This is an example of how I used the app Puppet Pals to teach to the following Grade 3 Common Core Writing Standard:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3 (parent standard)
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3.a (companion sub standard)
Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
What I like about these new writing standards is that they reflect narratives based upon imagined experiences and we all know that elementary children have wonderful imaginations. I recently used the iPad app Puppet Pals to guide an activity that supported the writing of 5 elementary students who I work with. Each student was allowed to pick a character from the Puppet Pals library. One chose the princess, one chose the dragon, one chose the Prince, one chose the Swamp Creature, and the final student chose the Squirrel.
Once they were assigned a character they were told the sequence of the story and if their character would appear in the story sequence as #1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. The first child wrote about the story introduction with the princess on an index card, once that child finished the beginning of the story, the second child began to write their portion of the story in response to what the first person wrote. And so and so forth until everyone had contributed.
Next we took the writing of each student and took turns recording everyone in the Puppet Pals app. This also connects to the Common Core because students also need to work on their Speaking and Listening Skills and this activity relates not only to the writing standards but to the following Speaking and Listening standard.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.5
Create engaging audio recordings of stories or poems that demonstrate fluid reading at an understandable pace; add visual displays when appropriate to emphasize or enhance certain facts or details.
Once I listened to the finished product, there was no doubt in my mind that my students had created an engaging audio recording of their written story.
Here is a link to the Puppet Pals App in the iTunes Store:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/puppet-pals-hd/id342076546?mt=8
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