Tech Integration Project
Lesson Accelerator: Project Overview

Seasons Slideshow
Software Type: Mulitmedia
The example project created in this Lesson Accelerator addresses NETS Performance Indicators for middle grades as used in a(n) Science curriculum. It could also be used with older learners or adapted for lower grades. See the section on Extending and Adapting at the bottom of this page for ideas on how to use this same project for different subjects, grades, and skill levels.
Project Launchers
Lesson Accelerator Project Launcher pages contain video tutorials that show you, step-by-step, how to create this project using specific software applications, as well as a movie showing you what the finished project looks like. They also provide a download of all the example files used in the project, so you can recreate it.
When you've reviewed all the information on this page and would like to go to a Project Launcher, click the application name below that corresponds to the one you'd like to use for the project.
Go to: Kid Pix Deluxe 4 (PC) - Project Launcher
Go to: Kid Pix Deluxe 3X (Mac) - Project Launcher
Description
Students will be working with multimedia software to illustrate a tree during each of the four seasons. They will begin by creating a tree background on their page. They will save several copies of the tree using the "Save As" command, and then modify the copies of the tree to represent each season. They will also create a title page for their project. Finally, they will combine all of their pages into a slideshow, setting the timing of each slide and adding transitions between slides. They will preview their slideshow, learn how to print all of their pages, and then save the slideshow in a movie format that they can share with others.
Goals
To provide students with the opportunity to use software tools to illustrate and present information about a specific topic.
Objectives
The student will be able to:
  • Open a new document and save multiple copies of the document with new filenames.
  • Use basic drawing tools to create and modify images on the page.
  • Combine their images into a slideshow.
  • Modify the slideshow properties and settings.
  • Export the slideshow to a format that can be shared with others.
  • Print and save their final project.
Preparation and Skill Mastery
Students should have mastered basic computer skills, such as the use of input devices (mouse, keyboard, etc.), opening and closing applications, and saving documents to a personal folder or directory.
Materials
  • A computer with multimedia software installed.
  • A printer (optional).
Task List
The tasks to be completed for this project include:
  • Open a new document and create a background image.
  • Save multiple copies of the page with different filenames.
  • Modify the copies for each of the four seasons, using basic draw & stamp tools.
  • Add text to each page.
  • Create a slideshow and modify slideshow properties and settings.
  • Preview the slideshow.
  • Export the slideshow in a format that can be shared with others.
  • Print a copy of the final project.
Assessment
Assessment can be based on the following:
  • A rubric for assessing mastery of the project skills is included in the downloadable resource packet. This may be used by the teacher for assessing student mastery, or as a self-assessment tool by the student.
Extending or Adapting
Here are some possible ways that this lesson plan might be extended or adapted for different timeframes, grade levels, and skill/ability levels:
  • The example project, as demonstrated in the tutorial movies, uses the four seasons as the focus topic. The project could be easily adapted for other presentations that illustrate how something might change over time, such as weather or plants growing.
  • This project could be extended by having students write sentences or stories about each of the seasons. Their text could be added to the pages or used to record voice narration for each page.