Cartoon+Generators

Cartoon Generators = PowToon = [|http://www.powtoon.com] Create cool animated videos that can incorporate characters, pictures, and music. Create animated cartoons.

= Samples and Ideas = Use PowToon to create introductions to lessons, projects. Spotlight tools or events. Have students use it to report or create a book trailer.

A great Powtoon video by [|Katelin McClure] about thinking before you post: media type="youtube" key="DwFE25f50P4" width="560" height="315"

= Pros = There free templates that you can easily edit or you can start from scratch. User friendly interface which isn't difficult to figure out. You can access it on their website or upload for free to YouTube or Wistia. It gives you four different size options when creating your embed code. The smallest option was used for the widget above. You can also set it to private so search engines can't find it. Allows you to share via Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, or Google+ No storage limit. No limit to the amount of your own art you can upload and insert. Now all totally free! Easy to download = Cons = 5 minute limit

Go Animate
Website: [] Create animated cartoons and add music and voice or use the text-to-speech function.

Samples and Ideas
Create fun tutorials or have students create short cartoons for booktalks or to demonstrate what they learned from their research, etc.

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Pros
You can record your voice and have characters show emotions easily. There are several different backgrounds and some free music. Unfortunately, this site now costs money to use. We now recommend PowToon to all broke educators like us.

Cons
The text to speech feature makes the voices sound robotic, and sometimes it will skip a syllable here or there. Educators can make free videos with an educator account and have up to 100 student account. Students can make a two minute video with their accounts for free.

Extranormal
Website: @http://www.xtranormal.com/ Create animated videos!

Samples and Ideas
Introduction to different genres Discuss how to treat a book

Pros:
Easy to create Lots of camera angles (like a movie)

Cons
Sometimes you have to type phonetically to get the words to come out correctly Not all educational 13 or older (requires emails) NOTE: This site is no longer free. Now the teacher account and student accounts are paid. 

Makebeliefscomix Website: @http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/ Create printable comic strips!
 * Tutorial available on handout page**

Samples and Ideas
Use comix to do a book review Use comix to illustrate a library concept Introduce vocabulary words Have a conversation about a science concept Allow students to use comix to introduce themselves to the class Use comix to highlight a literary term

Pros:
Does not require email to create Easy to print or email Have a lot of characters with disabilities (blindness, missing limbs, wheel chairs, etc). This is also now an App (currently free)

Cons
No searchable bank of already created cartoons.

=Storyboardthat= @http://www.storyboardthat.com Create and print cartoon strips and store online.
 * Tutorial available on the handout page.**

=Samples and Ideas= Summarize text Create a book review or advertisement Demonstrate understanding media type="custom" key="24909980"

=Pros= Easy to use There are many characters, scenes, speech bubbles, thought bubbles, and captions to choose from. The user can upload images. It's easy to change the color of character's skin, clothing, and hair. It's easy to save and print.

=Cons= Requires a login to save work or make a nice printout. The free version will only allow the user to create and save three storyboards (cartoon strips) per week. The free version limits the user to 3 cell cartoons or 6 cell cartoons. At present, it does not work well with Google Chrome. (It will not allow you to scroll across.)

Tagxedo and Wordle Website: @http://www.tagxedo.com/ and @http://www.wordle.net/
 * Tutorial available on handout page**

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Samples and Ideas
Create a word image to describe yourself or a character in a story Create a word image to demonstrate examples of figurative language Use word images to create a guess the book challenge

Entice kids to read a certain book...

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px;">**Pros:** Does not require email Easy to navigate

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Cons
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Saving options are not complicated but lots of choices will confuse younger children <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Requires a lot of words to look great in Tagxedo, doesn't matter in Wordle. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">No shape options in Wordle, shape options in Tagxedo

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">ReadWriteThink Comic Creator
Website: @http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Samples and Ideas
All about me comic strips Beginning/Middle/End sequencing for younger children (screen shot from website)

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Pros:
Easy to create (drag and drop) but limited choices Good for younger children More flexibility on panels Allows you to add name, subtitle, and author information but not required Easy to print

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Cons
Not as flashy as some of the other sites Hard to see finished project before printing No spell check and limited editing features Does not save

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">ABCYA
Website:@http://www.abcya.com/word_clouds.htm

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Samples and Ideas
Any simple word clouds



<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Pros:
Easy to create Good for younger children Easy to save or print

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Cons
Not a lot of formatting options

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Write Comics
@http://writecomics.com/

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Samples and Ideas
Any simple comic. Can do as many scenes as desired

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Pros:
Easy to create Can use foreign language websites like: @http://www.typeit.org/ to insert symbols

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Cons
Speech bubbles are confusing. You type in a box and then it inserts into the comic. If you type over the text it will put it in the wrong box. Must finish one scene before starting the next

=Telegami App for Apple and Android= Download the Telegami App for free or pay for the Educational App

=Samples and Ideas= Use this to hook your students. Embed instructions into a webpage. Have students briefly demonstrate learning or ask a question at the end of a lesson (exit ticket)

media type="custom" key="27732561"

=Pros= Free to use if you don't mind very limited choice of character traits, emotions, and backgrounds. That may be a good thing for picky kids who get obsessed with extras instead of content. Easy to use. I didn't find any bugs on my Samsung Galaxy Light. There's a share button which allows you to share the video or share a link to it in a number of ways (email, Facebook, Evernote, etc.) You can choose emotion and hand gestures seem to match the voice.

=Cons= It's just an app. There's not a web version for PC or Mac. The free version only gives you 30 seconds of recording time.