Program Title: Exploring Animoto.com

Target Age Range: Tweens, Teens, Grades 4 and up.

Program Length: 60 minutes

Brief Description: Learn about Animoto.com, a free online program that allows you to create photo slideshows set to music.

Supplies:

Computers with internet access.  

Optional: Digital photos located on computer or on flashdrives

Cost: $ 0-50 ; Optional $$ 50-100 if flashdrives are chosen to be purchased.

Advanced Preparation:

In advertisements for the program, we advised parents to set children up with free accounts beforehand. As a precaution, create a few generic library accounts for participants to use in case they do not have an account.

Create a sample slideshow in Animoto.com

Optional: We asked participants to bring flashdrives with photos they wished to use on them. In case participants forget to bring their own photos, take some generic digital photos for participants to use, and store them on either the computers or flashdrives.  

Program Outline:

Introduction

Demonstration of Animoto.com

Tutorial of various features of Animoto.com

Free time to create Animoto.com slidehows

Show and Tell of completed slideshows

Procedure:

We began the program by having the participant log into their accounts, and click the “Create” button. From there, the option is giving to select the slideshow theme. Allow plenty of time for a style to be picked.

Once a style was selected, we then discussed how to upload photos into the video. We demonstrated how captions could be added to each photo by clicking the photo in question. Text alone, not attached to a photo, can be added by clicking the Text icon. We also demonstrated what clicking the star on a photo meant (a close up of the photo in the slideshow), and how to rotate a photo.

We also showed how stock photos and videos could be added to a slide show by clicking the “Add pics & vids” link. Allow plenty of time to explore the photo and video options.

After text and photos were added, we showed the participants how to change the music. If your computers have sound, be sure to accommodate lots of time to explore the sound options. This was a popular feature!

We then demonstrated how photos can be moved around in different orders.

Once the slideshows were done, we directed participants to click “Preview.” If the video was satisfactory, have the participants click “Produce.” They then have the option of naming their slideshow, adding a description, and once saved, sharing it across a plethora of media options.

After the basic tutorials were done, participants were given free time to design their own slideshows, with a show-and-tell session during the last 5 minutes of the program.

Please Note: While Animoto.com is free for 30 second slideshows, there are paid features available.

Suggested Resources:

Animoto.com’s blog has a helpful post on creating your first video in Animoto.com

Adaptation for older/younger audience:

We do not recommend this program for any age younger than 4th grade.