Turning Tux Paint into a Classroom Tool

Tux Paint http://www.tuxpaint.org/

Intro to Tux Paint
Watch Introductory Video
http://www. youtube .com/watch?v=HBHfE2J0i7Y
Read about it: http://en. wikipedia .org/ wiki / Tuxpaint
Make sure the “stamps” are installed
Play around with it, especially Draw Tools, Magic, & Stamps
Use Undo button to “undo”
Understand limitations:
Can't Move an object once its pasted, but you can UNDO
Typos can't be fixed.

First, some Geek Talk
Let's explore the configuration options, but.... don't get bogged down with Config settings.
Try playing with Tux Paint before you explore all these settings.
Have fun first!
Skip to Slide 15 to focus on
Content and Curricular Ideas

Explore the configuration files
Start Tux Paint Configuration (NOT TUX PAINT)
Play around with the configuration files to find the best configuration for your grade levels
Discuss these configurations with your IT staff
Apply configuration desired to “all” users – Check “use all Users”
Must be in ADMIN mode to APPLY settings for ALL users

Video and Sound
Do you want sound effects enabled?

Mouse and Keyboard

Simplification

Language

Printing Options
Do you want your students to have a choice of Printers? For younger kids, it might be good to turn Printer Dialog off. You can always get a choice by holding down ALT with PRINT.

Saving
Important : CHECK start with Blank Canvas.
Explore the SAVE options that work best with your grade level.
I prefer using ALT Save Directory. (See next slide)

Where does Tux Paint Save?
By default: C:Documents and SettingsusernameApplication DataTuxPaintsaved Files are saved in *.png format You can change the default in the Configuration Menu (See previous slides)
Hint: If you don't want to change the 'config” files, then try Creating a shortcut in MY DOCUMENTS to the TuxPaint saved folder. This will allow you to access the finished images for other uses. (i.e. import then into a Presentation document. )

Hint: Finding your Images
HINT: Create a shortcut to this folder in “My Documents”
C:Documents and SettingsusernameApplication DataTuxPaintsaved

Hidden Files
If you can't find the path, make sure to show hidden files.

Data
Putting your stamps, starters, etc in a “common” folder that you can reach across the network has several advantages. You can add templates and stamps that become instantly available to all.

Pros and Cons of Alternative DATA location
Pros
You can create new templates and stamps that can be used from any computer where Tux paint is configured to access that location
Con
The number of Template Files could get quite large making it hard to navigate.
Geek Tip: T here are some ways to start Tux Paint with different types of configuration files from the command line. You could customize by creating different shortcuts.

Tux Paint Classroom Ideas
Creating Cool Book Covers
Sketching a picture to write about
Showing your math understanding
Exploring Art Grade Expectations
Illustrating science concepts
Adding variety to teacher presentation (use it like Smartboard software)
Self expression
Tech GE's in younger grades

Book Buddies
Day 1: Learning the basics of Tux Paint. Eight grade students mentored first grade students and teachers in exploring Tux Paint.
Day 2: Sketching Pre-writing Activity Eight grade students mentored first grade students in creating a drawing that they will write about. Print the Tux Paint picture.
Day 3: Writing about our drawing First grade students write stories about their picture back in their classroom.
Day 4: Typing with our Book Buddy Eight grade students work collaboratively on one Google Doc presentation inserting the First Grade student picture and typing the first grade buddy's story.
Day 5: Published Book
http://docs. google .com/Present? docid =ajb8zckp5j87_3fh3gc5fj
http://docs.google.com/Present?docid=dcghqxbn_6hdpnrjg2&invite=27091021

Buddy Books – Penguin Story Penguins that live in a park they always have fun there and there are 7 penguins in the park. One of the Penguins was kidnapped and there was a problem. Now there are 6 Penguins and the 6 Penguins are going to save the other penguin, whose name is Max. Mr. Officer rescued the Penguin and everyone is all back together. The 7th Penguin said thank you for saving me. And the penguins said your welcome. The End.

