Happy Memorial Day. Again, I am so thankful to all of the men and women who sacrifice their lives for my freedom.
We spent the day yesterday at a friends’ house and stayed there until the wee hours.
I didn’t get into bed until 10pm. I’m telling you, I am a party animal.
We are relaxing today . . . and by that, I mean the hubby has to work from home and I need to work on my First Grade Review pack before there are no more first graders in my class to review.
Before I go and actually get down to work (meaning I need to find some reality TV re-runs to watch and a snack), I thought I’d tell you more about my end of the year slideshow because I said I would.
Here is how I make an end of the year slideshow:
1. I have a Mac and I think iMovie is the easiest thing in the world and I have no clue how to use anything else. The End.
2. I take pictures of my kids all year long. I am like the Paparazzi and I will yell your name over and over and take fifty shots before I am happy, as well as place you in front of objects that make you look like you are being re-born and/or puts you in a compromising position. It’s just the way it is. Welcome To First Grade In My Classroom Now Smile And Put Your Arms Around Each Other And Tilt Your Head To The Left I Said Left.
3. I hang onto these millions of pictures all year. I hoard them on the camera or in iPhoto or on my iPhone. It just depends.
4. I decide a week before school is out that I should start my slideshow.
5. I hem and haw and stress and procrastinate and watch Reality TV and blog about all kinds of things and read blogs and create stuff for TpT and I don’t start my slideshow.
6. I finally buckle down and weed through all of my pictures so that my slideshow does not become two to three seasons with 12 episodes each. I try to whittle it down to about 25 minutes. I can’t get it under that for some reason. I just can’t. I CAN’T I SAID.
7. Then I add the music.
8. And I delete the music.
9. And I try different music.
10. And I cry whenever I add a sad song and I watch that part of my slideshow.
11. I repeat step 7 about nine or ten times. Or forty. It just depends.
12. I burn it.
And there you have it. How I Create My End Of The Year Slideshow.
I bet I could give a training on this. I bet people would pay money. I mean, isn’t my process just crystal clear?
I have a playlist in iTunes called Slideshow. I continue to add to it all the time. Here is my playlist in case you need some new song ideas:
I am so glad to hear that I am not the only one that uses the same "tried and true" method to create slideshows each spring. I do the EXACT same things as you… and then when it is all said and done I watch it and think to myself, "maybe I should have used a different song for that one…"
I'm off to check out some of your songs. There are a few that I haven't heard of before! Thanks for the new ideas! 🙂
Happy creating!
Anna
Gluesticks 'N Giggles
I finished mine with people knocking on the door for Open House…
Wow – what a coincidence! I have almost the exact SAME process!!
Except I don't have a MAC, therefore no easy iMovie, so part of my process is extensive, time-consuming research of all options of movie-making programs and which is the best, and then I end up using the same one I did last year anyway. It doesn't let me clip the songs, so I have to limit the number to fit them in, which does NOT make me happy!
My students have nine more days, and I will be getting that slideshow started very soon, very very soon. Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
I don't see "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole on your song list. Although you have many I have never heard of–checking those out now 🙂 Thanks for the list.
Oh I have used that one before! I need to put it on my playlist! Thanks for the reminder!
I also create a slide show. I don't have a mac so I use an app on my IPAD that I can upload photos to as well as music. Yesterday I spent quite awhile figuring out how to upload photos from a parent to my IPAD.
Oh, how I can relate. I teach three different classes (preschool, prek, kindergarten) so I have to create four movies every year. One for our end of the year program that includes all the students in the school and an individual one for each class. I love making them, but by the end of the process I feel like a very sore zombie from the hours of staring at the computer and clicking that mouse for edits. 🙂 So much work, but the parents love it. You can see some of my end of the year movies here:
2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uII6KSidz0
2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSx6NyJA8DI
Awesome job! Which program do you use?
I just use the Windows Movie Maker program that came with my computer. I would love to buy a higher quality video program, but it would probably take me all year to figure it out. lol 🙂
I just import them all into iphoto, click slideshow, and add the music through itunes. I think it's easier than imovie. I cry when I watch it too!
hahaha, yes I am about to collect the pictures and I'm already arguing with the hubby and my daughter…my daughter did it for me the last couple of years and this year she is running away screaming. Hubbie is arguing about which program works the best. Ok a week to get it together. I wish you luck! and here's a kleenex.
I stay up burning one for each of my kids until 1:00 the night before the last day. Yep I love it. I did start to save my Animotos and they add in nicely!
Thanks for sharing your playlist! always looking for new songs!
I was already dreading putting each picture into PPT 1 by 1… but I didn't even think to use iMovie. DUH! Will force myself to start my slideshow tonight. I have until next Friday though… plenty of time. There will be no sad songs in my playlist or else I will cry all of my eye makeup off during our school party. 🙂
Kristin
My Carolina Classroom
I still always end up using ppt…you don’t need to put things in 1 by 1 though – on the tool bar at the top you will see INSERT-then click on PhotoAlbum (it is to the right of pictures/onlinepictures/screenshot)….this choice allows you to put in a large group of photos. I try to keep things in folders throughout the year & then I am inserting pics from these folders in large groups. It is still a bit tedious but I have tried other programs and learning a new program ‘under the gun’ is more stressfull than just doing what I know.
I do a DVD slideshow too. I am not a Mac user though. So for those out there that need an idea for a different option- I use Windows DVD Maker. I am told Windows Movie Maker might be easier though. My friend used it and felt like it worked better than her previous years set up. By the way, I start each year with the same song, because it holds true each year. Bob Marley's 3 Little Birds. Just sets the mood. 🙂 Thanks for the ideas of songs! I needed some new ones.
thanks for this great suggestion! I am truly e njoying reading these. You ladies are so awesome & help me feel not quite so inadequate!
I love your idea of a slideshow! I always tell myself I need to take more pictures of my kiddos. I know that I always wished I had more pictures of myself when I was a little first grade cutie. Haha I love your attitude and writing style! You are such a fun blogger to read!
The Literacy Bug
I'm stressed but also inspired! Just thinking about making a slide show is making me feel nervous, but I think next year I'm going to do it! Thanks for the wonderful idea. Oh… I love "I Dare You To Move" by Switchfoot!
I pretty much have the same process. Except I always feel I don't have enough pictures. So I e-mail all the parents compile all the pictures and start this process. I always have enough pictures and my DVD is usually about 18-20 minutes long. The kids love it though so I do it every year! Rambling About Reading
I love how everyone can relate to this post!
We have 6 days left.
Our celebration is in 5 days.
I WILL start the slideshow. I will.
Hopefully not in 4 days.
haha! 🙂
Thanks for all of the song ideas! I also love the song, "What I Am" by Will I am (it's a Sesame Street song)
I wish you lived in my town & we could walk. You sound like my soulmate, altho I'm giving myself too much credit bc I am not nearly as creative or witty or talented. But STILL we would have fun. Thanks for the fabulous post & keep 'em coming!!!!! love & hugs. PS Our last day was yesterday so I guess my little sweeties will get their during the summer or at registration next year coz I ran out of hours. sigh….. couldn't get it all done. But I wondered if everyone else started & just added throughout the year. LOL
How long is your final slideshow?
It’s about 30 minutes! 😉
I love your playlist. I’m still needing one more song to finish my video. I’m not a teacher but I volunteered to do my daughters 6th grade class video. The teachers, she has 4, emailed me all their pictures. I used iMovie too. My first time using it. I used a few of the same ones as you. My daughter loves Family Force 5 so she asked me to use “This is my year”. Thanks again for the playlist. Happy Summer!