Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Truly Unbelievable Apps!

I am becoming an app junkie.  Isn't acceptance the first step in recovery?

Two magnificent photo apps I discovered recently have my head spinning with possibilities.

360 Panorama by Occipital...using your Iphone, Ipod Touch or Ipad, you can take 360 degree panoramic images of your surroundings.  I would love it for that fact, but it goes beyond just taking a photo.  360 Panorama allows you to share the photo similarly to an interactive tour (as in real estate)...I can't really describe how cool this is:

Hiroshima Japan

Oakfield Elementary Library (pardon the shaky camera work!)


Possible uses in the classroom:
  • Event photos to share with parents and the community
  • Share your classroom
  • Your very own...Where's Waldo (with students)
  • 360 degree storytelling

Halftone...turns normal photos into classic newspaper/comic strip versions with captions, talk bubbles and action stamps.  I might be showing my age at this point, but I love the look of old comic strips.  Here's a sample (yes, this is my oldest):


Combine Halftone images (of school, students, events, family...) with a comic strip generator like Chogger and you have:
  • Creative writing projects and visual stories
  • Awesome means of focusing on Six Traits (particularly ideas and voice)
  • Automatic engagement in the writing/storytelling process with emphasis on combining visual images AND text to tell a story...a task I view as much more challenging than just writing.
  • An interesting way to make cards, announcements, etc...for parents!  I can guarantee a Father's Day card made by one of my sons would go over big...
  • As a librarian...great way to make personalized bookmarks or nameplates

Can you tell I am excited?  I think I found my new family Christmas card...


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