#TechyClassRoom - StoryBird

Storybird is a great learner-based online tool for readers and writers. Students can design picture books on their own or work in teams (e.g., author and artist) to create visually appealing representations of their knowledge.

I presented a quotation mark grammar unit based on storybird.com and students created a lot of vivid and colorful stories applying their knowledge about quotations. This is a great example of using technology in the classroom and a good motivation and engagement tool.

It’s an accessible platform for learners of all ages to engage in a wide variety of reading and writing genres including descriptive, creative, and persuasive writing as well as long-form stories, flash fiction, poetry, and comics. 

Once you set up your Storybird account, create a class by entering the class name, grade level, your name as the teacher, and the class end date. The class end date just means that students will no longer be able to submit work after that point, however, you still will be able to go into the system and review their work after that. After the class is created, you can add students and other teachers to the roster by sending a randomly generated passcode, email invitation, or inviting existing users. Note that for students under the age of 13, you need to use the parent’s email address. Once the class is set, walk students through the Storybird platform and allow them to peruse the different images.

Allow lower elementary students to choose a picture book or comic that requires fewer words. For older elementary students, the flash fiction option may be a better alternative. Easy-to-use templates for each type of writing style are available and students can choose the images that best align with the stories they want to tell.

I would like to thank Mr. Jaber (my colleague) for showing me this amazing tool. Below you will find some examples from Grade 5 students: