Pic Collage

Pic Collage allows users to create collages that combine pictures, text, and stickers over a provided background style and formatted template of their choosing. Users can first tap the “Template” icon to select a format for their college, and they can add content by tapping the “+” button. When adding images, users can browse the Internet for pictures or access them through their photo library. As pictures are added, users can add text and stickers by tapping the corresponding buttons, and they are able to adjust pictures, text, backgrounds, and stickers as desired. Upon completion, a collage may be uploaded to social networking sites, shared via email or saved to the photo library. Lastly, users have the capability to explore picture collages made by their friends, as well as other Pic Collage users from the main menu.

Instructional Ideas

1. Given a tier-two or tier-three vocabulary word, students can create collages using Pic Collage to showcase a visual representation of the vocabulary word. To do so, students would first import a graphical representation of the word—either with the use of their own photos or by searching the Internet. Next, using the text feature in Pic Collage, students can include synonyms and/or antonyms for the word, or create a sentence that demonstrates correct usage of the word. Lastly, students can email completed collages to the teacher for grading.
2. Given a bank of vocabulary words, students can use Pic Collage to create a collage that represents associations between three to five words. For example, students working individually or in small groups select and add pictures to the collage that represent each word. Finally, students compose and add a sentence to the collage that explains how the vocabulary words are connected. To add a twist to the assignment, collages containing pictures only (without text) can be shared with classmates. Classmates could then be responsible for creating a sentence that justifies how they believe the vocabulary words are associated. Once the sentence explaining the connections between the vocabulary words is composed, the student or group of students who created the collage would be responsible for sharing their explanations as to how they had associated the pictures and words.
3. After reading a text, students can create a visual and written magnet summary (http://education.fcps.org/ths/sites/default/files/magnetsummarydirections1.pdf) of the text using Pic Collage. To do so, students first import an image that represents the text’s main or central idea. Proceeding, students then add six key words from the text that also connect with the chosen graphical representation of the text’s main or central idea. Lastly, students can be instructed to include one to three sentences summarizing the text that connects to or references their picture and key words. Completed collages can be emailed to the teacher, saved to the photo library, or be used as an exit slip.
4. Given key unit vocabulary words (10 max), students can use Pic Collage to create a collage for each vocabulary word and rank them by importance, where 1 represents the most important word and 10 represents the least important word. Additionally, teachers could require that each collage includes the vocabulary word, its ranking, a picture of the word, and a sentence that justifies the word’s ranking. Lastly, students can email completed collages to the teacher or save them to the photo library for review.

Screenshots