Kid Pix-Learning Ideas
Grades 2-4
These suggestions come from Grade 3 teacher Joan Hamilton
of Salisbury, Maryland. Joan is one of those teachers who is interested
in learning how to make use of technology with her students.
What follows are some of her ideas for teaching her students
how to make use of Kid Pix and Kid Pix Companion for work they do in Grade
3. These sessions will not, for the most part, take an entire period. Hamilton
generally teaches skills and follows up with work targeted to classroom
content.
Session I
- Have the students click on the stamp icon and practice
using the stamps.
- Have them select Companion from the menu and practice
with swap stamps.
- Suggest that they select a stamp connected with summer
and stamp their choice on their screen. Let them experiment with using
option, shift, and option and shift to create different sizes of the selected
stamp.
- Show the students how to print out their creations. (If
you are in a lab, check with the computer specialist to determine if there
will be problems if many of the children try to print at the same time.
With some printing set-ups, especially when printing to one or two ink
jet printers, there may be problems if all try to print at once.)
- Let them have fun with the eraser.
- Have the students clean the screen and try what they
have learned by creating their own design/picture.
- Show them how to quit, but not save the work.
Session II
- Review content learned in previous lesson.
- Teach the students use of the paint bucket.
- Have them click on A with the option key down. Select
print (dark one) and color.
- Have them put the mouse at the bottom of the screen and
type a sentence about summer vacation.
- Show them how to change the style after typing.
- Have them draw stamps (no background)
- Teach them to save their work.
Session III
- Have the students create a summer picture to go with
their sentence and work from the previous session.
- Have them experiment with the various options available
to them.
- Instruct them to print their creations.
Session IV
- Review use of Companion with the students and have them
click on the Companion menu.
- Have them select Wacky TV.
- Use the instructions from the manual.
- Go over the symbols such as Start--Stop--Rewind.
- Let them enjoy going through the movies.
Session V
- Have the students select a movie.
- Have them click on paste and move to desired place.
- Have them click on matching color--paint can.
- Let them decorate the background.
- Show them how to play the movie using Command U.
- Show them how to stop by clicking the mouse on the movie.
- Have them share their creations with each other.
Session VI
- Have them practice what they have learned.
- Let them get into Companion and Wacky TV.
- Instruct them to choose movie and click on mixer.
- Have them try each symbol.
- Have them click on stop before trying the next.
Future Sessions
- Ask the students for their input about Kid Pix and Companion
options they have found useful, but were not covered in class. Have students
who discovered interesting options teach the others how to make use of
these options.
- Talk with the students about the uses of Kid Pix and
Kid Pix Companion for their school work.
- Let them help each other to see how these programs can
be used as tools to help them with learning.
- Explain to the students when time is available that they
may work on Kid Pix and Companion files. Remind them to save their files
so that they can continue to work with them.
- Talk with the students about responsible use of technology.
For example, others in the class should not open anyone else's files without
permission.
Suggestions for Parents: This
lesson was first developed to help teachers learn to use technology with
classroom activities. It can just as easily be used at home. In fact, your
children probably won't need the specific instructions provided. Just give
them a task and they'll take off with it.
Submitted by:
Joan Hamilton
Grade 3 Teacher
Worcester Country School
Berlin, MD
Lesson Plan Disclaimer
