Story Maker from ABCya.com

     My Kindergarten Kiddos have been working on their opinion writing piece for a little bit now. I decided to incorporate the use of a program that would allow them to practice using typing skills, which they will definitely need in the future. I thought having them type it would allow them to practice becoming more familiar with the keyboard. I wanted them to be able to draw a picture to go along with their writing piece, but I was worried that using a program like Microsoft Word would make that impossible. After reflecting back on last year, I remembered that I had my kids use Story Maker from ABCya.com.

     Story Maker allows the student to type on primary writing lines and has a space for a picture at the top. If they want, students can draw their picture on the computer. The drawing feature reminds me a lot of Paint. When students first get on Story Maker it has them type in their name and puts their name on the document for them. From there, students can click on the writing lines with their mouse and begin typing. Most of my students did really well typing, but remembering how to make a letter a capital seemed to be the hardest part. Once students are done typing, they can draw a picture or you can click the print icon and print it out. I chose to print my students pieces out and have them draw their own picture with crayons. They turned out great! Were they perfect, no, but my kids typed them completely on their own, which I was so proud of.

Drawing Feature

     To get to Story Maker, you go to ABCya.com and click the search sign. It's quicker to find it if you just search for it. Once you click on search, you type in Story Maker and it will come up. This isn't my first time using Story Maker and it won't be my last. It's a great writing/typing tool to use for primary students. My kids enjoyed it and were proud of the end result! I definitely recommend using this with your students.