TextingStory App (FREE)

I recently got tagged in a funny Facebook post about a cat texting his owner. While the post made me laugh (I am a cat owner) I really liked the idea of showing texts back and forth in a non-traditional manner (i.e. cat and human owner). After a quick Google search I found the app TextingStories. It is free (there are some in app purchases if one wanted to upgrade but I did just fine with the free version).

I thought it could be used in a middle or high school class to show dialogue or understanding of the plot and characterization in a story. Here is my attempt at create a texting story between Romeo and Juliet:

It was pretty easy to use and the video of your text gets saved to your camera roll. My camera roll is linked to my Google Drive so I was able to easily transfer it to my laptop (students or teachers could also use a free wifi transfer app). My only complaint is that there isn't a Windows version of the app. It has to be used on an iOS device.

The iOS limitation is why I was suggesting a middle or high school application. Students would need to download the app to their personal phones if you don't use Apple devices in your school. I was thinking that this could be part of a choice board of activities that students could use to demonstrate understanding of a topic in a creative way.

If you decide to try it with your students I would love to see a project or find out how you used it! Please post in the comments.

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