With the recent announcement of the new generation Chromebooks with stylus support, world-facing camera, and Android apps, we thought we’d compile a list of tools that helps inspire collaboration and creativity in the classroom so you can make the most of these new devices.
Toontastic 3D
Launched early this year, Toontastic 3D is a very powerful at the same time fun tool that enables students to transform their imaginations into an animated movie! The app has a very intuitive UI and a video-game like environment.
For digital storytelling, users pick from three Story Arcs (Short Story, Classic, & Science Report). The app gives prompts on how to construct a story and has a media library full of characters and settings that will surely excite a child’s inner creator. It also lets you create your own 3D drawings, record your own voice, add yourself with photos, customize the colors of the built-in characters, and choose from dozens of songs to come up with your movie soundtrack. Get the app here >>
Soundtrap for Education
Soundtrap offers a lot of options to help you create music online. You can either connect your own instrument, record sounds directly through your device’s microphone, or use the software instruments and loops built within the software! Here’s a really great article on how one teacher is revolutionizing music education in his school using this tool. If you can’t wait to get started, you can sign up for Soundtrap here >>.
Adobe Photoshop Mix
Photoshop Mix brings some of the powerful photo editing features to your Chromebook or Android device. With the app, you can easily perform tasks such as:
- Cut out and remove sections of your images or merge multiple photos.
- Seamlessly combine photos together to create fun or surreal images.
- Adjust colors and contrast or apply preset FX Looks (filters) to your pictures. Enhance the entire image, or just a portion with the touch of your finger.
- Non-destructive editing means your original pics stay pristine and untouched.
- Quickly and easily share your creations on social media.
Install Photoshop Mix from this link >>.
BONUS Tip: Quick Draw
If you are looking for a simple and engaging way to introduce concepts like neural networks and artificial intelligence in your class or you just want a quick ice breaker, consider this AI browser experiment from Google. Quick Draw is a game built with machine learning. You draw and it tries to guess what you are drawing. It’s really fun!
