PowerPoint Story
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You will create/write a story using PowerPoint or Keynote. Your story will include background images, characters (clip art, images or other objects), and text boxes for your story.

Background:
*Find Background Image: Search the web for background images. Try using a keyword search such as, "cityscape picture" or "landscape picture."
*Save Background Image: To save your picture once you have located it, right-click on the picture and "Save Image as...."
*Insert Background Image: I recommend inserting your saved background image as a background rather than as an inserted image. Here is how...
PowerPoint [Format > Background > drop-down menu > Fill Effects > Picture tab > Select Picture > choose your picture > OK]
Keynote [Inspector > Slide Inspector tab > Appearance tab > Background > Image Fill > Choose Image > OK]

Characters:
*Find Characters: You may want to use clip art with transparent backgrounds, photos with the background deleted, or characters created using drawing tools within Keynote/PowerPoint. If you choose to search the web using a search engine, I suggest you include the words "transparent" in your keyword search.

Here are a few websites with free clip art (some with transparent backgrounds):

• http://www.thekidzpage.com/freeclipart.htm
• http://www.hasslefreeclipart.com/

*Create Characters: Use PowerPoint drawing tools or a Paint/Draw program to create characters.

Here are some websites that let you create characters:

• Simpsons-like Characters: http://www.simpsonsmovie.com/main.html [Click on 'Create Your Simpsons Avatar' > Shift-Command-4 to take screen shot]
• South Park-like Characters: http://www.customsouthparks.com/ [Shift-Command-4 to take screen shot]
• Super Hero Characters: http://marvel.com/games/play/31/create_your_own_superhero [Shift-Command-4 to take screen shot]

Use applications to modify photos/images:

• LiveQuartz - Follow the first part of these instructions.
• ComicLife - Use the filters in the Details section, then export your images.
• Keynote - Use the Instant Alpha tool in Keynote to remove regions like solid colored backgrounds.
• Photoshop - Advanced photo editing software. Requires some experience.

Scan images:

• Drawings
• Personal photos
• other

Story:
*Write Story: Use text boxes to write your story. I recommend writing no more than a few sentences on each slide. You may want to create your story in the style of a children's book.

Minimum Requirements:
*Title Page: Include title, your name, color, and at least one relevant image
*Number of Slides: Include at least 8 slides (not counting the title slide). Feel free to have more than 8 slides, if needed.
*Grammar/Spelling/Punctuation: Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Be sure to proofread your work, and use the spellcheck tool.