Pow-erful Presentations Using Powtoons

As a member of the 8^th ELA curriculum design team for my district, I receive monthly trainings in Common State Standards newer technologies for the classroom. One such technology is powtoon.com. This is a free cartooning service which allows students to present their ideas and understanding of concepts in a more creative platform. Students who don’t normally do well presenting in front of the class are finding it easier to cartoon their learning and discuss their thought process as an introduction to their cartoons. It has opened a new arena for technology, learning, and creativity. My students are now completing an assignment that triangulates a concept found in a reading from my class. We (colleagues, students, and parents) are all amazed and encouraged by what the students can produce when given the freedom to explore, fail, and recover from failures. By introducing new technology to the students, they are forced to problem-solve more than ever before, making them much more knowledgeable and marketable future adults.

Here is a sample project from one of my students: Theme Triangle