Zimmer Twins is an online learning tool that helps children create amazing movies by using animation and will engage younger learners in language learning.
“Zimmer Twins is a safe, engaging place for kids to exercise their imagination and create entertaining animated movies. Using an array of simple tools, kids can choose characters, backgrounds, facial expressions, and movements, and then type in words to create dialogue.”
Retrieved from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/website-reviews/zimmer-twins
Who are the Zimmer Twins?
The website focuses on three main characters. Edgar and Eva, the 12-year-old twins and their adopted black cat named 13.
How to use ZIMMER TWINS?
STEP 1
STEP 1
The first thing you need to do is to make an account on Zimmer Twins at School so you can save the movies your students create. Fill in the form required and you will receive an e-mail with the password for your account.
You can choose the Free Membership to try it out which includes 1 teacher account and up to 5 student sub accounts. Students can only create 12 movies. There is also a paid membership.
STEP 2
After you logged in, you can start creating your own animated movie!
Click on ‘Make a Movie’ from the top green bar and then click on ‘Make from scratch’.
If your students have trouble making up a whole story, they can create an ending for a movie that already exists.
STEP 3
It’s time to make a movie!
1.First, choose an animation clip. There are four types: Action clips – Talk bubble clips – Close-up clips – Starter clips.
2. After you’ve selected a clip, you will see a preview of the clip, a sentence and the clip in the timeline.
STEP 4
It will look like this
STEP 5
If you click on the words and phrases that are underlined, a list of options appears. You can change the character who performs the action, the background and the things they are holding.
STEP 6
By using the ‘talk bubble clips’ you can write whatever you want your characters to say.
STEP 7
When you finish the movie, remember to save it!
STEP 8
After you clicked on the ‘Save movie’ button, you will have to write a title for the movie and a description. Your movie is ready to be watched!
For more details, here you will find a video tutorial from the Zimmer Twins webpage.
Here’s an example of a movie of my own.
Is this tool good for learning?
“The organization of the movie creation tool (characters, setting, facial expressions, action, sequencing, text styling) is a great way for students to learn how stories are built and what they need to consider when creating a story. While the choices are a bit limiting, this allows for more focus on story structure than fancy add-ons or distractions like sounds, music, and animations. Instructing the characters to perform specific actions or say specific words is empowering, and kids can use various word combinations to create their animated stories. They'll see the immediate results of their efforts when the pieces come together and the movie is complete. The Zimmer Twins at School is a creative place to play with words and practice storytelling.” Retrieved from https://www.commonsense.org/education/website/zimmer-twins-at-school
ADVANTAGES
Hertz, M. B. (2017, August 07). Zimmer Twins at School. Retrieved from https://www.commonsense.org/education/website/zimmer-twins-at-school
ADVANTAGES
- This tool encourages autonomous learning: Students are the ones who decide the way their movies are going to be like. They choose the clips and make the movie on their own.
- This tool is fun and motivating: Students will enjoy using this tool because it is easy to handle. They have a variety of clips from which they can choose the best for their movies. Also, Zimmer Twins encourages learners' imagination and creativity.
- It helps learners improve their writing skills.
DISADVANTAGES
- The free membership is limited: up to 5 students with sub accounts can only make a total of 12 movies. Students can make, save and delete movies but they cannot edit them - for that, you need a VIP membership.
- Movies cannot be downloaded: If you want to watch a movie a student or a group of students made, it has to be done through the webpage.
- This tool requires an internet connection.
SOURCES
Hi, Belu!
ResponderEliminarI liked your post a lot! Your tutorial is very informative and easy to follow. I liked the fact that you added screenshots as you explained the steps. I´m definitely gonna use this tool at some point because as you say it can be very motivating and fun for learners. Good job!
:)
Thanks a lot, Emma!
EliminarHi, Belu!
ResponderEliminarI had never heard of this tool before reading about it here in your post. I must say I truly like the tutorial you've put together since it is quite short and easy to follow. In addition, I totally agree with the advantages and disadvantages you’ve mentioned as regards the implementation of this app in the classroom. I also believe that students will profit greatly from the use of Zimmer Twins given that they will be able not only to put their writing skills into practice, but they will also be doing so with a clear and meaningful communicative purpose in mind. Just as you´ve mentioned above, it´s a major drawback that this tool only offers a limited free membership.
As regards the lesson plan you have created, I believe it would be a better idea to give all students the same text so that all of them have the opportunity to relate to the video story you’ll show them. Then, when it comes to creating the story, they could think of possible alternative endings and later choose the best story at the end of the task, as you have proposed. This is just a suggestion, though. I believe the idea behind the activity is just fine and students will totally love it.
P.S: You blog looks lovely. It´s highly visually appealing. Keep it up!
Thanks a lot, Ailen!
EliminarYour suggestions are really useful and I think they are great to improve the lesson! :)