The first one is ToonDoo at Toodoo.com. It was very simple and easy to make the following cartoon. After a free and simple sign-up registration, you are on your way to make a comic strip, a comic book, customizable characters, or some doodle artwork. You can publish your comic and make it private or you can make it public for any and all to see. If you like, you can read other member's comics too.
This site has some decent choice for characters or you can upload a picture of yourself and it would try to match it. From noses, mouth, skin color, body size, to hair. It's full of choices for your character. The backgrounds to choose from is extensive too. Lots of choices. Then you can clone your box, flip it,shrink it, enlarge it, add color, etc. Kids will have so much fun with these options.
Here's mine:
The next comic strip site is Makebeliefscomix at makebeliefscomix.com.
This site doesn't require any registration. You can pick from preselected characters and use their options and scenes to make your comic. There aren't as many customizable characters and options as toondoo, so you have to be creative with what they do have.
A word of caution here, be sure you email it to yourself because if not, it will not save. I had to do my cartoon twice because I just assume it would save it when I clicked the button create a new comix.
This site doesn't require any registration. You can pick from preselected characters and use their options and scenes to make your comic. There aren't as many customizable characters and options as toondoo, so you have to be creative with what they do have.
A word of caution here, be sure you email it to yourself because if not, it will not save. I had to do my cartoon twice because I just assume it would save it when I clicked the button create a new comix.
The last comic strip maker is Pixton at www.pixton.com. This one requires registration, but it is free. Teachers can get a free account, but you have to prove you're a teacher by using your school's email. This site has lots of options, just not as much as ToonDoo, They have a lot of pre-drawn character choices that can be customized by color, body size, hair, facial expressions or eye shapes. They have props and setting choices too. Each frame can be duplicated and copied, the body movements are preset, but movable,and word bubbles are adjustable too. What I really like is that you can see other teacher's comics by grade-level or by subject area You can set up your classroom and post assignments using the comic app too. I like this one a lot! Here's my comic I made to resemble me and my library.
http://Pixton.com/ic:6da3acge
Comic Master and Chogger are other great websites for making cartoons as well. Go to comic master.com or to chogger.com to see just how easy to make your very own comics.
After careful consideration, I would recommend ToonDoo to my students, and Pixton to my teachers.
Also, part of my assignment was to research some ways to use comics in the classroom/library. I found some amazing and creative ways to use these comic makers. You can have kids practice their new vocabulary words. My ESL students can practice conversational skills. Teachers can also introduce students to creative writing or use the characters to create comic strips that comment on local or national politics. My gifted students can create a dramatic play and have it performed in the library. Fourth and seventh graders can be given a writing prompts to respond to in the form of comics. This would take the boring out of writing. For more ideas, go to:
http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/How-to-Play/Educators/
or http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/01/26-ways-to-use-comics-in-classroom-and.html#.U9W9yeNdWYU
I see cartoons and comics as a way of making writing fun and bringing out our children's creativity!!!!
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