What is
Pixie 2 is similar to PowerPoint and Paint, but is easier to use, to manipulate, and is more fun. It is a software where users can draw, type, and create slides, and save as individual pictures, movies, or a web page. It includes kid friendly images, similar to clip art, backgrounds, sound, and stickers. Users can export a drawing to be used in other programs.
Pixie 2 Features
Pixie 2 has several tools to help create a unique illustration. The image below is what a blank slide looks like. Each tool is labeled.
Most of the tools listed, are self explanatory. However, there are a few tools worth mentioning.
- The spray can, roller, stamp, and stickers are images students can spray, roll, stamp, or stick onto their slide. There are thousands of images to select from.
- The record button. This needs no explanation, but is very unique. There are endless options as what to record, but is a fun feature which adds a new dimension to presentations.
- Hundreds of pre-made templates are available to use.
My Activities - where students can store their work
All About Me - activities to tell your story
Language Arts - Alphabet, Parts of Speech, Reading, and Writing
Math - Fractions, Measurement, Money, Number Facts, Patterns, and more!
Science - Earth & Space, Health, Biology, Matter, Seasons, and Weather
Social Studies - Community, Culture, Geography, History, Maps
Holidays - Activities sortable by months
Foreign Languages - French, German, and Spanish Activities
Templates - Dozens of ready made sheets
Benefits for Using Pixie 2 in the Elementary Classroom
Fun and Creative
Students love to create using Pixie 2! Not only do students enjoy using the program, but teachers do too. Pixie 2 allows students to use their creativity in every subject.
Great for Assignments or Projects
Provides students with open-ended projects. It is low entry; every student, despite their learning abilities, can use Pixie 2. It is high exit; students can demonstrate their abilities going beyond expectations using Pixie 2.
Student Centered
Pixie 2 helps limited teacher-based instruction, and allows students to be actively engaged.
Resource for Teachers
Templates help support instruction across the curriculum. They can be used as lessons, assessments, homework, and printed. Examples include: Flag Fractions and Singular Nouns.
Pixie 2 and Writing
An article from The Creative Educator supports Pixie 2, "Engaging and motivating opportunities in Pixie can also help [teachers] 6+1 writing Instruction".
The 6 + 1 Traits include: ideas, organization, voice, word choice, fluency, conventions, and presentation. How Pixie 2 enhances students writing:
Ideas
Students can use images to help convey their ideas, and use writing templates to help organize their ideas.
Voice
Voice refers to the tone the author creates through the writing. Young students frequently do not recognize when voice is expressed in writing. Having students record themselves reading a passage allows students to hear tone. Students will have examples how different styles or writing condone a certain tone.
Word Choice
To help students broaden their vocabulary, they can examine the images from Pixie 2, and describe what they perceive. Students can demonstrate their understanding of words by drawing pictures, like the light bulb example.
Fluency
As students are writing, they may not be aware of how fluent their sentence structure is. Students can record themselves reading their work, and listen to their recording to help identify areas in their writing that lack strong fluency.
Conventions
Like most word processors, Pixie 2 has a spell check to help identify incorrect spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Pixie 2 allows the spell check to turn off, so the writer and identify their mistakes through the editing process.
Presentation
Pixie 2 provides a variety of options for presentation. Students can create visual art, add images, and recordings. Their work can be presented through a movie (slideshow), webpage, or simply printed. There are several different ways to print slides on Pixie 2. They include: full page, table tent, greeting card, booklet, comic book (4), comic book (5), trading cards, and thumbnails.
Pixie 2 Writing Lesson Example
Colorado Academic Content Standards: Reading and Writing K-4 with Pixie lessons.
Standard 3: Students write and speak using conventional grammar, usage, punctuation, grammar, capitulation, and spelling.
Benchmark 3: spelling frequently used words correctly using phonemic rules and exceptions.
Suggested Pixie 2 Lesson: Use the Dolch list found in the Stickers to write a story.
Students will place the Dolch list found in the stickers and paste on their slide. Using the sight words provided in the list, students can they write/type a story. Once they are finished, they can record themselves reading the story. The teacher can then upload a slide from each student and present a movie, or a slide show. Students will be able to see how the sight words can be used differently, and enjoy other students work.
This document is a wonderful resource for Colorado teachers. It outlines the Language Art's standards with Pixie 2 lessons.
Literacy Example
This video is an example on how to use Pixie 2 for Language Arts in the primary grades.
This video focuses on using Pixie 2 for reading, but watch closely- writing is included. How can you integrate writing in these lessons?
Examples of Student Work
Digital Story Telling Activity
Book Review: Book Talks
Native Americans of the Plateau
Extended Learning
Interested in learning more about Pixie 2? Check out these sites and articles:
Resources
Technology Resource Teachers. http://sites.fcps.org/trt/pixie2. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
Pixie 2. J. Kilcouse. May 2008. <http://www.danbury.k12.ct.us/elemweb/elemweb/How_To_files/Pixie%202.pdf>. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
www.tech4learning.com/pixie
Support 6 + 1 Trait Writing With Pixie. The Creative Educator. <http://www.tech4learning.com/userfiles/file/pdfs/Pixie/Pixie2_61_Writing.pdf> Retrieved on April 10, 2010.
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