Animoto

Last week I explored how to make videos using Animoto. With a few simple steps, Animoto produces multimedia videos that can be used in a variety of ways. All you have to do is download the pictures and video clips you want to include in the Animoto. Text slides can also be added. You can rearrange the pictures by clicking and dragging them wherever you want them. They also give you copyright free music to chose from. You can select a theme and Animoto analyzes the music, photos, and video clips and compiles them into a custom video. I had used Animoto before but I had never used video clips and I wanted to learn how to do that. It was just as easy as adding photographs. I was able to take the video and photographs with my cell phone.
Anyone can create a short video for free. The free  account has some limitations. The video is only 30 seconds long. Educators can also up for a free account for with unlimited videos. (Click on the Education link
 at the bottom of the page.
On the website there are examples to explore so you can get some ideas about how to use Animoto. There is a sample video that explains how to use functions in math. I created a virtual field trip of Gettysburg using pictures I took on a history trip a while ago. My students are creating book trailers of their favorite books. I even made a video of the wedding I went to just this weekend.

Here are links to a couple of the videos that I created.

http://animoto.com/play/1GnJ14EEYG0xSVZcYFH98Q
http://animoto.com/play/LpRQxqGP7X1a3saPuqO4Jw