Review by Amanda Bindel, Common Sense Education | Updated October 2015
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Seedling Comic Studio

Get it now
  • Download from App Store

Showcase student work through photo-based comic strips

Subjects & skills
Subjects
  • Arts
  • English Language Arts
Skills
  • Creativity
  • Communication & Collaboration
Grades This grade range is a recommendation by Common Sense Education and not the developer/publisher.
3–8
Great for:
Common Sense says (See details)
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Not yet reviewed
Price:  Free Additional theme packs can be purchased in-app for $.99
Platforms:  iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

Take a look inside

5 images
Layout templates include one to six panels.
Choose a background from the included themes.
Take and cut-out a photo to drop into a background.
Use different photo filters to change the effect.
Add speech or thought bubbles.

Pros: Photo editing features add pizzazz to comics.

Cons: There's no way to rename saved comics, which could be an organizational mess.

Bottom Line: Creative options are endless and inspiration abounds -- just do your best to keep your creations organized.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

The possibilities are endless for the kinds of comics kids create -- either using the existing backgrounds, themes, and stickers or getting totally creative and starting from scratch with their own photos. There's a lot of room for customization and creativity as kids alter photos and maneuver elements within the comic strips. Text space is limited, as it always is in comic strips, so kids much think critically to get their message across with images and a few words. Teachers could create their own comic strips to present lessons or ideas to students, or students could create comic strips to publish their writing or as a culminating project for a science or social studies unit or for literature.

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Standards:

Seedling Comic Studio is a creation tool that lets students take and edit pictures and then add words, stickers, and backgrounds to create comic strips. Some backgrounds and stickers are available for free, and others can be purchased in-app. Kids can share their creations via email, SMS, or other social media connected on the device. Besides the app, Seedling sells creative play kits, and kids can connect to the toy store through the app by solving a multiplication problem. Language options include English and Spanish.

Students create the comic strips, using layouts from one panel to six. First, they choose a layout from the template selections, tap the panel to take a photo, add a background, and then embellish with speech bubbles, thought bubbles, or stickers. With the photo editing options, kids can flip pictures, change filters, or cut out the person to drop them into a new background. Designs are saved automatically by date created to the device and can be edited, deleted, or shared.

This creative tool makes it easy for kids to make impressive comic strips featuring their own photos and ideas. Tools run along the top and bottom of the screen, putting all options at kids' fingertips. There are no instructions or tutorials, so students will need to play around with it to figure out all of the creative options. Most impressive are the photo-editing options: Students can use a filter to change photos to sketches, give someone a comic-like bulge, or pixelate their photos. 

Overall Rating
Engagement Is the product stimulating, entertaining, and engrossing? Will kids want to return?

The tools make the creation experience really fun. Kids can use photo effects, add crazy backgrounds, or embellish with stickers.

Pedagogy Is learning content seamlessly baked-in, and do kids build conceptual understanding? Is the product adaptable and empowering? Will skills transfer?

Kids can find inspiration from the existing backgrounds and stickers, or they can get creative and make a comic strip totally from their imagination.

Support Does the product take into account learners of varying abilities, skill levels, and learning styles? Does it address both struggling and advanced students?

No in-app demo or instructions are available, though tools are clearly labeled. Student work is saved automatically by date but file names can't be changed, so that may get confusing with multiple student projects.

Common Sense Reviewer
Amanda Bindel Classroom teacher
About our ratings and privacy evaluation.

Key Standards Supported

Writing

  • W.3.6

    With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

  • W.4.6

    With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting.

  • W.5.6

    With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of two pages in a single sitting.

  • W.6.6

    Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.

  • W.7.6

    Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.

  • W.8.6

    Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

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