Frosty friends

Students will draw snowmen using various tools in the illustration component of their program. Our students use KidWorks2 by Davidson but others may be used instead. They will then write original stories to accompany their illustrations.

A lesson plan for grade K Computer/Technology Skills and English Language Arts

By Linda Baker

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Related topics

• Learn more about education technology, language arts, technology skills, and writing.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• use graphic tools to draw a snowman, complete with background setting. Pictures will be saved to a file.
• write original stories about the snowman they created.
• retrieve their picture and keyboard their story.
• share their illustrated stories.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

2 hours

Materials/resources

Paper and pencils

Technology resources

• Software program with combination graphic/word processing components. (We use KidWorks2 by Davidson)
• Projection unit for large group viewing of demonstration.
• Printer (preferably with color)

Pre-activities

• Discussion of weather that would produce snow for building a snowman.
• Discussion of process for building a snowman.
• Identification of shapes (body is circular/oval, top hat may be rectangular, etc.)
• Illustration of using a Horizon Line to “ground” the snowman.
• Discussion of the jobs of an author and an illustrator and what part each plays in the creation of a story.

Activities

Class 1

1. Students will use the drawing component of KidWorks2 to illustrate a snowman, complete with a background. Drawing tools used will be the circular/oval tool, ruler, pencil, paint bucket, color selections, pattern choices, stamps, “boo-boo” box and typewriter. Snowmen are created and decorated originally by each student.
2. A horizon line is added to separate ground and sky.
3. Stamps may be used to add to the picture (ie, trees, birds, dogs, footprints, etc.)
4. Students use the typewriter to add their name to the picture.
5. Pictures are saved in the Picture Box (file).
6. Before returning to the computer, students will write original stories about their snowman.

Class 2

1. Students will open KidWorks2 and will select the word processing component from the menu page.
2. Students will retrieve their drawing.
3. Students will keyboard the story they wrote about their snowman by using the appropriate keys. A keyboard review may be necessary prior to this with special emphasis on the “shift,” “delete,” “space bar” and punctuation keys.
4. Completed stories and illustrations will be printed so that they may be shared with classmates and family.

Assessment

• Printed work
• Students will be given the opportunity to read their stories to others

Supplemental information

Comments

This is a favorite with my kindergarten classes and allows them lots of creativity with both illustration and authorship.