ToonTastic!

How can I access Toontastic?

ToonTastic is an App that can be downloaded to an iPad for FREE! Currently, it is just for iPad, but that may be changing. Here is the link: ToonTastic App

What is the purpose of Toontastic?

ToonTastic is an app that allows users to design their own stories with pictures, animations, voice, and sound effects. Also, they are able to save multiple stories and share them. This app also has many different story elements and is clearly laid out for the user to follow. This is a great way for students to show their creativity with their own stories. 

How do I use Toontastic? 

Toontastic is very user friendly. When you first open the app, you will be directed to the story arc page. This page has different sections with different parts of the story as shown below. You will click on the first section and follow the steps I have provided below. You will complete these steps for all of the sections. 

1. Choose a setting. This can either be a preset setting or you can make a custom one. After this is chosen, tap the arrow in the top right corner.
2. Now it is time to choose characters. Again, these can either be chosen from the preset ones, or you can create your own. 
3. Now it is time to record and animate the pictures. You will talk through the story while you click and move the characters around. Remember, this first box is only the setup and not the whole story. 
4. On the next screen you will choose the emotion. This is the music that will play in the background of that scene. 
5. Repeat all of these steps for each box of the story arch. 

How can I use this in my classroom?

One way to utilize Toontastic in your classroom is by doing a lesson on elements of a story. In 2nd grade, students begin to learn about the structure of the story including how the beginning sets up the story and the ending concludes it. Toontastic would be a great way to introduce this to students. On their story arc, there are sections for setup, conflict, challenge, climax, and resolution. When having students create a story, they are able to see how the different parts of the story flow and work together. 

Although we usually see Toontastic used in reading and writing, it can also be integrated into other subject areas as well. In a math class, at any grade level, students could use this app to talk about a story problem. Students would be able to write their problem as a background, and then use the slides to talk through it. They could also use the characters as a fun and engaging aspect. The students would probably not use the slides how they are intended (setting, conflict, etc) but they could use different slides to talk about each part of the problem. Students would be able to show their work on the background and also be able to talk through it. This could be used as a way to assess if students are understanding the whole problem and not just getting an answer. 

~Elise