Becca+Hamm-StoryBird

Storybird by: Rebecca Hamm

The web 2.0 tool that I am sharing is //**Storybird**//. Storybird is a simple way for students and adults to write stories. Storybird provides the artwork and templates. Users can then select artwork and begin writing words to create a story. You do not need an account to use Storybird, but by creating a free account, you can save your work and create reading lists.


 * Here is a brief tutorial on how to create your own Storybird: **
 * To start a Storybird, go to storybird.com and click the "Create" button.
 * Choose a piece of artwork or a theme for your story and click "Start a Storybird"
 * Storybird will now open a new story page.
 * You will see a book page in the center and art work on both sides of the book page.
 * You can drag the artwork that you like onto the page and select the location (left, right, top, bottom).
 * A text box will appear around your picture for you to begin typing your story.
 * After you have completed a page, look for the button "Add a page."
 * Continue adding pages and text until you have completed your story.
 * Be sure to save your work often!
 * You can view your story in full screen by clicking on the button directly above your storybook.

**My Personal Experience with Storybird: **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Here is an example of a Storybird that I created to illustrate what it means to apologize.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">[|Bolt's Hide 'n Sneak Adventure] media type="custom" key="18527844" width="316" height="316" align="left"

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">I chose to use this website for our class wiki, since it is one that my students were introduced to in our technology lab. The students loved using it so much, that many parents have said their students are accessing it at home! My students have also enjoyed using it during their workstation time in the classroom. Although I have often watched my students create their own stories, I have never written my own. This was a great learning experience for me to put my knowledge of Storybird into application!

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">During my students' first introduction to Storybird, they were presented with the task of creating a story that would demonstrate "Panther PRIDE." Panther PRIDE is our school wide character education program, where each letter of the acronym PRIDE stands for a character trait. I followed this model, by creating a story that demonstrates how to apologize and ask for forgiveness. This is an important lesson for students at a young age and what a fun way to model this, by sharing a story with them that their teacher made!


 * <span style="color: #008080; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Benefits for Educators: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">You can easily create accounts for your entire class, without individual e-mails
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Student work can remain private, unless you choose to publish it for others to see
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Teachers can create assignments to inspire and focus the direction of students
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The teacher can quickly review student work, record comments, and assign grades for assignments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Stories can easily be embedded within blogs or wikis
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">An error message will appear if a student tries to include any graphic or inappropriate content into their story (it really works, unfortunately I had a student try it!)

**<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Special Needs/Diverse Learners: **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">This is a great resource for students who are visual learners.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Students that are struggling writers would benefit from this site. Looking at colorful illustrations can oftentimes inspire a story all on it's own. The students are not stuck with a blank page of paper and a million possibilities of what to write about.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Students that have a special need that prevents them from writing or communication could use this program to sequence a story without words.

**<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Tutorial: ** media type="youtube" key="T00YjRBIcIw" height="315" width="420" align="left"