What am I?

Storyboard That is a device agnostic web 2.0 tool that students can utilize on their chromebooks, ipads, or desktops to create high quality storyboard type materials that can be used as graphic organizers, story cubes (you can thank Richard Byrne for his webinar tutorial on this), and as  dramatizations of speeches, poems, and plays.

The following video explains how teachers can get started with this particular tool.  For a single user, the lite version is free.  For a teacher who wants a class set (25 users), it will cost either $9.99 per month or $6.49 per month every 12 months after the initial 14 day free trial.  Students can import their creations into a powerpoint presentation or other web 2.0 applications.

How do I use this thing?

Also, there is a great blog by Shannon McClintock Miller that takes you step by step through the creation of a storyboard on the website, Storyboard That.

Evidence that this is actually a useful tool

There is a running dialogue on their Twitter account (@storyboardthat)  that shows the multitude of ways that other teachers are using this type of technological project based learning set in their classrooms.  What I really liked is the variety of classrooms this tool is used in.  I found Latin classes, Spanish Classes, Math classes, and different types of science courses illustrating students engaging in Storyboard That to provide project-based evidence of a deeper understanding of their material.

My useful bit…

What I enjoyed was the practical application of use for this material when focusing on social studies for my primary grade students.  This will be very useful in helping to expand their understanding of their communities in terms of rural, suburban, and urban environments; as well as the make up of their local governmental structure.

The only application I enjoyed of this particular tool was in expanding the understanding of the informational text structure.  My students are struggling with identifying main idea and details, and this application would provide a different (visual) method of understanding informational text and supporting evidence.

Davis and Morgan (2012) mentioned that the act of creating animated cartoons (or in our case, visual storyboards) would allow students who are struggling readers be able to express their comprehension of texts using this method by retelling the story and explaining key ideas in the text.

I also enjoyed Richard Byrne’s webinar, and thought it was very informative on the unique ways to get more out of StoryboardThat in the classroom especially with our younger readers.

Useful Links

• Creating a Graphic Novel (think NANOWRIMO)
• Don’t trust my opinion? check out this EdTech Review
• Storyboard That on TeachersPayTeachers with worksheets, templates, posters, and more!
• Project-Based Learning Ideas from Ginger Lewman of Life Practice Learning using Storyboard That
• Religious-based curriculum?  Check out The Catechist review, here.

Sources

Davis, E.R. and Morgan, J.M., Mailenburg, L.Y. (2012).  Animated cartoons!  Using animation and cartoon technology to improve learning. pp.3584—3588.

Moorefield-Lang, H. (2014). An exploration and explanation of device agnostic tools. Library Media Connection, 33(1), 8-9.

Valenza, J. (2015). Evolving with evidence. Knowledge Quest, 43(3), 36-43.

Valenza, J.  (2017).  Top reasons to use subscription databases.  Piktochart.  Retrieved from:  https://create.piktochart.com/output/4021098-top-reasons-to-use-databases.