Zooburst - revisited

ZooBurst is a free website that allows users to create 3D pop-up books using nothing more than public domain clip art and ZooBurst's web-based editing tools. 

Users can view ZooBurst 3D books online as long as your web browser has Flash.  The books can be rotated in the 3D environment, and images on the book can be clicked on to open additional information for each.  [Check out the gallery for examples.]

While anyone can view the books already created, to create your own teachers must submit a short request form to have a free account created. Teachers can also create accounts for their students as well. Once a book has been started, the user can edit the pop-up book's page, and background.  Images can be uploaded to be placed on specific pages, then be resized and placed in the forefront or background of the scene.  Text can be added to each page, with word balloons to each specific image.  To create a book in augmented reality, enable the webcam, then click the ZB button present on each story.  

Once a book as been created, you can share it with a web link or embed it in a web page. 

Classroom Integration Ideas:

• Students can create a pop-up book for a historical or literary character
• Teachers create a book for a specific event / holiday 
• Make a tutorial book on a given topic 
• Middle School / High School students can use to create biographical projects
• Creative Writing projects for any grade level

Alphabetimals

Alphabetimals is a free site that helps students learn the alphabet. There is an interactive flipbook featuring animal sounds as well as the pronunciations of animal names.

The Alphabetimals characters can spell out any word that is typed. It can then be printed for you. Overall a simple but fun site for students learning the alphabet.

2EPUB

2EPUB is an free to use website that offers a simple way to convert text documents into ePub documents for viewing on all iDevices. 2EPUB supports the conversion of many file types including Doc, Docx, ODT, PDF, and HTML. You can provide 2EPUB with the URL of your documents or upload them directly from your computer. Once the file is uploaded, set the display parameters, and click convert. When the conversion is complete you can download your file and use it on any device that supports ePub display.


Classroom Integration Ideas:


Teachers or students can create documents that can be made available for viewing on the iPad or other iDevices. Such as:

• study guides
• student created short stories or poems
• essays

gText

gText is a new site that provides a great free service for group text messaging by creating groups in the gText account.  You can send text messages as well as share files, photos, and calendars as well.
Your texts can be sent from your phone or from your computer. By default gText keeps group members' phone numbers private.

Sock Puppets

Sock Puppets is a simple app that let's you create digital stories using virtual sock puppets.  Students or teachers can select up to four different sock puppet characters and up to five backgrounds. After they   select the props and scenery they want to use, they can move the puppets around and record voices for each puppet. Each recording can be up to thirty seconds.


Classroom Integration Ideas:

Students or the teacher can use this app for storytelling to help them create and publish digital stories.   Several students can record their voices to create a short play.
An advantage of using this for speaking practice is that it’s the sock puppet that’s actually speaking on the display, not the student.


Other ideas:

• Students could record short poems
• ESL students could practice dialogue 

Shelfster

Shelfster is a free site that allows you to bookmark and annotate websites while researching. You can create a document, edit it with a simple drag/drop of links, or type in your document as well.   Then save it online (as part of the free account you create) or download it as a PDF.
Shelfster also has an iPad and iPhone app.

Classroom Integration Ideas:
Shelster can help students organize their internet research.  Shelfster will soon integrate with Google Docs, which could allow students to share and peer edit their research.

Cite This For Me

Cite This For Me is a free website that helps students format reference lists or citation pages. Students fill out each box to create a reference list.  They can sort them alphabetically, and download the formatted reference page.

Classroom Integration Ideas:
Cite This For Me is a great resource for students doing research, especially if it is from online sources such as podcasts, websites, and online videos.