Common Core Connections...

Although the specifics of the Common Core are still a little hazy to me, and I have a lot to learn yet, making connections to literacy seems to be a huge part of the Language Arts curriculum. Last school year, my students and I experimented with a few apps that lend themselves to story creation. Here are two that were a particular success.



PuppetPals HD: 
This app was a HUGE hit with my fourth grade students and with a few sixth grade art club students who tried it out at some of our club meetings. However, we did have to purchase the paid version in order to fully utilize the app for story-telling because the free version has only a limited number of characters and stage settings to use. With the paid version, not only were more characters and settings provided, students were also able to incorporate their own iPad photographs of people and scenery to create an unlimited number of other creative options. At $2.99, this is a pricy app unless you have a school quantity discount, but the students' enthusiasm made it worth the cost. This is an app that I will definitely be using this coming year!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/puppet-pals-hd/id342076546?mt=8




HalfTone is another app that my older students really enjoyed using. Last year we didn't get into using it for storytelling, but the comic strip format lends itself well to this task. And at only $.99, it's a bargain, too. I love the combination of photography and simple storytelling and I know my students will have fun with this one.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/halftone/id419957803?mt=8


Now I'm looking for suggestions for movie making apps that we can use in the art room this fall. What apps have you found that are particularly easy for elementary students to learn and use successfully?