Monday, July 11, 2016

Turning Poems into Songs!

The current roster of Animated Step-by-Steps™ includes numerous poems. The term poem is somewhat misleading because technically most poems can be sung. You just have to find the right tune to carry the rhyme.

Consider, for example, the Apple Tree poem and  the 6 Big Apples poem. The two titles are very similar in topic but different in terms of their language complexity. Although both are technically … poems … both can be sung to the tune of ‘This old man”!

Apple Tree Poem

Way up high in a tree
6 big apples hung over me
I shook that tree as hard as I could
Down came and apple
And mmmmm it was good

Way up high in a tree
5 big apples hung over me
I shook that tree as hard as I could
Down came and apple

And mmmmm it was good …. (repeats for 4, 3, 2, 1, 0)



6 Big Apples Poem

6 Big Apples
Just for me
Are hiding in the apple tree
I hit that tree with my hat
An apple fell
“For me”, said cat

5 big apples
Just for me
Are hiding in the apple tree
Here I sit on a log
An apple fell …. (repeats for 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 and several animals dog, pig, goose, hen)
“For me”, said dog



Both titles are available  in three formats: Regular (no symbol support), SymbolStix and Picture Communication Symbols.

Since music is engaging for many of our students, the search for the right tune to turn that Animated Step-by-Step poem into an Animated Step-by-Step song is well worth the effort.  

’til the next post …  (new posts every Monday).

Visit my website   http://animatedstep-by-steps.com
Follow me on twitter www.twitter.com/@AnimStepbySteps Follow @AnimStepBySteps 
Follow me on facebook www.facebook.com/AnimatedStepBySteps
Email me canadiangoosse@gmail.com

©2016 Carol Goossens’, Ph.D.
Augmentative Communication Consultant
Speech-Language Pathologist

Monday, July 4, 2016

Microsoft PowerPoint App for Android-Based Tablets

In previous posts, information was provided for using the free Microsoft PowerPoint app to display Animated Step-by-Steps™ on the iPad.  http://bit.ly/ASbySs_iPad   http://bit.ly/22JVnwZ

 If you own an android-based tablet, a ‘sister’ Microsoft PowerPoint app is available for android tablets.  http://bit.ly/MicrosoftPowerPointApp4Androic  
It can be downloaded from the google play store.






There are many android-based tablets on the market, e.g., Amazon Fire, Fuhu Nabi. The Nabi Big Tablet HD is an android-based tablet that is especially intriguing due to it’s large size … 24 inches! https://www.nabitablet.com/nabi-big-tab-hd24  

The reviews suggest some issues with the power supply. Here’s hoping those problems will be resolved because this certainly would be a nice addition to the classroom!




Similar to the iPad version, the android version can be linked to a storage option such as dropbox or google drive where you will be storing your ASbySs.

…’til the next post …  (new posts every Monday)

Visit my website   http://animatedstep-by-steps.com
Follow me on twitter  
Follow me on facebook www.facebook.com/AnimatedStepBySteps
Email me canadiangoosse@gmail.com

©2016 Carol Goossens’, Ph.D.
Augmentative Communication Consultant
Speech-Language Pathologist
Special Educator