Adobe Express (formerly Spark Video)
Adobe Express (formerly Adobe Spark) is a user-friendly multimedia creation tool that empowers students to express their creativity through video, graphics, and storytelling. Designed with ease-of-use in mind, Adobe Express enables students to combine text, music, images, voiceovers, and video clips into professional-looking multimedia projects. With its intuitive features and education-friendly interface, Adobe Express is ideal for a wide variety of classroom applications.
Getting Started with Adobe Express
- Access Adobe Express:
Visit https://www.adobe.com/express and sign in with a school-provided email, Google account, or create a free Adobe ID. Educators can sign up through Adobe’s education-specific portal for classroom access. - Launch a New Project:
Students can choose to create a video, flyer, webpage, or social media post. For digital storytelling, select the Video option. - Watch the Intro Video:
Adobe Express provides a short walkthrough when starting a new project. Have students view the tutorial to understand the tools available. This sparks excitement and builds confidence. - Upload and Arrange Content:
Students can upload their own photos, video clips, or use Adobe’s free stock library. They can arrange content in any order to tell their story effectively.
- Add Narration, Music, and Text:
Students can record voiceovers, add royalty-free music, and include text to highlight key information.
Alignment with the iTECH Model
Huddle: Students present their projects to the class or upload them to a shared platform. Facilitate peer feedback sessions, encouraging constructive discussion about clarity, creativity, and technical execution.
Inspire: Begin by showcasing engaging examples of Adobe Express videos or digital stories. Highlight the impact of multimedia storytelling and how digital tools can amplify student voice.
Try: Let students explore the app freely. Encourage experimentation with adding slides, choosing themes, and layering voice or music. Provide a brief challenge like “create a 3-slide intro to a story you love.”
Expand: Guide students in refining their approach. Introduce storytelling concepts such as pacing, transitions, and emotional tone. Clarify the project goal—whether it’s a grammar video, an advocacy message, or a historical re-telling—and provide expectations using a rubric.
Create: Students begin their full project, applying what they’ve learned about both the tool and digital storytelling. Offer checkpoints for feedback and coaching along the way.
Persuasive Writing Prompt
Have students write a persuasive writing piece. You could choose a prompt or have students come up with their own topic. Some ideas could include the best place for a vacation or the best animal for a pet. After students write their persuasive writing, they could create an advertisement in Express to go along with their writing piece. This would work well for students in grade 3-5 but could be adapted for younger kids.
Grammar Lesson
In groups or in partners, students choose a grammar rule, or you could assign them one. They have to create a video to teach the class the rule. They can use their voice and create slides to teach the lesson. Students often learn better from their peers, so this could be a great tool to teach almost any topic.
Historical Event Reenactments:
Students research a historical event and bring it to life using Adobe Express, incorporating maps, timelines, and key quotes. This project integrates research, narration, and sequencing skills.
Tips for Effective Implementation
- Familiarize with the Tool:
Allow time for students to explore Adobe Express before beginning a full project. Consider a low-stakes activity like a “What I Did This Weekend” video. - Storyboarding:
Encourage students to plan their narrative using a storyboard template. This helps organize visuals, narration, and the sequence of events. - Teach Storytelling Basics:
Share examples of good storytelling structure—hook, build-up, climax, and conclusion—and show how these can be applied to digital formats.
Role of Educators
Educators serve as facilitators, helping students leverage Adobe Express as a tool for creative expression. Support can range from guiding narrative development to helping troubleshoot technical challenges. Most importantly, teachers encourage reflection and ensure that student voice remains central to each project.
Click here for a presentation you can use with your staff. It is completely editable so feel free to make any changes you need.