Embedded Files
By Agustín Mónaco
Tutorial: Zimmer Twins
Tutorial: Zimmer Twins
www.zimmertwins.com/splash
www.zimmertwins.com/splash
Zimmer Twins is here!
Zimmer Twins is here!
“Zimmer Twins” is a website designed mainly for children because of the infantile, funny characters it has, even though it can be used by older users who want to produce creative storytelling through short clips: cartoon movies. The site offers as little as three characters: Edgar, Eva and their cat, whose name is 13. One may think that three characters are not enough, but the range of activities, emotions, props and backgrounds is so vast that those three characters will end up being more than enough. This site is an authentic one, since “the tasks and activities students do and the people they communicate with to do them are real and motivating (Peachey, 2010).”
“Zimmer Twins” is a website designed mainly for children because of the infantile, funny characters it has, even though it can be used by older users who want to produce creative storytelling through short clips: cartoon movies. The site offers as little as three characters: Edgar, Eva and their cat, whose name is 13. One may think that three characters are not enough, but the range of activities, emotions, props and backgrounds is so vast that those three characters will end up being more than enough. This site is an authentic one, since “the tasks and activities students do and the people they communicate with to do them are real and motivating (Peachey, 2010).”
The site is free and it allows users to create as many videos as they want. The site offers the opportunity to watch videos created by others and rate them. According to Peachey (2010), students can profit from this kind of site since they "can create animations which incorporate specific language points or vocabulary." The language, however, must be produced by the user; the only vocabulary the site provides one with is that one included in the description of the actions the characters can perform. It should be taken into consideration that once the movie is saved, it cannot be modified.
The site is free and it allows users to create as many videos as they want. The site offers the opportunity to watch videos created by others and rate them. According to Peachey (2010), students can profit from this kind of site since they "can create animations which incorporate specific language points or vocabulary." The language, however, must be produced by the user; the only vocabulary the site provides one with is that one included in the description of the actions the characters can perform. It should be taken into consideration that once the movie is saved, it cannot be modified.
“Zimmer Twins” provides students with the possibility of creating situations in which they can use a language item freely and contextually embedded. Teachers can profit from this site especially when dealing with how to go about a story. Since the website is easy to use and the animations are entertaining and encouraging, students may not feel the burden of having to write a story but the joy of building their characters’ fate. With only three characters and a wide number of backgrounds, students can turn into creative story writers. For older students, the way animations represent feelings and actions could be a useful teaching point for description body gestures and movement.
“Zimmer Twins” provides students with the possibility of creating situations in which they can use a language item freely and contextually embedded. Teachers can profit from this site especially when dealing with how to go about a story. Since the website is easy to use and the animations are entertaining and encouraging, students may not feel the burden of having to write a story but the joy of building their characters’ fate. With only three characters and a wide number of backgrounds, students can turn into creative story writers. For older students, the way animations represent feelings and actions could be a useful teaching point for description body gestures and movement.
Step 1
Step 1
Go to http://www.zimmertwins.com/splash and select one of the two choices: kids and families or educators and schools. Click on Join Zimmer Twins to create your free account. Once you’ve created your account, Zimmer Twins will send you an e-mail with your 4-digit password.
Go to http://www.zimmertwins.com/splash and select one of the two choices: kids and families or educators and schools. Click on Join Zimmer Twins to create your free account. Once you’ve created your account, Zimmer Twins will send you an e-mail with your 4-digit password.
Step 2
Step 2
Click on "Make from scratch" or on "How to create a movie" if you need a tutorial to do so.
Click on "Make from scratch" or on "How to create a movie" if you need a tutorial to do so.
Step 3
Step 3
On the right panel, you will have a wide variety of options to choose from. For instance, the speech bubble menu will give you the chance to select how the characters’ utterances ‘sound’ in the story. You can also add text if you want to!
On the right panel, you will have a wide variety of options to choose from. For instance, the speech bubble menu will give you the chance to select how the characters’ utterances ‘sound’ in the story. You can also add text if you want to!
