This is a four week project that begins with using a template made with Kid Pix Deluxe. The students will work both individually and in pairs on alternating weeks. They will work two times as a class with Kid Pix Deluxe, and then two times as a class working with Kid Pix 3. They will add to, and create their own patterns.

Week 1:  After completing your 10 minutes of that weeks' Kid Keys lesson, have the students open the template that has been saved onto your student shared drive. Kid Pix Template. (you must save this template by right clicking on the link and choosing "Save Target As". Save it to the student shared drive and be sure to put a short cut to the "kid Pix guy" in that same folder. The children will need to click and drag the template over the "kid pix guy" in order to open it the correct way.)      

 The children will open this template, and click on the moving van . Have them choose the second green box at the bottom, as this one fits perfectly around each of the stamps. They will then practice clicking and dragging each stamp into place to complete the pattern. Once they are satisfied with their product, they will need to click on the typewriter and type their name, or click on the A and stamp their name on the page . They can print this out and it may be used as an exercise of practicing patterns or as an assessment.

Week 2: Children will be assigned a partner to work with after the initial 10 minutes in the lab using Kid Keys. Each pair will create their own patterns using Kid Pix Deluxe as indicated by the teacher. ex: abab or aabbaabb, or aabaab etc. They will make several lines on the page first to separate the different patterns that they are making and then the teacher can either choose which stamps for them to use (i.e.: animals with fur if they are studying that in science) or let them choose their own stamps. They will then stamp the AB pattern under each picture.

Week 3:   Children will use Kid Pix 3 individually after the initial 10 minute lesson with Kid Keys. They will make lines to separate their patterns and using the stamp tool only, they will create their own patterns as directed by the teacher. If they are getting good with patterns, you can even have them do several different patterns that you have chosen. This can be printed out for an individual assessment of their patterning skills and of their skills with the Kid Pix 3 program. Depending upon their skills with Kid Pix 3, they can use the stickers or animations for their patterns as well.

Week 4:  Children again will be assigned in pairs to work together. They will take turns drawing lines to separate their patterns. They will then decide upon two different patterns of their choice, stamp the patterns a couple of times, and in a space at the top of the page, they will stamp extra pictures of their pattern for someone else to complete their pattern. After everyone has made their two different patterns, the students will move one computer to their right (for example) and those two students will then work together to decide upon the pattern, and move the stamps that have been left for them at the top of the page into the correct positions. (moving is accomplished by clicking on the glove tool, and using the scissors to "cut" the stamp out and then click and drag the stamp to its next location.) Once that is done, the original students can return to their computer, add their names and print out their work.

 Here is what it might look like before the second pair switches and completes the pattern: