Kid Pix & ClarisWorks in the Classroom
ClarisWorks and Kid Pix are both computer software programs that can be used for word processing and basic computer graphics projects. KidPix, in particular, allows children to use the computer to create drawings with line, brush and shape tools. Stamps, slideshows and videos are all features of KidPix, which is used on Apple computers. While ClarisWorks has been replaced by AppleWorks, and now iWork, for Apple computers, some classrooms may still be using ClarisWorks and can create lesson plans around the programs.
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Dimension with KidPix
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Teach children about depicting dimension with KidPix's feature that turns two-dimensional scenes into three-dimensional scenes. Help the children navigate through various 2D scenes in the KidPix library, and then, one by one, have them change each scene with KidPix's 3D tool. After each scene change, ask students to raise their hands and talk about what changed. Ask them what looks more realistic.
Storytelling with KidPix
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Since KidPix is particularly helpful for storytelling, ask students to create a story in KidPix. Have them write a one-page story in a journal or notebook and then give them class time as a long-term project to use KidPix to illustrate their imaginations, bringing their stories off the paper and on to the screen. Help them become familiar with KidPix's path animation and 3D drawing and background tools to create settings and characters that move across the screen. Have students record as voiceover their stories that they wrote in their journals.
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Science with ClarisWorks
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Use the graphic and data collection function within ClarisWorks to teach students science lessons about topics like the effects of water and air temperature on precipitation. Have children make rain gauges and measure rainfall outside the classroom for a period of weeks. Each time they take a measurement have them also measure temperature and dew point. Have them record their measurements in ClarisWorks on a spreadsheet. At the end of the period, teach them to turn that data into a graph in ClarisWorks to see how rainfall amount, dew point and temperature changed over the observation time. Discuss observations together, looking for trends in the data measured.
Poetry with ClarisWorks
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Use the word processing function of ClarisWorks to teach children about poetry. For example, teach children about Haikus, reading examples of Haikus to them in class. Then, have them log on to ClarisWorks and write their own Haiku. Follow up the writing activity with a drawing activity by having students draw a picture of their Haiku in KidPix.
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