Every action is ‘translated’ into a sentence. As a sub-menu, you can choose – out of every part of that sentence – if others character should perform that action or even change the scenario involved.
Every action is ‘translated’ into a sentence. As a sub-menu, you can choose – out of every part of that sentence – if others character should perform that action or even change the scenario involved.
Step 4
Step 4
Other menus include: actions, feelings and sound effects; there are hundreds of possibilities to make your story incredibly interesting!
Other menus include: actions, feelings and sound effects; there are hundreds of possibilities to make your story incredibly interesting!
Lesson: Zimmer Twins
Lesson: Zimmer Twins
Group: 6th form
Group: 6th form
Age group: 12 years old
Age group: 12 years old
Language focus/aim: Practise Past Simple
Language focus/aim: Practise Past Simple
Topic: Last Weekend
Topic: Last Weekend
warm up
warm up
Students have already been working on Past Simple structures and feel competent in its use. Students have been compiling a series of correct Past Simple structures in their folders.
Students have already been working on Past Simple structures and feel competent in its use. Students have been compiling a series of correct Past Simple structures in their folders.
Students just know the characters of Zimmer Twins and their names.
Students just know the characters of Zimmer Twins and their names.
The teacher will ask students what they did the previous weekend. As students retell their weekends, he will write some verbs, activities and places the students mention on the board. He will then retell them his (an incredibly loaded and fictional weekend) and will write some more words he says on the board.
The teacher will ask students what they did the previous weekend. As students retell their weekends, he will write some verbs, activities and places the students mention on the board. He will then retell them his (an incredibly loaded and fictional weekend) and will write some more words he says on the board.
web
web
The teacher will show the students a tutorial of the website Zimmer Twins and will invite them to create an account and log in. He will ask them how many characters there are; students will answer "3." The teacher will briefly introduce the characters to the students: Edgar, Eva and the cat, 13. Teacher will ask them to picture how their lives are and write some ideas down. After that, the teacher will tell them to choose one of the three characters and, using Zimmer Twins, retell that character’s weekend.
The teacher will show the students a tutorial of the website Zimmer Twins and will invite them to create an account and log in. He will ask them how many characters there are; students will answer "3." The teacher will briefly introduce the characters to the students: Edgar, Eva and the cat, 13. Teacher will ask them to picture how their lives are and write some ideas down. After that, the teacher will tell them to choose one of the three characters and, using Zimmer Twins, retell that character’s weekend.
The teacher will clarify that the students can use the other characters but that the story must be told from the point of view of the character they initially chose. Also, the teacher will tell students that the movie must range between 12 and 20 clips. In this way, students will have to be creative in order to successfully fill up 12 clips minimum and be moderate enough not to include more than 20.
The teacher will clarify that the students can use the other characters but that the story must be told from the point of view of the character they initially chose. Also, the teacher will tell students that the movie must range between 12 and 20 clips. In this way, students will have to be creative in order to successfully fill up 12 clips minimum and be moderate enough not to include more than 20.
what next
what next
The teacher will divide the class in three groups: the ones who have chosen Edgar, the ones who have chosen Eva and the ones who have chosen 13.
The teacher will divide the class in three groups: the ones who have chosen Edgar, the ones who have chosen Eva and the ones who have chosen 13.
Each member of the group will tell the other members about the weekend they have thought of. Once each member has had the chance to speak, they will create a final weekend plan out of all the plans they have in the group. Each group will share their plan and the teacher will be the judge who will choose which of the three is the most elaborate, funny and entertaining.
Each member of the group will tell the other members about the weekend they have thought of. Once each member has had the chance to speak, they will create a final weekend plan out of all the plans they have in the group. Each group will share their plan and the teacher will be the judge who will choose which of the three is the most elaborate, funny and entertaining.
Evaluation criteria
Evaluation criteria
> Creativity from the part of the students when designing the weekend plan.
> Creativity from the part of the students when designing the weekend plan.
> Appropriate and moderated use of language from the part of the students.
> Appropriate and moderated use of language from the part of the students.
