Artwork for podcast Tech Tools for Teachers
Bring Stories to Life with These FREE Read Aloud Websites!
Episode 181 • 15th April 2024 • Tech Tools for Teachers • Shanna Martin
00:00:00 00:13:59

Share Episode

Shownotes

As teachers, we know the power of storytelling in captivating young minds and fostering a love for reading. But let's be honest, finding engaging and free resources can sometimes be a challenge. Well, fear not! We've got two fantastic websites that will not only bring stories to life but also provide a wealth of opportunities for your students to explore, learn, and grow.

This week, we explore StoryBerries and FreeChildrenStories.com.

Find all of the tools we've discussed in the EdTech Directory:

https://smartinwi.com/edtech-directory/


Get in touch:

https://smartinwi.com

https://www.twitter.com/smartinwi

https://www.threads.net/@smartinwi

https://www.facebook.com/smartinwi

techtoolsforteacherpodcast@gmail.com


©2018-2023 Snoring Dog Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

Mentioned in this episode:

Education Podcast Network

Tech Tools for Teachers is part of the Education Podcast Network. https://www.edupodcastnetwork.com/



This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Transcripts

Shanna Martin:

Thanks for listening to the Tech Tools for Teachers

2

:

podcast, where each week we talk about

a free piece or two of technology

3

:

that you can use in your classroom.

4

:

I'm your host, Shanna Martin.

5

:

I'm a middle school teacher, technology

and instructional coach for my district.

6

:

Fuzz Martin: And I'm her producer

and husband, Fuzz Martin.

7

:

And I can't wait because I think

this is going to be a grape episode.

8

:

Shanna Martin: Wow.

9

:

Clever.

10

:

But we have nothing to do with.

11

:

Fuzz Martin: Well, berries.

12

:

Shanna Martin: I understand that.

13

:

Fuzz Martin: Grape is a berry.

14

:

And we're talking about

15

:

Shanna Martin: Is it though?

16

:

Fuzz Martin: I think so.

17

:

Let's see.

18

:

Hey, Google, is a grape A berry.

19

:

So.

20

:

Uh, yes.

21

:

Grapes are berries.

22

:

According to botany, a berry is a

fleshy fruit without a stone that comes

23

:

from a single flower with one ovary.

24

:

Grapes have soft skin, juicy

flesh, and many tiny seeds.

25

:

Shanna Martin: Thank you for

reading us the definition.

26

:

Fuzz Martin: Yes.

27

:

So, uh, grapes are berries, and my pun

28

:

Shanna Martin: works well, awesomely.

29

:

Hi everyone.

30

:

Um, we're at episode 181.

31

:

And one of the websites

today is called StoryBerries.

32

:

Yeah.

33

:

If you needed the connection with grapes,

34

:

Fuzz Martin: I don't know

if I'm gonna talk a lot.

35

:

My voice is kind of raspy.

36

:

. Shanna Martin: Oh wow.

37

:

Oh my goodness.

38

:

Fuzz Martin: Okay.

39

:

Shanna Martin: So lately.

40

:

I have actually had a lot of my, lot

of different elementary teachers asking

41

:

for different ways to have their students

read independently, and we use a lot of

42

:

sites like Epic and things like that,

that they build into their curriculum, but

43

:

they're also looking for ways and choice

boards that they can have some of our

44

:

younger students be able to pick stories.

45

:

Or teach them some more independence

since we're getting towards

46

:

the end of the school year.

47

:

And they just wanted a different selection

of things that they have seen often.

48

:

So I was digging around and I found two

very cool sites that are helpful for,

49

:

our elementary teachers and they do have

choices all the way through middle school.

50

:

So elementary, middle, there's

definitely a lot of options.

51

:

For, having audio books online,

along with videos that go with

52

:

them or, stories posted online.

53

:

So the first site we're going

to talk about today is called,

54

:

Fuzz Martin: yes, what is it?

55

:

Shanna Martin: Storyberries.

56

:

This site is S T O R Y

B E R R I E S dot com.

57

:

So Story Berries offers all kinds of

stories for students, and it is great

58

:

because parents can use this at home as

well, especially now that some people

59

:

might be starting to think about summer.

