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Unit 4B objectives
- Children learn to use ICT tools appropriately
and will select areas of an image to cut, copy and change. They
learn to export their work to other packages and import images
from sources such as clip art, scanner or digital camera
- Children will apply what they have
learned in this unit when using ICT to produce pictures, plans
and maps in art, design and technology, and geography
Expectations
- Most children are expected to use a
computer graphics package to develop an image using a variety
of tools.
- Some children will have progressed
further, and use a computer graphics package to develop and refine
an image selecting the most appropriate tools, and saving drafts.
Activity Description
Each short focused task was introduced in the
classroom using the SmartBoard. Pupils then worked in pairs in the computer
suite.
Christmas wrapping paper
Repeating patterns using stamps in Colour
Magic
Dream pictures
In Art, we had made dream backgrounds using Word and Colour Magic. This task focused on how to use fill effects and special tools.
Fish Tank
Draw a background for water, then add a fish from Clipart. Copy and paste the fish.
Islamic/Egyptian carpets, using Colour Magic.
Additional task of making Christmas Wrapping paper, importing from Colour Magic into Publisher. Repeating patterns were used. Children were shown how to change an object colour
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Integrated task - Christmas
Montage inspired by Pablo Picasso's Guitar
This was undertaken in groups of 10 to facilitate
discussion and aid assessment. The activity was introduced using
the SmartBoard. Then, there were three sessions of 50 minutes
each.
Rather than reproduce the 'guitar', children
opted to make a Christmas Montage. Materials such as folded decorations
and greetings cards were scanned and manipulated in Ulead Express.
Pupils began to realise the constant need to evaluate their work
throughout the project. They considered what they might include
in their designs. The images were also manipulated with this in
mind.
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In the second session, the children pasted
items from Colour Magic into Publisher. The group were left to
work at their own pace. The children were comfortable and secure
at working independently but were used to discussing their ideas
with one another.
I monitored the activity, asking open ended
questions. When asked for help and advice, I would respond so
as to aid progress, without doing the work for the child.
I posed the question, "What
would we change, how and why change it? What are we trying to
create?" Pupils were encouraged
to work with this in mind. |
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Commentary
Billie: Level 3
This piece shows Level 3 achievement
because Billie has met the criteria to use two computer graphics packages
and to develop and refine images using a variety of tools. She was able
to show how the tools in the package allowed her to alter her stars.
Before pupil evaluation |
After pupil evaluation |
Billie was able to copy and paste into
Publisher. She managed to cut out an individual star by using 'selection
tools'. Billie thought that objects on the page were too small, but
did not know how to use zoom. Her work shows evidence of reflection
regarding her intended audience through the different drafts saved,
and observations in her commentary.
Billie was very happy with her final
design, but would have liked more time to have another go to produce
a different effect.
Tonia: Level 3+
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Tonia worked confidently, using
short cuts (undo, redo, copy, paste) to enhance her work. She
sought advice, especially to make sure that she had got it right!
I encouraged her to think why she was using certain images - what
did she feel Christmas was about? Although we had all talked about
evaluating as we worked, Tonia insisted she would only think about
whether she was happy with it at "'the end".
When Tonia's design was draft
printed, she noted that sometimes things looked different on the
screen. At this stage, she changed her views. She decided to add
a gold star to take the place of an over-stretched image that
had lost definition. She also responded to the views of other
students in order to analyse her work. |
Tonia finally succeeded in evaluating
her work. Her reflection about balance is evident in her montage. She
has combined and refined information from a variety of sources, including
scanned 3D images and those that have been given effects, e.g. spiral
Christmas. Tonia is able to show that she has thought about her audience.
Steven: Level 4
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Steven was excited and confident
through out the activity, and worked with a high level of independence.
He used the applications with ease, and constantly wanted to improve
his understanding.
Steven confidently discussed
what he thought about Christmas. He felt that the images the group
had scanned were somewhat restrictive, and that Christ was missing.
He also wanted to add in real photos. He asked if he could go
on to the Internet. I agreed, provided I supervised. We used Google's
image search, with the SafeSearch filter.
Steven knew how to search, and
what to do. He has reflected about his intended audience and has
combined text to convey a deeper meaning. Out of all three pieces,
Steven's reflects a deeper understanding of the original montage
by Picasso. His skills, thinking and reflection showed greater
independence. |
Reflections on the 'levelling'
process
The structure of the lesson, degree
of pupil evaluation/reflection and continual assessment of students'
work is dependent upon the working environment created by the teacher.
The teacher needs to pose questions to aid the learners' process of
reflection. If the final integrated task is too constrained, it may
prevent the pupil from achieving at a higher level. If the teacher demonstrates
the process in the most simplistic way, this may hold the pupil back.
The final outcomes may have been informed
and expedited by the teacher (you can't just leave a child sitting there!).
A detailed commentary, showing what help has been provided by the teacher,
is hardly practical for thirty children. Grouping may need to be considered
for the integrated task. It is almost impossible to hear the full dialogue
and decisions of pupils unless they are working in small groups.
The most important measure is the reflective
judgement of the teacher. The teacher needs to decide which level descriptors
'best fit' to the range of outcomes achieved by the pupil in progressing
through the scheme of work. |