> Appropriate use of the website, correct use of elements, characters, actions.
> Appropriate use of the website, correct use of elements, characters, actions.
> Group work and students’ respect towards peers when working in teams.
> Group work and students’ respect towards peers when working in teams.
planied
planied
Plan Nacional Integral de Educación Digital (PLANIED) is a proposal from Ministerio de Educación y Deportes de la Nación, whose mision is to integrate the educational community to the digital culture, promoting pedagogical innovation and quality in learning.
Plan Nacional Integral de Educación Digital (PLANIED) is a proposal from Ministerio de Educación y Deportes de la Nación, whose mision is to integrate the educational community to the digital culture, promoting pedagogical innovation and quality in learning.
Exploring new ways of understanding and interpreting the reality:
Exploring new ways of understanding and interpreting the reality:
First, we should create learning spaces so that students can get closer to:
First, we should create learning spaces so that students can get closer to:
# New narratives and the creations of networks.
# New narratives and the creations of networks.
# Connected ideas and hypertextuality
# Connected ideas and hypertextuality
# Parallel worlds: physical and virtual
# Parallel worlds: physical and virtual
Nowadays, digital and written culture coexist. Digital interactive environments do not follow a linear logic, such as in a book, but they are connected and linked and can be read in multiple ways. Readers become authors and producers in a collaborative network.
Nowadays, digital and written culture coexist. Digital interactive environments do not follow a linear logic, such as in a book, but they are connected and linked and can be read in multiple ways. Readers become authors and producers in a collaborative network.
The digitalization of information and its virtualization creates a new category of reality: the "virtual" reality, a new dimension of the every-day life. In this context, the school has the opportunity to invite students to the cyberspace to create better, unlimited and permanent learning opportunities.
The digitalization of information and its virtualization creates a new category of reality: the "virtual" reality, a new dimension of the every-day life. In this context, the school has the opportunity to invite students to the cyberspace to create better, unlimited and permanent learning opportunities.
the triple "e" framework
the triple "e" framework
Engage, Enhance and Extend.
Engage, Enhance and Extend.
The theoretical framework developed by Liz Kolb (2017) comprises three components that the use of technology in the classroom should include. The use of Zimmer Twins can be analyzed in terms of these three components:
The theoretical framework developed by Liz Kolb (2017) comprises three components that the use of technology in the classroom should include. The use of Zimmer Twins can be analyzed in terms of these three components:
Engagement: the use of this tool engages students as they have to focus both on the features of the website and on the ideas they already count with in order to make accurate and meaningful connections and develop the final task. Besides, they become active learners as they are able to create their own short clips/movies and discuss their peers' works
Engagement: the use of this tool engages students as they have to focus both on the features of the website and on the ideas they already count with in order to make accurate and meaningful connections and develop the final task. Besides, they become active learners as they are able to create their own short clips/movies and discuss their peers' works
Enhancement: this tool allows students to create a short movie that reveals their originality for the creation of a story with characters, feelings, actions and even dialogue. Besides, Zimmer Twins gives students the opportunity for their ideas to flow/transition naturally throughout the whole movie due to the simplicity of the site that fosters students' autonomy.
Enhancement: this tool allows students to create a short movie that reveals their originality for the creation of a story with characters, feelings, actions and even dialogue. Besides, Zimmer Twins gives students the opportunity for their ideas to flow/transition naturally throughout the whole movie due to the simplicity of the site that fosters students' autonomy.
Extension: Zimmer Twins is a tool that allows students to create short clips, customize and edit their creations, share their works and even publish their movies for everyone to watch and enjoy. A website/tool such as Zimmer Twins promotes group work, cooperation, analitical and critical thinking skills; all necessary factors that will contribute to their development as speakers of the language in the future.
Extension: Zimmer Twins is a tool that allows students to create short clips, customize and edit their creations, share their works and even publish their movies for everyone to watch and enjoy. A website/tool such as Zimmer Twins promotes group work, cooperation, analitical and critical thinking skills; all necessary factors that will contribute to their development as speakers of the language in the future.
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