Did you know that there is an app that produces sound effects while you read a book? It’s true! Continue reading to learn all about it! The Book: “Giraffes Can’t Dance” If you haven’t read “Giraffes Can’t Dance” by Giles Andreae, you need to! This story is about a giraffe named Gerald who is upset because he isn’t able to dance the same way as the rest of the animals. Then he meets a friend that teaches him about his individuality and to have confidence in who he is. The Sound Effects: “Novel Effect” This book is a class favorite. We practice the dances that are in the book and discuss the emotions that Gerald feels. This experience is enhanced with a fantastic app known as “Novel Effect”. This is an app that listens to the narrator and plays sound effects as the book goes on. During the dance competition and the students are able to hear the different worlds of music Scottish to Latin. Here is the website for Novel Effect. You can use 5 free read alouds per month or you can create a subscription account for unlimited use. The selection is quite wide and is continuosly growing. If you can’t find a book you are looking for, you can make recommendations and requests. I suggest using a bluetooth speaker while you read. Depending on the device that you use, it can have some difficulties hearing you if it is too far away. Make sure it is as close to you as possible. As an example, I read “Giraffes Can’t Dance” and use the “Novel Effect” app in this video so you can see how it works! This particular video is not intended to function as a read aloud for your class. It is simply for music teacher education and collaboration. My goal is to help you optimize your teaching super powers. Let’s connect and chat about your ideas for this app in your classroom. Leave a comment or send a message, I’m excited to hear from you. Enjoy!
