You've finished a unit and it's time for students to demonstrate their understanding with a project or presentation. There was a time when book reports and poster board presentations would suffice. That time has passed. Now there are a myriad of options for creating presentations online, from slideshows to animated comic strips with voiceovers. Not only are these types of projects far more dynamic and fun than a book report, but they help kids practice skills they will need in college and beyond; skills that include navigating various programs and designing multi-layered presentations. 

Here are some tools you can use in the classroom to create and publish kids' projects:

  • Creaza: An app that allows you to create digital stories through cartoons, movies, slide shows, and radio talks.  

  • Wordle: Create a "word cloud" that emphasizes important parts of a text, newly learned vocabulary, themes of a unit, and more. Each Wordle can stand alone or be incorporated into a larger project. 

  • Popplet: Visually capture, sort, and connect ideas. The end result is a visual "semantic map" that represents what the student learned throughout the unit of study. 

  • VoiceThread: Adds audio to a presentation. Seamlessly integrates with various programs, such as Blackboard, Sakai, Angel, Canvas, Desire2Learn, BrainHoney, and Moodle.  

  • KerPoof: Create an interactive story with dinosaurs. In addition to stories, kids can make pictures, movies, cards, and drawings. 

These are just a few of the many tools available to create visual, well-developed presentations that demonstrate what students learned throughout the unit. What are some sites or apps you use? 

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