Here’s a fun one to try with the ‘Talkr App’:
30 seconds to give an insight into a modern /historical or literary figure.
The app allows you to turn any photo or picture into a 3-D speaking character. You can also play around with the pitch to alter the voice of the ‘character’.
Either capture an image within the app or access your camera roll. Then make your character talk using the animation features and the “record” function.
Can your child use the app to get the figure to tell us:
1. Who they are
2. What they are known best for
3. Where they live(d)
4. When they live(d)
5. How they became so well known
6. Why they’re interesting
Example – video opens in a new tab: Talking Pictures
In our example Henry VIII tells us…
1. “I am Henry VIII – King of England”
2. “I’m well known for having 6 wives and forming the Church of England’
3. “I lived in England”
4. “I lived there in the 16th Century”
5. “No other King had as many wives as I did…or beheaded 2 of them”
6. “England still feels the effect of my actions today, and the head of the Church of England is still the monarch.”
There are so many applications for this activity. Here are a few more ideas:
Find images of statues/sculptures of historical figures, then record narratives in which the figure explains his or her own significance.
Find drawings of literary characters and narrate character motivations, arguments, or points of view.
Select and animate photo of a famous portrait and get the portraits to narrate information about the artist who created them and / or the political or social climates that affected the work.
Choose a person from modern popular culture and get them to answer the “who, what, why, where, when and how” questions above.
This is an activity that’s a lot of fun as it allows children to be really creative in terms of voices, accent, content, research etc. We’d love to see some of your Talkr videos!