Digital+Arts+&+Crafts

This section includes links to websites that allow teachers and students to create compelling and creative projects. There are many more websites on the internet, but I have tried to limit this list to websites I have personality checked out. Additionally, I have tried to focus on free websites.


 * Digital Book Making & Comics**
 * [[image:burneyharris:storybird.png align="center" caption="storybird.png" link="@http://storybird.com/teachers/"]]

** Storybird ** || Another cool picture book creator with animated turning pages. You can add images, add text, make classroom accounts, share books, collaborate with other users, and print final copies. All for free.

This is a great tool to present or review information in class.

Students can use this tool to create compelling projects.

Example: Take the Tour ||
 * [[image:burneyharris:ZooBurst.jpg align="center" caption="ZooBurst.jpg" link="@http://www.zooburst.com/index.php"]]

**ZooBurst** || Make digital pop-up 3D books with ZooBurst. Students or teachers have access to thousands of images when creating a book.

Great for presenting and reviewing concepts in class.

Example: Earth's Crust ||
 * [[image:burneyharris:glogster.png align="center" caption="glogster.png" link="@http://edu.glogster.com/"]]

** Glogster ** || Very cool interactive poster maker that includes all forms of multimedia: images, video, audio, text, and links.

Teachers can use this website to organizer information in interesting ways. Students can create meaningful multimedia presentations.

Example: The Cell ||
 * [[image:burneyharris:make-beliefs-comix.jpg caption="make-beliefs-comix.jpg" link="@http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/"]]

**Make Beliefs Comix** || Very simple template driven comic maker. The user picks through an assortment of characters and adds the text. ||
 * [[image:burneyharris:witty.gif align="center" caption="witty.gif" link="@http://www.wittycomics.com/"]]

**Witty Comics** || Another easy-to-use template driven comic maker. This one includes different backgrounds and a number of different characters. Just add text. ||
 * [[image:burneyharris:comiclabs.png align="center" caption="comiclabs.png" link="@http://www.professorgarfield.org/comics_lab_extreme/"]]

**Comics Lab Extreme** || This is a more complex comic book maker. Students and teachers could make a complete comic book. Users can pick from included images or upload their own. An account is required to save or export work. ||
 * [[image:burneyharris:comiclife.jpg align="center" caption="comiclife.jpg"]]

**Comic Life** || Not available online but it is installed on the computers in the media center and on 10 computers in the Lab 3. This is another complete comic book maker. Great for students and teachers (all work must be completed at school since this program is offline). ||
 * [[image:burneyharris:bookr.gif align="center" caption="bookr.gif" link="@http://www.pimpampum.net/bookr/index.php"]]

** Bookr ** || Even though this site is blocked at school I still think it can be useful. Just like Storybird, it makes very cool picture books with animated turning pages. You can pull images from Flickr and add text.

This is a neat tool to present or review information in class. Books can be embedded on blog/wikis.

Students can use it to create compelling projects (at home - blocked at at some schools).

Example: Chinese Festival Book (coming soon) || Make a Webpage


 * [[image:burneyharris:WixTraveler.jpg align="center" caption="WixTraveler.jpg" link="@http://www.wix.com/"]]

** Wix ** || Create very awesome looking, flash based websites. No coding knowledge required, all template driven. Very cool. A student showed me this website and I was very impressed.

Example: Two Minute Demo Video ||
 * ** Google Sites ** || Make websites with ease, working from templates. I have had students make some pretty impressive websites over the years using Google Sites. All free. Gmail account required. ||


 * Video / Slide Show Making**


 * [[image:burneyharris:animoto.jpg align="center" caption="animoto.jpg" link="@http://animoto.com/education"]]

** Animoto ** || Make a video slide show in minutes. Upload your images, add your text, pick your music, and Animoto does the rest. Free accounts are limited to 30 second videos, but if you sign up a for an educator's account (free) it will remove the time limit for you and 50 student accounts.

A very fun and easy way to present information. ||
 * [[image:burneyharris:slidesix.png align="center" caption="slidesix.png" link="@http://slidesix.com/"]]

** Slide Six ** || Add narration to your slide shows. Just upload your powerpoint to Slide Six and then you can begin adding narration and recorded video. Last step: share your multi-media presentation.

Example: What is Slide Six ||
 * [[image:burneyharris:jaycut.jpg align="center" caption="jaycut.jpg" link="@http://jaycut.com/"]]

** JayCut ** || A free online video editor. No longer are students tied to the computers at school when working on video editing projects. Now, video projects are possible wherever there is an internet connected computer. ||
 * [[image:burneyharris:xtranormal.jpg align="center" caption="xtranormal.jpg" link="@http://www.xtranormal.com/"]]

** Xtranormal ** || This website is becoming very popular. Teachers or students write a script, pick your characters, pick a background, and Xtranormal does the rest. The website is fun and easy to use. Additionally, the computerized voices add a bit of humor to your lessons and projects.

Example: Dividing Fractions ||
 * [[image:burneyharris:prezi-menu.jpg align="center" caption="prezi-menu.jpg" link="@http://prezi.com/"]]

** Prezi ** || Non-linear, big picture presentation tool. Great for concept maps and making connections. The Prezi approach encourages pre-planning by the user, instead of just jumping in (like many students do with PowerPoint). ||
 * [[image:burneyharris:go_animate1.jpg align="center" caption="go_animate1.jpg" link="@http://goanimate.com/"]]

** Go Animate ** || Recently some students shared this website with me and I loved it. Go Animate is all about easy to create cartoon animations. Make a cartoon in minutes. Plenty of images and backgrounds to choose from. Best of all, it's free. ||


 * Audio Recording / Podcasting**


 * [[image:burneyharris:podomatic_logo.gif align="center" caption="podomatic_logo.gif" link="@http://www.podomatic.com/login"]]

** PodOmatic ** || Record and store podcasts online, for free. Only a microphone is required. ||
 * [[image:burneyharris:aviary.png align="center" caption="aviary.png" link="@http://www.aviary.com/tools/audio-editor"]]

** Aviary ** || Online audio recorder, editor, and mixer. Great for recording podcasts. ||
 * [[image:burneyharris:ujam.png align="center" caption="ujam.png" link="@http://www.ujam.com/"]]

** Ujam ** || Online music maker. Very cool. Great for projects or whenever a lesson needs a bit of music to pick things up!

(This is another "at home project" - i.e. blocked at some schools). ||