! I really enjoyed Story Bird as well. I also love the idea of using these apps as a literacy center! I am always looking for more ways to go paperless and keep students accountable for doing relevant work.
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