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JSM Instructional Technology Hub: Creative Thinking

 

Creative Thinking

Demonstrate understanding of concepts and content
to promote higher order thinking in creative ways. 

 

 Creative Thinking     Collaboration     Communication / Student Discourse     Feedback / Assessment     Morton Tools

Tool Purpose Access / Resources Applications

Adobe Express
Suite of products that allows students and teachers to create and collaborate on flyers, graphics, videos, and websites. All projects are shareable and/or downloadable.  

Teacher: Log in to the teacher account with your Morton email.

Student: Log in to the student account with your Morton email.

Adobe Express website

Educator Resources

Contact IT/Libraries with questions and sign-up
  • WebQuests 
  • Political Cartoons  
  • Books talks/book trailers  
  • Student Vision Board  
  • Narrative stories  
  • Lab Reports  
  • Historical Events/Persons report  
  • Advertisements  
  • Create business models  
  • Virtual DBQs  

Audacity
Free and open-source digital audio editor and recording application software.  

Teacher:  Search for the app in Windows on all District 201-issued devices.

Student:  Search for the app in Windows on all District 201-issued devices.

Educator Resources

Teacher: 

  • Audio Record Lessons
  • Record Professional educational podcasts

Student: 

  • Create podcasts
  • Edit sound bites or create auditory presentations 

 

 

Book Creator
Simple web-based tool for creating digital interactive books using text, images, drawings, audio, video and hyperlinks.

 

Teacher:  Contact your school librarian to access this licensed-based tool.

Student:  Students will receive a unique project code for access using their Morton email.

 

Book Creator website

Educator Resources 
  • Interactive stories
  • Digital portfolios
  • Research journals
  • Interactive vocabulary dictionaries
  • Digital word walls
  • Science lab reports
  • Writing journals
  • Math concepts
  • Class yearbook
  • Reading responses
  • Student fluency

Microsoft PowerPoint
Create presentations from scratch or a template using text, images, art, and videos, plus professional design options, transitions, animations, narration, and cinematic motion. 
View presentations on or offline; save, share, and export to a variety of file formats.

Teacher: Access via the Office 365 suite when logged in using Morton Microsoft credentials.   

Student: Access via the Office 365 suite when logged in using Morton Microsoft credentials. 

* PowerPoint can be used as a desktop app or through the online version. 

Educator Resources

Microsoft Teacher Training Packs

Teacher: 

  • Present lessons and content
  • Promote real-time student 
  • Create screen recordings with video/audio narration.
  • Flip lessons for demonstration purposes or to share with or viewed by students later.     

Student: 

  • Presentations
  • Collaborate with other students to build presentations together. 
  • Record themselves presenting their work for eLearning project submissions. 

Microsoft Stream 
Video site used to upload, view, and share videos securely within district, school, or class. Think of it like Morton’s own version of YouTube. Meant to be shared and used for collaboration; works in conjunction with the other Office 365 apps.   

Teacher:  Accessed via the Office 365 suite when logged in using Morton Microsoft credentials.   

Student:  Accessed via the Office 365 suite when logged in using Morton Microsoft credentials.   

*Stream can be used as a desktop app or through the online version.  

Educator Resources

Microsoft Teacher Training Packs

Teacher:  

  • Share recordings of lessons, meetings, PD presentations, and training sessions
  • Air live events: webinars, classes, PLT meetings, etc.
  • Embed Microsoft Forms in videos to capture quick feedback as an assessment tool.

  Student:  

  • View recordings of missed classes
  • Record shareable presentations 
  • House a portfolio of personal work.  

Microsoft Sway 
Presentation program used to create and share interactive reports, presentations, personal stories, etc. Visually appealing cloud-based alternative to PowerPoint.

Teacher:  Accessed via the Office 365 suite when logged in using Morton Microsoft credentials.   

Student:  Accessed via the Office 365 suite when logged in using Morton Microsoft credentials.   

*Sway can be used as a desktop app or through the online version. 

Educator Resources

Microsoft Teacher Training Packs 

Teacher:  

  • Create lesson presentations with embedded links
  • Create gallery to display student work

  Student:  

  • Create presentations for class
  • Collaborate in small groups
  • Build student portfolio

Microsoft Word
Word processing tool for document creation and editing accessed via desktop app or online in web browser for collaboration and sharing. Immersive reader, translator, and digital pen tools.

Teacher:  Accessed via the Office 365 suite when logged in using Morton Microsoft credentials.   

Student:  Accessed via the Office 365 suite when logged in using Morton Microsoft credentials.   

*Word can be used as a desktop app or through the online version.  

Educator Resources

Microsoft Teacher Training Packs

Teacher:

  • Documents for lessons, assignments, quizzes, etc
  • Graphic organizers
  • Student feedback on documents using the Review toolbar

Student: 

  • Written papers, essays, letters, assignments, class notes
  • Brochures, flyers, resumes, newsletters
  • Collaboration and sharing

Microsoft Paint 3D
Built-in creative application that comes free with Windows 10*. Create professional or fun creative projects by easily combining 2D and 3D tools. No design experience necessary.

Teacher: Search “Paint 3D” in the search box from the bottom left of your desktop screen.  

Student: Search “Paint 3D” in the search box from the bottom left of your desktop screen.  

Educator Resources
  • Diorama creation (3D)
  • Picture cropping and editing (2D)
  • Collage creation
  • Paint online
  • Create original art

Soundtrap
Web-based creative sound recording software offering the ability to record and share sound effects, music, and audio.  

Teacher:  Contact your school librarian to access this licensed-based tool.  

Student:  Students will receive a code for access. 

Soundtrap website

Educator Resources

Add students to your Soundtrap acct.

Share Soundtrap assignments through Microsoft Teams

Soundtrap support material for JSM
  • Public service announcement
  • Podcast 
  • Spoken Word Poems
  • Storytelling
  • Design a radio show

 

 

 

 

 

Storyboard That
Web-based drag-and-drop creation platform for creating storyboards, graphics, and visuals with customizable layouts, and hundreds of characters, scenes, and search items.

Teacher:  Contact your school librarian to access this licensed-based tool.

Student:  Students will receive a unique project URL for access using their Morton email.

 

Storyboard That website

 

Educator Resources
  • Storyboards
  • Compare & contrast events
  • Spider maps
  • Timelines
  • Storytelling
  • Cause & effect of events
  • Visual vocabulary
  • Posters and infographics
  • Public service announcements
  • Plot diagrams

 

 

WeVideo
Video creation program using video clips, images, music, narration, graphics, and effects. Projects are collaborative, shareable, downloadable. Teachers can organize students into classes, groups, and create project-specific templates.

Teacher:  Contact your school librarian to access this premium-level licensed-based tool.

Student:  Students will receive a unique project URL/code for premium access via Morton email. 

Educator Resources
  • Book talk/book report 
  • Science report 
  • Promotional videos 
  • Newscasts 
  • Historical reports 
  • Research projects 
  • Documentaries
  • Public service announcements