Pixie Quick Tip: Exporting Paintings as .JPEGs

When you save a painting in Pixie by going to "File" and "Save picture as", most users do not realize that the painting is being saved as a .pxi file (Pixie file). Therefore the picture you created will only open within Pixie software. (See picture below for what a Pixie file looks like.)

Instead, you will need to export your painting as a .JPEG, a picture file that will open in any application that takes pictures, such as Photo Story, Movie Maker, Microsoft Office, etc. To do this, click the "Export" button on the top toolbar and click 'Export'. Then click 'Export' again in the pop-up window so you can choose a folder and a drive to save it to. You're finished!

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Pixie Quick Tip: Opening a Folder of Pictures in Pixie

You can open a folder of pictures at one time within Pixie software. As a teacher, this a great feature! You can have your students make pictures within Pixie, save them to the Student Drive in the SAME folder, and open them all at once. Once you open your pictures all at once, you can view all the pictures as a slideshow within Pixie. If you have a prejector in your room, this is a quick and easy way to share your students' work at once time. So how do you do this?


1. Open Pixie and click the "Share" button on the top toolbar. (See below)

2. Then click the "Open a folder of Pictures" button in the lower right-hand side of the screen. (See below)

3. Browse to your folder and click "Open". When you open your pictures, the blank slide will still be there. To get rid of it, right click the blank slide and choose "Close Picture". Now you can click "Start" to begin your slideshow.

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Quick Tip: Recording Sounds in Pixie Software

Did you know you can connect a microphone headset to your computer and record your voice in Pixie software? Many teachers and students overlook this powerful feature. Recording sound on your Pixie picture is a wonderful way to narrate a digital story, add sound effects for a descriptive paragraph, or practice fluency and expression. To record a sound, connect your microphone, click the red record button, speak into the microphone and click the "stop" button when you are finished. (See picture below) Now you can press "Play" button to hear your sound. However, if you click "Share" and view your pictures as a slideshow within Pixie, you can view your pictures in slideshow format and your recorded sound will play automatically. ** Please note: If you export your Pixie pictures as a .jpeg or other file format, you will lose the ability to play the sound. The sound is only attached to "Pixie" files: .pxi files.

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“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!

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