Newscast Project

VoiceThread is collaborative multimedia slideshow that holds images, documents and videos and allows people to navigate slides and leave comments using voice, text or video.

• All NPS students have access to a VoiceThread account
• Try the log-in insructions below.  
  • Go to www.nps.ed.voicethread.com
  • email: StudentID#@newton.k12.ma.us
  • password: StudentID#

Timetoast allows you to create dynamic timelines online.

• It's free online (you don't need the paid account).
• Beware:  because the timeline you create is interactive with dynamic images, you won't be able to print it out to turn it in.  Instead, you'll have to give your teacher a link to view your timeline online.  Be sure to clear this with him or her before you use this tool for your project.

Here's a sample timeline I made for Rosa Parks (to see it in larger format, use this link)
http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/rosa-parks-civil-rights-activist

The bibliography for this project including citations for all of the images can be found here.
http://easybib.com/public/list/key/2a53cf

'ThingLink can be used to add multiple hyperlinks to any image you upload and host it online. You can make your images come alive with music, videos or any other web content. 

• It's free online. 
• Take a look at their gallery to get a better idea of why this is such a popular presentation tool.

Here's an example. Hover over the photo to see the clickable links that have been added to the image.

Smore makes it easy to create online fliers and posters with slick templates and simple click and drag manipulation. Consider using smore to jazz up that old paper poster project and provide a means for all students to shine--not just those who are good at drawing, cutting and pasting.

Here's a sample smore flyer: https://www.smore.com/ja9c-the-senses

Prezi is an online alternative to PowerPoint. "Make your presentations zoom!"

• It's free online (you don't need the paid account).
• Watch the video below to learn how to use it--it takes a little practice, but can create great-looking presentations.

Create animated videos and presentations using Powtoon. Powtoon is available for free in NPS GoogleDrive Apps.

- Login to your NPS GoogleDrive account

- Create > Connect more apps > search for Powtoon > click Connect

- Create, select PowToon

Create your own Comic. Includes fully -posable characters, dynamic panels, props, and speech bubbles. Free online -- click on icon above or link below to go to the site: https://www.pixton.com/ca/

Adobe Spark helps you create posters, social graphics, web stories, and animated videos, with music, images that slide in and out and a voice-over narration.

• The tool is free, but it does require a Creative Cloud account
• There's a library of dozens of royalty-free icons and images to choose from;  you can also upload your own images
• You can record your own voice-over narration for videos
• Share as a link, download videos, or get embed code to stick on a web site

Watch Adobe's demo video below

Lucidpress is an app that can be used to create presentations, brochures (including trifold), newsletter/papers, magazines, flyers, posters, etc.  

• You can choose between digital documents and those that you can print.
• It's full of really helpful templates to build off of.
• You can share your document with others to edit, just like Google Docs.
• Best of all, Lucidpress is a free Google App that you can access using your NPS Google Drive account!  
  • Log into Google Drive, click create, click on "Connect more apps," then search for Lucidpress. This will save you the need to create an account with an email and password. Once you connect to Lucidpress through Google Drive, the app will open as a new tab in your browser.  
  •  Click on the Lucidpress logo at the top left of the screen to see all of your Lucidpress documents.

The History Project allows you to create timelines, and associate images, maps, videos and text with specific events. You can also record voice "memories" to go along with your events. Invite collaborators to work together on a shared project. The final project can be shared via a link.

From iTunes: "Haiku Deck is the simple new way to create stunning presentations – whether you are pitching an idea, teaching a lesson, telling a story, or igniting a movement. Featured on the iTunes “New and Noteworthy” and “What’s Hot” lists, Haiku Deck makes it fast and fun to create beautifully designed slideshows you’ll be proud to share." It's available as an iPad app, and as a desktop tool. 

Haiku Deck is designed to move you away from reading a bunch of slides. To see the "speaker's notes" that would accompany the second presentation below, click here.

This app lets you create Green Screen videos right from an iPad. It's available on all the library iPads. Use it with our green screen and tripod to set up your own video studio.

Interested in signing up? Fill out the form here:

Display your information visually! Easel.ly includes pre-made templates based on the type of data (timelines, maps, etc.) or themes (the environment, science, sports). Add your data, and create a beautiful presentation. 

Canva is a design tool that helps you create for images Web or print, including blog graphics, presentations, Facebook covers, flyers, posters, and more.

• It's free online (while certain images and graphics require payment, there are hundreds of free options)
• You can work collaboratively, sharing and editing your designs with a classmate or teacher.
• There are dozens of pre-set templates, icons, and images to start you off, or you can create from scratch, and upload your own images to customize.
• When you're finished you can publish the images online or download them to print or use in other projects.
• If you want to print as a poster, we recommend you download as a .pdf, then open using Adobe Reader. When you go to print from Adobe Reader , select "Poster" under Page sizing & handling. 100% size will print on 6 pieces of regular sized paper (8.5"x11"). 80% size will print on 4 pieces. You will need to trim the white margins and then tape them together on a poster board. The library has a paper cutter if you need it, but no color printer!

Check out the video below to see more about Canva