The Hibernating Bear With a Birthday
Once upon a time there was a bear, and it was hibernating. It woke up and wanted food. He celebrated his birthday. It had cake and whales to eat. And it wore sunglasses and a party hat!

Showing Math Understanding
Teacher: Show me different ways to make “8”

Big Bigger Biggest

Fractions
Draw me a picture of spring where1/3 of the flowers are purple.

Some Math Ideas
After taking the time to demonstrate Tux Paint to a Math Coach, I asked her to brainstorm which tools matched math curriculum. Here are just a few ideas that came from that meeting.
1. Use Lines (with arrows) and different size brushes to illustrate a math concept.
2. Naming the shapes
3. Use Paint or Rainbow to draw Maths on a Numberline
4. Use Brushes to 'stamp'
5. Math an equation to an illustration
6. Show steps and jumps with Magic Rainbow/ or Paint
7. Use brushes or Fill with a 10 Frame drawing as a template

More Math Ideas
8. Use Shapes Illustrate equations (match an equation to an illustration)
9. Use Stamps to illustrate Patterns / Sets
Show me the different ways to make "8" (i.e. 3+5=8)
use balls, vehicles , fruit
10. Use Shapes to illustrate a design (the world we live in)
11. 2 D shapes in Grades K - 1
12. Use tools to work with Line Lenghts
13. Discuss categorizing by Navigation through stamps

More Math Ideas
14. Use Stamp to illustrate fractions. What fraction of these flowers is "purple" 1/4 of the flowers need to be green (grade 3) Draw lines to prove to me that 1/4 is 'green"
15. Use Magic (Flowers that Grow) to demonstrate Algebraic growth
16. Use Magic: Kaleidoscope to discuss "what do equal parts look like".
17. Flips and Turns: What changed when I flip something (Gr 3)
18. Use stamps size feature to illustrate. Big bigger Biggest (using size) Also: Great Greater or Less than and Greater than

New Stamps and Templates
One of the easiest ways to get teachers started with Tux paint is to add new templates and stamps that directly relate to their curriculum.
Teachers who noticed the 100 square template I added suddenly had lots of ideas on how to use it in group instruction.
The next few slides and video tutorial links describe how I created these.

Create a Starter Page from Scratch
Using Photoshop
File NEW
Width (608)
Height (486)
Background: Transparent = Checkered background
Draw as desired
SAVE AS (PNG) with Interlace =NONE

Where to copy new templates
Copy your new *.png file to to folder named “starters” Be default: C:Program FilesTuxPaintdatastarters or to an ALTERNATE Location for your DATA. See Config Files

Ideas for New Templates
Math
Number Time Line http:// themathworksheetsite .com/ numline .html
Then use Magic / Rainbow to illustrate math thinking during group instruction
Four Blank 100 charts
http://www.math-drills.com/ numbersense /blmhundredblank4. pdf
Directions for using Blank Hundreds Chart
http://www. mathwire .com/ numbersense / blankhundredchart . pdf
Science
http://www. coloringcastle .com/ pdfs /space/solarsystem02. pdf
http://www. wbrschools .net/curriculum2/science/s2/02%20SCI_Grade_2_ BLMs . pdf

100 Squares Activities in Math

Number Line Template

Science Template Ideas

Converting Black Line Master into a Tux Paint Template
Here is a Video Tutorial I posted that shows how to create a Tux Paint Template using a Black Line Master I found online from West Baton Rouge Parish School
Video Tutorial: http://www. screencast .com/users/ techsavvygirl /folders/ Jing /media/36898051-8855-472c-991f-de9f070bc056

Creating New Stamps from Images that are not in transparent PNG format
1. Download some clipart (i.e.) http://www. teacherfiles .com/clip_art_shapes. htm
2. Open file in IrfanView Free program: www. irfanview .com/
Save AS PNG (put related files in a FOLDER)
Click on the White part of the file as the last step to saving
3. Copy the folder of Saved PNG Files to Tux Paint Stamps Folder (By default: C:
Hint: Copy the whole folder not just the files. Stamps stay categorized by folder within Tux Paint.
Click here for Video Tutorial on How to Create New Stamps

