“Pixie” ideas for the classroom

Every year there is a program that I decide I adore. This year it’s Tech4learning’s Pixie - Check out the software overview by clicking the link. Our county purchased Pixie as part of Tech4learning’s Imagination Suite. We also received Image Blender and Web Blender as part of this package.

What is Pixie?
Pixie is a drawing and painting program that allows children to express their creativity and practice much needed educational concepts. There are hundreds of educational templates that are ready for your students to use within the program. You can also create your own activities for students to complete within Pixie.

RESOURCES

TRADING POST. This Tech4Learning website is a place where educators can upload their Pixie templates, activities, and lesson plans. They are there for you to download and use with your class! Sign up for free.

Tech4Learning’s homepage is a great resource for tutorials, tips, and support for any of their programs: Pixie, Web Blender, and Image Blender.

Recipes4Success is a great website that provides tutorials on this program and all Tech4Learning programs.

BEST FEATURES ABOUT PIXIE:

1. Print multiple pictures: If you choose to print multiple paintings at one time, you can print as “trading cards” and trade your pictures with your friends. Think of classroom implications: if each child trades a different historical or literary figure, they can learn from each other’s cards. You can also print mini booklets, comic strips, and table tents.
2. Share your pictures: Choose to play your pictures in slideshow format directly from Pixie. Add music, transitions, and have it run continuously. In addition, you can export your slideshow as a Quicktime video, a web page, or a full presentation.
3. Export your pictures: Export Pixie paintings as common picture formats such as JPS or GIF. Now you can import them into Microsoft Office, Photo Story, Movie Maker, etc. This also means you do not need to have Pixie on your computer to view your pictures.

Language Arts Ideas

• Create an ABC book. Give each student a different letter to stamp out with stickers or draw with the tools.
• Create a noun sort by person, place and thing.
• Sort words by consonant sound or vowel sound
• Complete a Making Words activity using the letter stickers.
• Create writing prompts for kids: Seasons, My Favorite Animal, My Hero, etc.
• Graphic Organizers: Venn Diagrams, Story Maps, KWL, etc.
• Sort words by syllables
• Type and illustrate a poem
• Create trading cards of literary figuresSort between real and fictional characters
  

Math Ideas

• Import real pictures. Draw and label angles that you find.
• Use the coins to show different ways to make the same amount of money.
• Stamp out number sentences to illustrate them.
• Symmetry with the mirror tool.
• Expanded form

Science Ideas

• Illustrate Life Cycles
• Sort by Living and Non-Living
• Illustrate the Water Cycle or the Rock Cycle
• Illustrate weather for the week
• Sort objects by sink or float
• Label parts of an insect, parts of a flower, layers of the earth, planets in the solar system, layers of the rainforest, etc.
• Food Chains and Food Webs
• Food Pyraminds
• Differences between whales and fish
• Differences between the different types of rock
• Create trading cards of different rocks, minerals, or elements

Social Studies Ideas

• “If I were president” writing prompt
• Label a map of the US by the intials of each state
• Compare presidents or any 2 historical figures
• Add a state stamp and fill it with stamps that represent resources available from that state
• Color the regions of MDSort by community helpers
• Sort by human, natural, and capital resources
• Create trading cards of historical figures or current political figures
• Create a postcard from a historical landmark or location

Art Ideas

• Design a kite
• Design a Christmas ornament
• Paint a self-portrait
• Label a color wheel
• Paint anything!

Related Posts:

Recording Sounds in Pixie

Opening a Folder of Pictures in Pixie

Exporting a Painting as a .jpeg in Pixie

Classroom Ideas for Pixie