Week 6, Blog 2 - Storybird

The article is from the following site: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/storybird-new-teacher-boot-camp-lisa-dabbs.

This is an exciting article and corresponds directly with my first blog entry!  The article provides insight into an online program called StoryBird.com.  The writer of the article basically introduces what the technology is and how it is employed in the classroom. 

StoryBird is an online tool that students can use to make their stories come to life.  After logging in, students can take art from StoryBird’s archive and place it onto pages on the online book’s interface.  From there, the student can write the story of what they are imagining.

Many things are great about this.  First, students are using their imagination to create stories.  Second, technology is being used.  Third, students can share their work with people outside of the classroom.  This creates more pride for the student and helps them understand the importance of audience. 

Although this may seem like it would be best used for students in elementary or middle school, I believe that this could be used for high school as well.  Students, after studying Poe, could create their own gothic storybird.  They could use it to do prewriting as well for a play that they would be writing.  They could use it to create an alternative ending to a novel that was read.  The possibilities are endless. 

This is a great way to combine humanities with technology.  Issues and thematic concepts can still be found within the students’ storybirds.  Furthermore, it can help struggling writings find their voices.  There is no doubt that this is an exciting resource that I just found.

I definitely plan on sharing this with my colleagues in not only the high school that I teach at, but also with my elementary and middle school educators in my district.  Hopefully those that have read my blog will be able to check out storybird and see the exciting opportunities that it presents for education!

Dabb, Lisa M.   “Summer PD: New Teacher Boot Camp Week 3 – Using Storybird.”  19 July 2011.  Web.  Edutopia.  24 July 2011.  <http://www.edutopia.org/blog/storybird-new-teacher-boot-camp-lisa-dabbs>.