by: @weberswords

Deadpool never shuts up. His nickname is the Merc with a mouth and he often breaks the fourth wall. If you want to know the entire history of Deadpool, check out this video. These apps would be must-haves in Deadpool’s arsenal.

Voice Memo: If there’s one thing he loves, it’s hearing himself talk. This can work to the advantage of your students who are English learners or who just need some practice with fluency. Recording and then playing back their speech allows them to hear and adjust how they sound. After all, feedback can be a very powerful tool.

Camera: Quickly shoot images and caption them with comic titles or record video clips and put them together in iMovie.

Garageband: In addition to being able to do what voice memo does, Garageband can help you and/or your students create podcasts. They can be published to the iTunes store for free so that your students become published authors. If you’re looking for Common Core correlation, look no further than Speaking & Listening Grade.5 which aims for students to create recordings of stories or poems.

Students can use smart instruments as well and create their own band or record song parodies related to area content.

iMovie: For when hearing himself just isn’t enough, Deadpool would definitely use iMovie. iMovie is quick and easy once you get the hang of it. Keep in mind the iOS version doesn’t have quite as many features as the OS X version. Just recently, I put up a video on how you can have your students interview themselves as famous people.

iMovie can also be used as a final project option. Instead of a paper or essay, students can create a video as their final product. For PBL, students can create PSAs or commercials using iMovie. If you get familiar with the jingles, you’ll know lots of commercials on television use those same jingles.

If you or your students find iMovie just isn’t cutting it, the jump to Final Cut Pro X isn’t a big one. The apps have been redesigned recently to be very similar. For the classroom, due to the cost of FCPX, you can have one computer that has FCPX for special projects so students have access but you don’t have to buy licenses for the entire classroom or lab.

Vine: Even if you don’t have an actual account, the Vine concept is great. You’re limited to a six second video. Like a six word story, how can students explain a concept or tell a story when limited by time? For older students who have their own accounts, you can offer weekend video challenges.

Instagram: On Instagram you get 15 seconds for a video and Instagram even has a weekend hashtag project where Instagram users have a specific focus like #reflective or #middleoftheroad. Instagram is more famous, however, for images with captions. Students can choose an image to inspire a story or create an image that tells a story.

Twitter: If there’s one thing the Merc with a mouth would love, it’s Twitter. While he might not be keen on being limited to 140 characters, he would definitely approve of the grand audience it provides and here’s the proof. Whether, like Vine or Instagram, students have their own accounts or you create a classroom account, Twitter offers an authentic publishing experience. Here’s a great example of Twitter in the elementary classroom.