1. Paint and Eric Carle We began an Author theme in January.
We read Eric Carle stories and looked at the pictures carefully.
We also began a science unit on Characteristics of Objects and Materials.
We explored texture and finger painted.
Eric Carle-Style Collages using Paint and SMART Notebook
by Glenda MacPhee
February 27, 2009

2. Our almost completed results
Our practice results
CATERPILLAR PPT
Eric Carle style pictures can be created both with paper but also via computer using actual finger paint swatches.
Next task was divvying up the alphabet.
Sketched on paper and wrote an alliterative sentence about an animals.
Also found we needed to create a few more swatches or rubbings to add more colours. Some swatches worked better than others. I learned as much as the kids did.
ANIMAL PARADE PPT
There is some good information on Eric Carle website but I actually never got around to using it.
Our almost completed results
(including oops! pages)

3. Save in files accessible for the kids.
Scan finger paintings or other images and arrange 9-12 on a page in album options.
Save in files accessible for the kids.
Remember to select the Read-only option under properties.
I scanned the finger paintings as images and arranged 9-12 on a page and saved these in files accessible for the kids. I was able to do that in the scanning program. Be sure to save as a read only file or they will cut holes in them at first.

4. Open paint swatches with paint.
Then have the children open the paint swatches file with Paint.
We opened paint swatches “open with” paint or they will open with photo editor or photo filter which doesn’t have the same cutting tool.
Don’t let the kids change the view size in paint.
Open paint swatches with paint.
(They may default open with photo editor or photo filtre.)
Enlarge to half the screen only

5. Paint
SMART Notebook
Then we opened SMART Notebook. This program is familiar to my class because I use it daily in the classroom for many things such as Number of the Day and calendar activities, literacy activities, etc.
When we tackled this project I did not have a SMART board. I do now so I know it is much easier and the children are that much more fluent in computer use.
Changing the background colour at the beginning of our task by clicking on format so that they remembered to set transparency worked much better second time around.
Open SMART Notebook and resize so that both programs are open at once. Change background colour by clicking on format so that you remember to set transparency in the next step.

6. Use Free form select tool to cut desired shapes.
Using Free Form Select tool, cut shapes from swatches…right click, copy paste, onto SMART page. Kids already know clone, turn, resize, pen tools and eraser.
Needed to learn right clicks, copy/paste, set picture transparency. Remembering to switch right/left clicks was tricky for them. Also, I initially forgot to save the paint swatches as read only and many kept clicking cut instead of copy so they left holes in the samples. It was also important to teach them to use the edit undo commands. There were students who caught on very quickly and helped one another.
Use Free form select tool to cut desired shapes.
Copy and paste onto SMART notebook page using right
click copy and paste. (Kids have a tendency to use cut instead of copy so
holes appear in swatches unless you have saved as Read only file.)

7. Click on the shape to get the arrow and green circle.
here
The next part was tricky. They needed to set picture transparency to get rid of the white part around the shape but even grade one students were able to manage this. Last year I didn’t think about changing the background colour so kids kept missing this step. This year was so simple because we set the background colour first.
Click on the shape to get the arrow and green circle.
Click on the arrow and select Set picture transparency.

8. Use CLONE or COPY , FLIP tools by clicking on the arrow.
Use green circle to swivel.
White circle to resize,etc.
We created caterpillars first to practice techniques.
The kids love using SMART pens.
Results were so good we had to create a script so we could publish…We used their names and an action word.
Use ORDER to
rearrange parts.

9. Use SMART Notebook tools to add details.
Kids love these options.

10. such as speech balloons.
The fun part for the kids came last.
Use shapes to add items
such as speech balloons.

11. DRAW and GROUP or right click on the picture and then group.
Select ALL.
DRAW and GROUP or right click on the picture and then group.
Can also change colours with spray can, etc. but generally didn’t.
Once complete I tweaked some slightly. (They tended to come out vertically.)
Then select all.
DRAW Group or right click on the picture and then group.
Export (depending on version) as PPT or image file and paste into common file
Watch SMART versions as I found it frustrating that our classroom version was different from lab…caused some problems as they can’t read up.

12. bulletin board displays.
Export as POWER POINT
or image file.
It can then be compiled
into a digital show or
printed for books or
bulletin board displays.
Have fun!
By the time we finished our project most of my grade one students were able to teach their grade five buddies how to create a picture for their French project. When building houses for the three little pigs the infinite cloner command came in really handy. My kids became really fluent at locating and saving their files.

13. Literacy with ICT Where does this fit?
This art project can fit into several areas of the developmental contiuum
Follows given plans and adapts given plan
Participate in establishing criteria
Composes text, sketches images and revises electronic work
Edits electronic work and solves problems
Invites and shares constructive feedback
Works with others and collaborates with peers
Demonstrates confidence and self-motivation while doing ICT tasks
Recognizes ICT problems and seeks assistance to solve them
Opportunities for other areas such as ethics as well.

14. Other Curricular Connections
ART - Create collage
ART APPRECIATION – recognize works of Eric Carle
ELA – Recognize and use simple patterns to create page for collaborative writing project
ELA – Lots of reading involved in the steps.
This doesn’t need to be a connection to Eric Carle. My students have already added to the techniques they learned and realized they could add their own photos. This could be used in lots of other ways…social studies, science, health. Giving them the basics opens up a whole new opportunity.