Software

4-Square Kidspiration Template – Kidspiration software required

Use this template to help students learn the 4-square writing process. After typing introductory sentences, paragraph-opening sentences, and then supporting details on the graphic organizer side, switching to the writing view builds a connection with respect to the proper organization of paragraphs and sentences in a 4-5 paragraph paper. Color-coding reinforces the connection. Sentences can be further edited in the writing view, and can be exported to word processing programs if desired. Kidspiration is available for Windows and Macintosh platforms.

Microsoft Photo Story – Free!

Ideal for multi-modal communication, Photo Story allows students to combine photos, text, voiceovers, and music into full-motion video. Ultimately, Photo Story acts as a performance-based assessment tool. Possible reading uses include retelling, character analysis, and trailers to promote the reading of a novel. Through the mechanism of script or speech-writing, Photo Story also works well as an authentic writing assessment. It is only available on the Windows platform.

Audacity – Free!

Audacity is a sound recording program that is easy enough to use at the lower elementary level but powerful enough to create advanced recordings that can serve as top-notch podcasts. It will run on all major computing platforms. Because podcasts technically require an RSS file, which Audacity does not generate, this tool is not a complete option for creating true podcasts. However, the mp3 file created can serve as the basis of a podcast, or can serve as a downloadable audio recording, even if it isn’t technically a podcast by itself. Possible reading uses include recording interviews with characters from a story, performing a student-authored poem recitation related to the material, and creating a radio commercial to get other students interested in a novel.