Talking Snowmen Appear When Technology and Pedagogy Meet

Students in Ms. Sara Zajicek’s first grade classroom at Fort Crook Elementary recently created talking snowmen.  How did this come to be? Digital tools brought this assignment to new levels when students took a piece of artwork, a great story, and combined it with ChatterPix. Here are the details.

1. Students created their snowman art project.
2. Students used the writing process to plan, draft, revise, and edit their work. They copied their final drafts onto their snowman art projects.

3. Students practiced reading their stories out loud.
4. Ms. Zajicek and Mrs. Feldmann recorded their snowman tales using the Chatterpix app.

5. All the video were compiled into one iMovie for everyone to enjoy. Click HERE to watch the video

Lessons Learned

1. Students loved to hear their recorded voices.
2. When the videos were played back, students automatically self assessed and asked to redo their video if they deemed it not their best attempt.
3. Students developed their fluency skills as they re-recorded the stories.
4. Students were excited to read their stories and found this activity fun!
5. It is easy to combine all the videos with iMovie and share as an unlisted video on YouTube.
6. Students are eager to share their stories with their families and the world.

Bellevue Essential Objectives:

LA 1.2.1

Writing Process: Students will apply the writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writing using correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, and other conventions of standard English appropriate for grade-level.

LA 1.1.4

Fluency: Students will develop accuracy, phrasing, and expression while reading a variety of grade-level print/digital text to support comprehension.

Apps

Chatter Pix

iMovie

How have you used digital tools to enhance writing and fluency in your classroom?

Written by Ann Feldmann

@annfeldmann1