Do Ink Green Screen App

This week I had plans to do an app smash (when you use two different apps together for one project) for my tech project. However, I had problems with one of the apps, so today I am just going to share one. Hopefully I can share the other app next week as part 2. 

I wanted to do a geology activity that joins real artifacts to help build students' schema, nonfiction books to help them investigate the artifacts, and technology. This is a set of three different types of rocks I have: sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic.

I also have these wonderful books. The Street Beneath My Feet by Charlotte Guillain and Yuval Zommer folds out and shows a cross-section of the earth and what is found beneath our feet. Rocks; Hard, Soft, Smooth and Rough by Natalie M. Rosinsky and Matthew John helps students identify some rocks by their characteristics. 

I made three videos to explain each of the three different types of rocks. The students can then scan an image or a QR code to trigger the video (this part is what I will hopefully share next week). This could be part of a discovery center, where students can try to identify the rocks on their own and then watch the videos to find out if they were correct and learn more about the rocks. Ideally, if I had my own class, I would have students learn about the rocks and then make their own videos explaining a type of rock and how it is made.

I used the Do Ink green screen app to make the videos, and it was really easy. With Do Ink, you can record a video that places a different image, drawing or video in the background using the green screen. If your school does not have a green screen wall yet, you can use poster board or fabric as the background. 

In the following video, kindergarten students use a simple fabric background with clothespins, and they show how easy it is to use the app. There are also tutorials on Do Ink's website.

Here is the posterboard background I used. It was much bigger than I needed and would not be practical for a classroom because it is impossible to store. But it shows what you can make with about $10.00.

Here are two of the videos I created. I would much rather have had students make these videos, but I don't have any students yet! (I created a third video, but youtube was unable to read it even though the video plays just fine.)

To create the video, just go into the Do Ink app and click on the plus sign.

Next, you click on one of the three + signs at the bottom of the screen. The first one will add the video you create. The second and third will add the background. Add the background before you record the video so you can immediately see the new background.

For a demonstration, I will use my pig (from If You Give a Pig a Pancake) on a poster board.

I added a background image by clicking on the second + sign and then choosing an image from my photo gallery. 

I have added the background image, and now I can record a video of the pig with his new background by clicking on the first + sign and then choosing Video.

When you are done, click on Save and then save it to the Camera Roll. One thing I have found frustrating about using Do Ink is that the gallery is supposed to have all of your saved videos, but I cannot figure out how to play one of those videos. I plan on learning more about Do Ink this week, along with the other app I wanted to use for this project, and let you know what I figure out.