KidPix Studio for elementary school

Tõrva Gymnasium

KidPix is a multimedia programs that suits very well for starting computer classes and making different subject classes more interesting.

One can start with pictures to be painted, here a child can practice how to guide the mouse, click the left button of the mouse and choose between different colours.

Here we can also explain the meaning of a command Undo, that will cancel the last command given.

AS KidPix contains ready-made objects and pictures that can be put on the screen when clicking the left button of the mouse, it provides the students with a nice chance to learn other subjects. In math, for example, you can click a pre-determined number of objects, count similar objects, etc. As one can also create letters and numbers when using the tool ribbon on the left side of the screen, the counting results can be stored on the screen and use them for completing adding and subtraction tasks.

The child can write his/her name on the corner of the screen and try to find objects the name of which will start with the same letter. After that the objects listed under every letter will be counted and corresponding number will be attached to the pictures. Verbally one can discuss about the number of pictures under every letter; which letter got the highest and the lowest scores.

The child will choose the right button from the tool ribbon and draws 2 rectangles (as big as possible). One will be inscribed as ON THE MAINLAND, another as IN THE WATER; after that he child has to find pictures of plants or animals and place them into corresponding boxes.

When speaking of computer skill obtained, the child will learn how to choose suitable button from the tool ribbon, how to click the left button of the mouse and if required, also to correct and complement his/her work.

KidPix tool ribbon also includes a “brush”, that will help to create all kinds of pictures on the screen when clicking or dragging the left button of the mouse.

One of the options is to create all kinds of little bugs and worms on the screen. The child will fill the screen with desirable number of these creatures, then takes a crayon from the tool ribbon and uses line to join bugs into pairs. After that the child has to see that the lines won’t be crossing. This exercise will teach the child how to use the mouse to draw a free line and choose desirable thickness for the line.

The “brush” can be used to create hands of different colour on the screen. The task of the child is to draw a screenful of hands using the “brush” and use numbers to tag pairs of similar-looking hands. This exercise will teach the child how to make choices and to inform the computer about these choices.

The “brush” also enables the child to create a certain facet of a dice on the screen. One of the possible tasks would be to ask the child to make a certain number of facets, for example 4 of them lined up, and 5 rows of each line; after that the child will have to count the number of points in all rows and in total for all the rows. The figures have to be written in the end of every row and the exercise as the whole. The exercise can be completed as a competition. Here the child can practice making a screen layout and of course, making choices.

The “Brush” can also fill the screen with exercises from multiplication table (answers are also provided). The child will try to create exercises with no answers (you have to release the left button of the mouse in time) – for example, 10 tasks and the child him/herself or his/her deskmate will have to give the answers. After that the answers need to be checked and to tag right and wrong answers.

This are some of the demonstration tasks that have proved to be good and will teach the child how to practice methods for communicating with the computer; at the same time the child will practice and get more profound skills while the tasks otherways boring will offer him/her more pleasure and entertainment. At the same time the child will get used to the idea of computer being not only a toy but also a useful tool.

Malve Zimmermann

Computer and Math teacher of Tõrva Gymnasium