I looked out the window the other day and sighed heavily at the fact that my plans to take my son out to play were thwarted by a downpour. “Miserable rain!” I thought. Resigned to my fate, I decided to spend a few minutes gathering some materials to prepare a lesson for my Google Classroom meeting. As I shuffled through some books, the radiant cover of Eileen Spinelli and Betsy Lewin’s book caught my eye; Heatwave. Wouldn’t that be nice right now! Okay, perhaps not a heatwave, but a nice sunny day would be much appreciated. I sat right where I was and read the story. Having endured a week of relentless heat, the people of Lumberville had a very different reaction to the downpour that relieved them from the scorching temperatures. Showers of blessing, was more their sentiment.
Two thoughts ran through my head thereafter. First, we must always look for the good in every situation. The rain may have prevented me from going outside, but it afforded me time for another opportunity. Secondly, I could make a rainy day story — No! I could make a rainy day story and turn it into a movie. Yes!
I recently discovered a tutorial by Joe Paradise on YouTube that makes the process seamless.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NFgZDOEf0A4
He uses a free app called iMovie which allows you to upload pictures, and add a voiceover feature, so that you can turn favorite texts into read-alouds or so that you can create your very own movie stories. Take a look. My family and I have been exploring ever since we discovered this little tool. We are having fun making silly read-alouds, recording our favorite trade books, and simply enjoying literature. If you get a chance, listen to Heatwave, and dabble in creating your own masterpieces.
