Tech Tip: How to Use iMotion to Add New Life to a Lesson

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Sometimes a concept is boring. One way to fight through a dull but necessary concept is to spice it up with a stop motion video. It’s a lot easier than you might think.

You only need a handful of items for a successful stop motion video:

1. A recording device: Most smartphones and tablets with video recording will work.
2. A stop motion program: I use the free version of iMotion. It’s easy to use right away.
3. A tripod: This is important because stop motion relies on a camera that doesn’t move.
4. Something to be in your video: I love to use my magnetic dry erase board as a background. For the characters I attach magnets to the back of superhero pictures. Since it is on a dry erase board I can easily write word bubbles for my characters to speak.

 
That’s all it takes for quick video clips that will engage and entertain your students. I also allow students to use the same setup to create their own videos to demonstrate knowledge of a concept.

Josh Stock teaches sixth-grade Language Arts at Santa Fe Trail Middle School in Olathe, KS. He is currently participating in action research with Kansas University on the use of technology to improve student writing and all around student awesomeness. He’s a Microsoft Certified educator and was recognized by the NSBA as one of their “20 to Watch Technology Leaders” in 2016. He has also presented at conferences around the country including NCTE and ISTE. Connect with him on Twitter.