BP4_2009112_Storybird

Web 2.0 tools abound, but the tricky part is finding one that can be used in Kindergarten. The really tricky part is finding one that can be used in Kindergarten and that is free. I came upon Storybird, which is designed to let friends and families collaborate on a story. Two or more people can create a Storybird by writing text and inserting pictures that are uploaded to the site. One starts it; then the other writes a bit or picks out a picture; then the first one takes over again. Then you can share your Storybird privately or publicly on the network. Right now making, sharing, and reading Storybirds is free. According to the site, they will always be free. However, later in the year, the site will introduce new options such as printing and premium services, which will not be free.

I am still exploring the site and reading different stories. I have not created a Storybird yet, but I would like to make one with the students in my class. Initially, what I would do would be to read a story from Storybird to them. Then we would reread it and pay close attention to the elements of the story--how the pictures relate to the words, is the grammar correct, etc. Then I would read the following story, my town. It is a great story, but it has grammatical errors, which could have been purposeful. First, we would read the story. Then we would reread the story and begin to analyze what needs to be corrected grammatically. Finally, we would collaborate on a story together making sure that the pictures match the words and that our grammar is correct. Using the site to collaborate on a story would allow us to begin to learn the process of writing and editing in a simple way. Since it is collaborative, the children would all be involved in the writing and editing and have a sense of ownership. One story is much quicker to edit than 20 stories so they wouldn't get so incredibly tired before the process is over.

my town by purplebeckyv on Storybird


purplebeckyv. (November 2, 2009). my town. Retrieved November 2, 2009 from http://storybird.com/books/my-town/.