directing with the Toontastic iPad app

The First Grade Butterflies are readers who "think about what the author's word mean... not say"!

The Butterfly readers created, directed, performed, and premiered short animated films of poems or Reader's Theatre scripts!

 With his/her reading partner, the Butterfly readers collaboratively...

• selected a poem or Reader's Theatre script
• applied reading strategies, skills, and behaviors throughout the reading process... sharing and discussing predictions, inferences, questions, mental images, summaries, connections, and...
• used graphic organizers to record mental images of character(s), setting(s), and events
• used graphic organizers to organize the poem or script into 5 "scenes" and plan each scene... determining scene setting, "props", character(s) voice and feelings, character(s) actions, character(s) expression and body language, and...
• referenced graphic organizer(s) throughout the process of planning, creating, directing, performing, and publishing the animated film
• used the custom setting and character capabilities within the Toontastic iPad app to create character(s), setting(s), and "props"
• created each scene in the Toontastic app
• rehearsed (physically and verbally) each scene
• recorded the animation and audio for each scene 
• reviewed and revised and/or edited each scene 
• selected background music for each scene that conveyed meaning and emotion of scene
• "published" animated film

first grade reading partners use graphic organizers during the planning stages of creating a digital performance

first graders use the Toontastic iPad app
to create digital performances of a poem or script

first graders collaboratively create custom story settings and characters