60

:

Fuzz Martin: Yeah, we're getting there.

61

:

Shanna Martin: It feels summery

today here in Wisconsin, but it

62

:

won't, later on this week because

we go from like 70s to 40 because

63

:

that's how this is our weather works.

64

:

, and so Story Berries offers Audio

and, stories for students that

65

:

parents can use at home too.

66

:

So if you think about that during the

summer, or you want to have some read

67

:

alouds where kids can like listen

while they're doing cleaning chores

68

:

or just playing, I know sometimes

that's, that's a good thing to do.

69

:

So, and on storyberries.

70

:

com, so you've got the home, you've

got stories, you have audio, you can

71

:

even buy their books if you want to,

but under the stories category, it

72

:

gives you, so you can choose your age.

73

:

Your time limit.

74

:

So how long do you want kids listening?

75

:

Like maybe you want a super quick story.

76

:

That's like five minutes.

77

:

They have like five

minute bedtime stories.

78

:

Or maybe I want a 10 minute bedtime

story or a 20 minute bedtime story.

79

:

Which is cool because I definitely

want to share some of these with our.

80

:

There's a story called the Dragon

of the North, which I'm sure

81

:

she will be super excited about.

82

:

So, and then you can pick type of story.

83

:

So there's lots of options.

84

:

If you're looking for like learning

stories or fairy tales or chapter books,

85

:

they have all those options as well.

86

:

And then they have like

different parenting topics.

87

:

So if you are looking to choose a

topic because you want to support your

88

:

student, your student, or your child in

some way, they have like communication

89

:

stories and courage and diligence and

curiosity and empathy, which is awesome.

90

:

So they can be sorted many different

ways, which I appreciate not just one.

91

:

So I'm just going to go into the age

category to kind of pick things through.

92

:

They have books from like

zero to three all the way up.

93

:

And I'm going to look at

seven to 12 years old.

94

:

It seems like a great choice.

95

:

There's lots of options.

96

:

So click the read all.

97

:

Cause there's more choices than just

like the first six books that you'd see.

98

:

And I'm choosing carrot

shenanigans with pirate PD.

99

:

Oh, because one of my favorites and

one, and these are stories that you

100

:

normally wouldn't hear all of the time.

101

:

And they're going to be, you know,

a new mix, which is kind of nice.

102

:

I will note that there are ads.

103

:

Everywhere.

104

:

Yeah.

105

:

So just be aware that they're, they're,

everything I've run across, it's been

106

:

completely family appropriate and child

friendly, but just be aware that there

107

:

are ads when you're going through.

108

:

Fuzz Martin: And also when you play the

video, sorry, when you play the, like

109

:

animated books, if they have them, a

lot of times they have an ad, like a

110

:

YouTube type ad that starts before that.

111

:

So you're gonna play it in class.

112

:

Shanna Martin: Set it up first before

you just, I mean, unless you just hit

113

:

mute, which sometimes you get that too.

114

:

And so you can read along

with the animated book.

115

:

They have like the video again, like

you said, the ad kind of pops up.

116

:

That'll play through.

117

:

And once that does the videos there.

118

:

Or if you want students to kind of read

on their own, and so you can just keep

119

:

on scrolling through the page and it

will give you the images and the text

120

:

and image and texts and things like that.

121

:

So you could also use these for like

students if they're learning how to like

122

:

analyze a piece of text and writing.

123

:

Or if they're able to add to a story or

things like that, there is a different

124

:

ways that you can set these stories up.

125

:

So not just reading independently or

listening independently or watching

126

:

independently, but also you could use

these in your writing classes where

127

:

you're having students pick out.

128

:

Um, like different types of punctuation,

or if you're having them pick out

129

:

main characters or those types

of things, so you can use these

130

:

stories in all kinds of ways in your

classroom, not just necessarily for

131

:

independent reading, and listening.

