Integrating Technology in the Primary Classroom

Xtranormal is a site that provides a really simple way to make an effective looking animated movie. Their motto is “if you can type, you can make movies” (you just type in the script and your chosen characters speak it). The program was very intuitive and I didn’t need to read any instructions to make a movie in minutes.

A basic membership is free and allows you to make a movie with 1 or 2 characters. Xtranormal allows you a great deal of creative control over settings, characters, voices, noises, animations, camera angles, expressions etc.

Completed Xtranormal movies can be embedded on a blog. Making ‘animation’ style movies are a great alternative to traditional movies if you want to avoid putting your students’ faces on the Internet.

Student could make movies about any topics from a book report, a reenactment of an historical event, a debate, a recount, an explanation, a narrative etc. The possibilities really are endless.

I believe Xtranormal would be great for both primary and secondary students. I’m going to try it with my Grade Two students soon!

Here is an example of a short movie that two of my students made recently.