Inspiring Masterpieces

Lesson Summary

Students worked in groups to choose a painting that they wanted to recreate using Sphero’s. The students problem solved coding to ensure that the Sphero moved the way the paintbrush did. The students were frustrated by the challenge of having the Sphero move the way they wanted it to or thought that it should. However, the students kept working through the frustration to achieve the end product they wanted. Students were given a canvas with a primed 3×3 square in the center to recreate their masterpiece of choice using the coded Sphero. Then students documented their artwork, by comparing the original and their Sphero, and reflected on the process of painting with coding.

TIPC Ratings

Research & Information Fluency

Rating:Developing – Explanation: Students applied search techniques to find the artwork of choice. The students found the art using a museum site demonstrated by teacher. They used the scavenger hunt to figure out how to code a Sphero. The students following all the class assignments and were able to discuss how they were meeting the objective.

Communication & Collaboration

Rating: Ideal – Explanation: Students worked in self selected groups and roles developed as they worked through the process of paint coding. Students used a myriad of digital tools to facilitate group work, lightning lab, Photoshop, and paint. Students voiced frustration, worked through problems, and supported each other through the challenge of coding. Students documented their work alongside the famous art work. Students talked about how they would change their processes for a future project, attendance of group members, paper or canvas, amount of paint, and recognizing that a different art work may have been easier to recreate versus what they initially chose.

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

Rating: Ideal – Explanation: Students worked through a scavenger hunt to introduce them to coding. Students were challenged to problem solve speed, frequence and angle of the sphero to match the original paint brush strokes. Students used the lightning lab app to code each brush stroke. During the practice session, students were constantly adjusting aim, speed, frequency and angle to mimic the original. Although the students were frustrated, they kept working through. Students used photoshop to crop and place them side by side of the famous artwork.

Creativity & Innovation

Rating: Ideal – Explanation: Student work is a creative interpretation of the original. Students quickly realized that the challenge of recreating a masterpiece became one of using the masterpiece to inspire the next masterpiece. Students figured out how to use the Sphero and the code to create their masterpiece. The students worked on the assignment using Sphero’s and the app. provided to inspire their chosen famous artwork. Some students did ask if they could change the original (i.e. – use one color or one aspect). The students talked about how Sphero’s were used when other adults came into the room. Students summarized how the artwork was created using coding. The students predicted what it would like when they were putting the parameters in for coding the brushstrokes.