Finding some PNG Clipart
Look for collections of PNG Clipart and create some Stamp Categories from these.
Create a Folder for each category.
Copy some related PNG files into this folder.
Copy this folder in Tux Paints Stamp Folder
Where to find PNG files to create new stamps or templates (backgrounds)
http://www. clker .com/
http://www. wpclipart .com/
http://www. openclipart .org/
Not all *.png files have transparent backgrounds. If you have a PNG file that has a “white” background instead of “transparent” it will not float as easily on top of your backgrounds. You will see white box. To fix this follow directions and resave them as a “transparent png”. See Tutorial on Creating New Stamp

How to Create New Backgrounds and Stamps
1. Nellie Chew Tutorial for creating background and great uses of Tux Paint for curricular http://www. slideshare .net/ nelliechew /tux-paint-1204626
2. Videos from Creating Tux Paint Templates ('Starters')
Jennifer Graber, a kindergarten teacher from Battle Creek, Michigan, created a collection of videos explaining how Tux Paint's 'Starter' images work, how she uses them as templates for classes, and how to create your own templates (using Windows).
http:// prdownloads . sourceforge .net/ tuxpaint / TuxPTemp .zip
3. Advanced Stamp Tutorial (tutorial to make high quality stamps: very technical) http://www. tuxpaint .org/docs/html/ADVANCED-STAMPS-HOWTO.html
4. Storyboard Artwork Project http://en. wikiversity .org/ wiki /Tux_Paint_Storyboarding_Project

Tips for Making Tux Paint a Useful Tool in Your School
Install it on lots of machines and encourage kids (big kids, too) to play with it.
Set up projects where older kids mentor younger kids and their teachers in the basics
Start a project that has a very visible outcome (i.e. Book Buddies). Put those teachers in the spotlight. Others will want to join. Do another round later and invite new teachers.
Duplicate Tux Paint CD's and give them out to parents and kids. Good PR! Give kids curricular alternatives for computer fun at home.

Tips for Making it a Curricular Tool
Spend some time with a few teacher leaders (i.e. Math and Literacy coaches), go through the tools set and ask them for advice as to how to use the different types of tools. Publish this. Let them be your evangelist and model curricular strategies.
Set up a Supported Work Session with “tech savvy” teachers to develop new stamps or templates. Pay curriculum work stipends.
Distribute Customized version of TuxPaint on Thumbdrive/Cd per Curricular area.

More Tips for IT Staff
Have IT staff work with staff and experiment with the CONFIG files using low risk activities. Do some test runs to make sure the “SAVING” process or “Printing Process” works. Losing student work is a sure way to kill enthusiasm.
Don't assume you know what config setting the teachers want. I assumed wrong about certain settings. Teachers are classroom management experts. Get them involved.
Create “customized” Tux Paint installs co-created with curriculum leaders.

Develop Open Education Culture
Open source should not be limited to “techies” creating free and open source tools.
Let's create opportunities and desire for educators to be involved in Open Source Culture.
Increase awareness of Open Ed projects http://www.k12opened.com/
Read Wikinomics!

Google Summer of Code & Tux Paint
Get your students involved in Google Summer of Code http://socghop.appspot.com/program/home/google/gsoc2009
Tux4Kids has been accepted in this year's Google Summer of Code program! Students enrolled in, or accepted to, an accredited institution (college, university, etc.) can receive stipends for writing code for Tux Paint, TuxMath, Tux Typing, and dozens of other open source projets. You can see Tux4Kids' application to GSOC 2009 and our 'ideas list'.

Please Share With Me
Please, please, please, send me examples of your projects, stamps and templates you develop. I promise to share them and give you credit. ldelabruere @ gmail .com
www. LearningWithLucie .com

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Turning Tux Paint into a Classroom Tool

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