App review by Amanda Bindel, Common Sense Education | Updated June 2014
Sock Puppets Complete
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  • Download from App Store

Sock Puppets Complete

Versatile, easy-to-use presentation tool featuring talking puppets

Get it now
  • Download from App Store
Learning rating
See full review
Community rating
Based on 9 reviews
Privacy rating
Not yet rated Expert evaluation by Common Sense
Grades
5–8
Subjects & Skills
English Language Arts, Creativity, Communication & Collaboration
Great for
Presentation
Price:  $3.99
Platforms:  iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch
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Take a look inside

5 images
Free version includes a store for in-app upgrades.
Several scene options give lots of versatility.
Each puppet's voice can be adjusted higher or lower before recording.
Tapping a puppet records as if that puppet were speaking. Tap another puppet to change speakers.
The complete version includes a huge variety of puppet choices.

Pros: Shows are easy to create and puppets' mouths sync well with the voices.

Cons: Recordings are limited to 90 seconds.

Bottom Line: Engaging presentation option for both creator and audience.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

Teachers can create their own sock-puppet shows as hooks to introduce new material, or they can offer the app to individuals or small groups as presentation or assessment options. Students could use the sock puppets to present reports or to write and perform short skits or poems, and then share them with their classmates. As a presentation tool, Sock Puppets Complete aligns well with the speaking and presenting CCSS for fifth grade and up, but younger students could easily create puppet shows as well. ELL students may enjoy practicing speaking in front of an audience with the help of the sock puppets.

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Standards:

Sock Puppets Complete is a tool that allows students to create short puppet-show videos. To begin, students choose their characters, background, and props, and then simply press the "record" circle at the top of the screen to start recording. The puppet with the arrow pointed at it is the speaker, but kids can tap another puppet to change speakers. The recording timer counts down to let them know how much longer they can record. Then they can listen to the recording and redo it or save it. In Settings, kids can adjust the voice for each puppet, making the pitch higher or lower, and hear a sample so they can make further adjustments (but kids will need to adjust the voices before they start recording as well). Shows can be watched in-app, shared on Facebook or YouTube, or (in the complete version only) saved to the camera roll.

Creating short puppet-show videos is really easy with Sock Puppets Complete. Students will have fun creating their presentations, and classmates will enjoy watching them. With only 90 seconds to showcase their learning, though, students will need to spend some serious time planning and practicing their shows before going to the app. Time constraints may limit some creative expression but will challenge students to get their message across concisely. 

Overall Rating
Engagement

Presentation tool is fun for students to demonstrate their knowledge and fun for others to watch. With the altered voices and variety of sock puppets, there's bound to be a bit of creative silliness, too.

Pedagogy

With only 90 seconds of recording time (30 with the free version), kids have to be concise. The varied selection of sock puppets and backgrounds empowers them to be creative, however.

Support

The whole process is intuitive, but no in-app help or tutorial is offered. Tutorials are available on the developer's website. Videos can be saved to the camera roll (full-version only), saved in-app, or shared via YouTube or Facebook.

Common Sense reviewer
Amanda Bindel Classroom teacher
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Key Standards Supported

Speaking & Listening

  • SL.5.5

    Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

  • SL.6.5

    Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and visual displays in presentations to clarify information.

  • SL.7.5

    Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.

  • SL.8.5

    Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.

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Community Rating

(See all 9 reviews) (9 reviews) Write a review
Featured review by
Kate M. , Classroom teacher
Classroom teacher
Hamlin School
San Francisco, United States
Fun way to practice speaking skills in a new language
This tool helps me motivate my students to practice speaking in Spanish, which they are learning as a new language. My young students get a big kick out of the silly voices and getting to choose their own puppet characters, which allows for lots of speaking practice and repetition before they get bored or fidgety. Not only does everyone get a chance to speak before the class tires of the activity, but the silly characters and settings also encourage students who would otherwise be shy about speaking in ...
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