This site is a good change of pace for the students.
Community Review for Storyline Online
My Take
Even if students are unaware who the actor is they think it is very cool that the person is an actor. I feel like this keep the students more engaged. The actor read slowly and clearly and shows pictures to go along with the story. When I first introduced this site some of my students said, "Miss Jeffers were watching a movie!" There is a nice varieties of books to choose from.
How I Use It
I like to use story online as a change of pace instead of me reading a story aloud a famous person reads the story aloud. I have used this as whole group and individual student learning. This activity takes me about 15 minutes I choose a story and then ask comprehension questions to check for understanding. When I use this for individual student learning students will write 3 to 4 sentences explaining what the story was about in their own words.