Checking Out Comic Life

Comic Life is a program used in our district that I am just beginning to explore. My teaching colleague Lynn was able to take the intro course this fall and has got me started with the basics. I began trying to set up some templates with my own family photos around the holidays. I took all the fun candid shots of my kids opening gifts from the various relatives and dropped them into one of the "brick" layouts. Then I helped my boys type in their "thank-you" comments to make awesome looking thank you's to send to our family members. It was super easy, no complaining about writing thank you's and everyone got great photos. The relatives that had sent gifts by mail especially thought it was neat.

Now to apply the concept to the kindergarten classroom. We have kindergarten registration coming up for next year. I am thinking I will take photos of the kids doing different activities, have them help me select the photos and then have them dictate language to me for the photos about what they are doing. I think this will be a neat way to have them evaluate and think about their actions/learning in a purposeful way. It will allow them to see it as a way to communicate to others. For the incoming parents and students it will be a real look into our classroom and a way to take part of school home with them to share with their whole family!