Writing+Tools

__** Some great online writing tools kids will find really m **__ **Comic strips / Cartoons**

__**Comic strip creator**__ []



**About the site:** **Toondoo:** [|www.toondoo.com]
 * Creates strips with two, three or four panels
 * Choice of twenty characters, eight speech balloons, twenty five objects, panel prompts
 * Resize and flip characters and colour the backgrounds on panels
 * Print strip or email to a friend to view on line
 * To put the strip on wikis or blogs take a screen shot, crop and save in paint and upload as a clipart file
 * Site is free and there is no sign up needed, email address used if you want to send to others to view
 * There is a teacher resource section with comic strips to print for comic writing and a link to a useful interactive maths site
 * This a basic, cool fun site. No technical expertise needed. Kids will get it just by having a go.

**About the site:**
 * Toondoo is a wacky way to get creative with cartoons.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">More advanced than make belief comixs with more detailed characters, scenes and choices of props and writing options
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Free sections and services to purchase

<span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Book Creators**

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Story Jumper book creator** []

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Click on link below to view an example <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">[]

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">**About the site:**
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">StoryJumper is an online tool that makes creative writing fun for kids.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Using the interactive workbook and lesson plans, teachers spark students' interest in developing and writing complete stories.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Kids can then put their creativity and project skills to work in crafting their very own professionally published hard-back books.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">The site is free to use. Books can be viewed online or printed. They can also be professionally produced as hardbacks for a cost.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Can be created as a book with text narration and or speech balloons.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">You can also upload photos and add speech balloons.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Only draw back is that you can't embed in a wiki or blog. Print, or email a link to view.

[] media type="custom" key="9476998"


 * About the site: **
 * ZooBurst is a digital storytelling tool that lets anyone easily create his or her own 3D pop-up books.
 * You can insert narration sections and speech balloons on each page
 * Characters / props are a little limited but the site seems to be expanding all the time.
 * You can also load your own clipart - this is most efective if it has transparent backgrounds.
 * Sign up / email needed
 * Basics are free, subscription available if you really want to launch into it and get access to more resources
 * Definite primary / educational site

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Storybird:** [] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">**About the site:**
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Story birds are short, art-inspired stores you make to share, read and print.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Read them like books, play them like games, and send them like greeting cards. They’re curiously fun.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Another option to explore - there are a number of sites like these two that you can create and then purchase your book from. Nice idea for a gift.

<span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Animated Movies**

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">**GoAnimate:** [] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">media type="custom" key="9339706" <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">**About the site:**
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">If you just want a simple animated movie (one lesson) you can use the four steps 'Slices of Daily Life' section (Saving Energy example) where you just type the text you want the two characters to say into up to ten dialogue boxes. Choice of ten scenes and eighteen characters (2 actor scenes). Lets you preview, edit, download and embed into other sites.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Good value option for a short paired writing activity (my kids enjoyed being 'let loose' on it to experiment in pairs) that you can then show on your wikis and blogs. A good way to learn how to use the basics of the site.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Could be a debate, interview, 2 person play, news report etc
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Basic sets are free - 'cooler' (name) characters and flashery scenes start to cost. Sign in / email required.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Works fine with a class all making their own movies at the same time.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">You can also create a movie from scratch but this is more complicated and would be a series of lessons over a number of weeks.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">The movie can be saved as a draft though and added to, so would be fine as a long term writing 'project'

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Xtranormal** [] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">media type="custom" key="9461548" <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">**About the site:**
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Upmarket version of Goanimate (better animations and speech etc) - used to have a number of free elements but now charges for everything, though when you sign up you get 5000 points free. To create a basic movie uses about 300 points. (5000 just enough to get you and the kids hooked!)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Sign in / email required
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Now has an educational option to the site which has made it safer to use for primary school, but it is still really year 7/8 up material. (Recommends R13)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Can be embedded into other sites, also downloaded at high res quality which can then be inserted into power points etc.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Example above was made last year when it had a number of free options.

**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Things to watch for when writing online: **


 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">students need to be responsible when creating movies, comic strips, books etc as (with all internet use) they are there for all to see when made
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">there is the odd gesture that is not suitable for school use on some sites (censor!)
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">other creations on the sites are sometimes not suitable for a primary audience - so watch what the kids watch!