Pre-K draw a Bonfire Night firework picture in Microsoft Paint for the class display

Pre-K (Early Years, age 3 to 5) · 25 min · 1 touchscreen laptop per student, with an adult

Reception have been talking about the shapes fireworks make, looking at photos of bursts, long trails and sparkles. Each child opens a black canvas in Microsoft Paint on a touchscreen laptop and draws their own firework picture with their finger, choosing bright colours and the airbrush, with an adult nearby to help them save. The adult does not introduce undo or layers, so children draw straight on as they did with chalk pastels. The teacher prints the pictures for the Bonfire Night display in the same frame where the chalk pictures went in previous years.

Why this is Creative Replace

Each child makes their own picture, which is an original artefact. The task is the chalk-on-black-card firework picture the class made before, drawn straight on with no undo or layers and printed for the same display, so nothing is added to what children do or how their work is seen.

Compared with

Firework pictures in chalk pastels on black card, pinned to the Bonfire Night display.

Watch out

If children use undo to try out marks and remove them, or record a sound for their firework, those additions make the lesson Creative Amplify.

Tools: Microsoft Paint Nine ideas for your own version in Generate

This page is one of a growing set of PICRAT examples by cell, subject and grade. Page maintained by Andy Perryer.

Pre-K draw a Bonfire Night firework picture in Microsoft Paint for the class display.

Nine ideas for your own version.

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Nine ideas for your own version.