132

:

Speaking of listening, which I appreciate,

they have an audio section, so if you

133

:

click on audio, you'll see that they

have a list, and you just kind of

134

:

scroll within the list, and it will

give you all of their stories in audio

135

:

version, which I appreciate, because

sometimes, Just listening to the story

136

:

is fine, and you don't have to go

to a playlist or anything like that.

137

:

You can just go right to this website,

and you're able to go to story barriers,

138

:

and then find audio stories for your kids.

139

:

And they are going to match the

books that you have as well.

140

:

So that is pretty cool.

141

:

You can also sort through

them by collection under

142

:

the audio section as well.

143

:

Fuzz Martin: Cool

144

:

Shanna Martin: Yeah, so it's

just a large collection of

145

:

stories where you can read them.

146

:

You can listen to them You can watch

the videos to go with them and kids

147

:

can pick and choose and there's stories

that you wouldn't see all of the

148

:

Time either and they're pretty fun.

149

:

They've got some cute pictures audio And

you look like you're going to do something

150

:

right now, so I'm just gonna wait.

151

:

Fuzz Martin: I was just gonna say

that this site's pretty cherry.

152

:

Though I don't think

cherry's actually a berry.

153

:

I think cherry's a stone fruit.

154

:

Shanna Martin: It's got a pit.

155

:

Fuzz Martin: Yeah.

156

:

Shanna Martin: So that would

not fit the definition.

157

:

Fuzz Martin: Is a cherry a berry?

158

:

No, no.

159

:

Shanna Martin: It's got a pit.

160

:

It's not a berry.

161

:

Fuzz Martin: Berries are, oh my goodness.

162

:

Fleshy fruits with multiple seeds.

163

:

.

Shanna Martin: So there's that.

164

:

So cherry berry berries

are known as droop.

165

:

Oh my goodness.

166

:

Is category

167

:

Fuzz Martin: with a thick,

hard, endo carp, thick skin,

168

:

and an outer fleshy layer.

169

:

Okay.

170

:

Shanna Martin: Uh, we all feel so much

brighter learning about fruit today.

171

:

Fuzz Martin: Other examples of droop,

uh, by the way, story apricots, mangoes,

172

:

berries, olives, avocados, dates.

173

:

And most nuts.

174

:

Thank you.

175

:

Carry on.

176

:

Shanna Martin: Story berries,

177

:

Fuzz Martin: story berries.

178

:

Shanna Martin: So check

it out with your kids.

179

:

There's fun audio, visual listening

stories, built them in digitally

180

:

and they're free, which is great.

181

:

I have one more free story website.

182

:

I would like to share.

183

:

Fuzz Martin: Okay.

184

:

Shanna Martin: To add to the list.

185

:

So as you're like collecting free

stories for, again, independent

186

:

work or whatever you want to do,

you build them into your classroom.

187

:

I feel like once you have a collection

of written stories and then you can

188

:

have audio stories, like there's just

different ways you can build these

189

:

into your classroom and have kids

practice or listen or read along or

190

:

all of the things that you can do.

191

:

So it's called free children's stories.

192

:

com.

193

:

F R E E children's stories.

194

:

com.

195

:

, so free children's stories.

196

:

We love a freebie.

197

:

Again, there's some ads on this one.

198

:

But here you can browse by

age or browse by story style.

199

:

So it has those options as well.

200

:

And then, so I'm going to pick four kids

ages eight to 10 because this one, again,

201

:

you can pick and choose and there's fewer

choices on this site, but again, like

202

:

why a cricket chirps, I feel like you

might appreciate this because we might

203

:

learn something while we read the story.

204

:

But when you come across this

site, it's a little bit different.

205

:

It will be the video right at the top.

206

:

So like the YouTube video with the story

being read to you is across the top.

207

:

And then as you scroll down,

the story text is below it.

208

:

So you don't have picture and

text, it's just text below it.

209

:

But what I would like to note, and I

thought was interesting about this site

210

:

is that you have the option, you hide, you

hide the ad that comes across the bottom.

211

:

You'll see, you can select your language.

212

:

So I was curious about that.

213

:

Like if I'm going to choose to put

something in Dutch, I can choose that.

214

:

It doesn't change the YouTube video.

215

:

It will still read in the YouTube video

is still obviously going to be what it is.

