BP_4 Tikatok

Tikatok, what is that you ask? It is a wonderful site sponsored by Barnes and Noble where students become authors and their love of writing is enhanced. Parents are able to take part in their child's writing process. What better way to whet their appetite and peak their interest then having their work published. This site differentiates the writing assignments as well. For the younger students, it is a memory book, where they just plug in their info and add pictures. The pictures can be photos are their actual drawings. This will make a wonderful keepsake for parents and teachers!!!! For students ages 8 and up, it is called story sparks. They are given assistance- prompts to write their own story and then for the students who are ages 10 and up, they can write the book totally from scratch.

Teachers are able to create a class list, provide them with usernames and passwords, and give them the opportunity to shine!!! Students will be able to log in to their story from any computer. Both teachers and parents can view the child's work. Adults have the option to purchase the published book. What is nice is that this is done online, goes along with the writing standards from each grade level and it gives the students a reason and desire to write.

Setting it up is easy. Teachers just need to create an account. Once this is created then they can create a class roster.

Here is my class roster:

Once the class roster is created and the students have their login information, they can begin creating their books, teachers can send home the letter for parents (on the site, all they have to do is print it and send it home) and directions on how to use the website(these are also on the site to be printed and sent home.) Below are screen shots of the parent letter and directions.

Once the letter and directions are sent home, students can create their literary works of art!!! I have begun a book to show how easy it is. I began a memory book. This is what I will be having my Kindergarten class create during the next two weeks. We just wrote a class book and had it published through Student Treasures and they were very excited when the books came in. This will excite them even more because it will be their own book published!!!!

 Here are screen shots of my book so far!!!!!!

 This is the dedication page: see I added photos of my family!!!! They can add a photo of their family that they drew or a real photograph!!

This is the first page of the memory book: a spot is left for their own drawing!!!

Here is the digital proof that you can review before printing and publishing!

Here is a screen shot of the how it works page. A resource for parents and teachers!!!

Writing is an area that students need a lot of praise, concentration and hands on activities to be successful. This tool provides them with the opportunity to work on their computer skills, their literary skills, sentence formation, thought processes, and the writing process. They will end this experience with a wonderful keepsake as well as an awesome experience to remember! 

Teachers, what better way to get your students interest peaked and their desire to write grow. This tool provides you with all that you need to create a wonderful writing experience as well as a keepsake that the students and their families can treasure forever!!!