216

:

It's going to be what it is.

217

:

Yeah.

218

:

But if you scroll down the story,

then is written in the other language.

219

:

So like this one, now it's written in

Dutch, which I thought was really great

220

:

because If you have bilingual students, or

if you have students learning a language,

221

:

or if you are like practicing different

language skills, you could have the

222

:

video playing in, it'll be in English,

but then it will be in print below it

223

:

in whatever language that you choose.

224

:

So it could be a great way for students

to practice different world languages.

225

:

It would be a great way

to apply vocabulary.

226

:

But it would be also great for

kids maybe who read in a different

227

:

language but are learning English

that they could then hear and see.

228

:

in both.

229

:

So I thought that was a great teaching

tool with these stories is that

230

:

you could change out the language.

231

:

Again, it doesn't change the video

with the story, but it does change the

232

:

print text of the story below it into

whatever language you want to pick from.

233

:

And there's a list of quite

a few languages that you

234

:

can pick and choose from.

235

:

Fuzz Martin: Sure.

236

:

Shanna Martin: So I thought that

that was a cool option, to swap

237

:

out for free children's stories.

238

:

So you'll have your stories.

239

:

Again, with all of you can pick.

240

:

Age topic.

241

:

They even have middle grade novels.

242

:

They have a couple of those,

which is kind of nice.

243

:

And you have these different options for

languages that you could also choose like

244

:

rhyming stories for kids, which could

be good practice in both listening and

245

:

different languages, non rhyming stories.

246

:

So again, there's fewer choices

in this one, but there is the swap

247

:

for being able to switch into a

different language and print below it.

248

:

So I thought that was a cool extra

that would be helpful for, for

249

:

Teaching students, and also you

could use these in other classes.

250

:

Fuzz Martin: Very good.

251

:

Freechildrenstories.

252

:

com.

253

:

Shanna Martin: Yeah.

254

:

There's no fruit in this one, though.

255

:

So.

256

:

Fuzz Martin: No.

257

:

Shanna Martin: There you go.

258

:

That's,

259

:

Fuzz Martin: that's the pits.

260

:

Shanna Martin: So funny.

261

:

But anyway, so if you're looking for some

different audiobooks or visual stories

262

:

or some online free textbooks or online

free storybooks for your students, I

263

:

think both of these are great options for.

264

:

Just adding some different choice

to your students and then you can

265

:

apply them in a variety of ways.

266

:

So storyberries.

267

:

com and freechildrenstories.

268

:

com.

269

:

Check both of those out,

especially elementary teachers.

270

:

I would definitely say K 5 for sure.

271

:

There's just some options in there.

272

:

It would be fun to try out and work on

some independent skills with your kiddos.

273

:

Fuzz Martin: Groovy!

274

:

Shanna Martin: Well, there you go.

275

:

Fuzz Martin: There you go.

276

:

Shanna Martin: Thanks for tuning in.

277

:

This has been the tech

tools for teachers podcast.

278

:

If you ever have any questions, you can

find me on the app formally known as

279

:

Twitter at Spartan W X or on thread.

280

:

And if you want to get more

information on the links to the

281

:

technology discussed in this episode,

you can visit smart and WI tech.

282

:

If you'd like to support the show, please

consider buying me a coffee or two.

283

:

Visit BuyMeACoffee.

284

:

com / smartinwi or visit

smartinwi.com and click on that

285

:

cute little purple coffee cup.

286

:

Your donations help keep the show going.

287

:

New episodes each week.

288

:

Thanks for listening.

289

:

Go educate and innovate.

290

:

Fuzz Martin: The ideas and

opinions expressed on this podcast

291

:

and the smartininwi.com website

are those of the author, Shanna

292

:

Martin, and not of her employer.

293

:

Prior to using any of the technologies

discussed on this podcast, please

294

:

consult with your employer regulations.

295

:

This podcast offers no

guarantee that these tools

296

:

will work for you as described.

297

:

We'll be sure hope they do.

298

:

And we can all agree that I was

berry, berry funny in this episode.

Links

Chapters

Video

More from YouTube