I am always looking for new ways to use Google Apps.  We are a Google School, a Google District, and the students are expected to be using the Google Apps daily. By third grade, students are pretty proficient and Google Docs. and Google Slides, but it seems that no one really dives into Google Sheets or Google Forms with the students.  I don’t blame them.  Google Sheets is not the most exciting topic and teachers are not using it as often as Slides and Docs.  It makes sense that most of us like to teach what we are comfortable with because when problems or issues arise, we already know how to solve them.  But sometimes we have to get out of our comfort zone and just go for it.  In this instance, for me, the worst that could happen were some technical difficulties, and I was confident that the kids and I would be able to figure it out together.

So in trying to find a way to teach Google Sheets, I discovered pixel art from a colleague.  It was SO easy to create, and I was able to use it to teach the students a new skill on Sheets that they WANTED to learn! What is better than students asking to learn more?

I started with something simple, but related to the school and the library for their first assignment.  Their assignment was to create a bookmark using pixel art that represented the school or their favorite book in some ways.  I did allow students to use Google to search for different pixel art ideas.  I shared a pixel are bookmark template with them via Google Classroom.  Here is a link to my pixel art bookmark template.  Feel free to copy into your drive and share it with the students.

The video below shows you exactly how to create it and use it!

I used pixel art with 2nd-5th grade.  For my 4th and 5th graders however, I taught them all how to add a color on their own using conditional formatting.  We added one color as a class and then they were able to add colors on their own as necessary. I am also going to create a short tutorial for them on how to add a color and post it in their Google Classroom so that they have it.  Since I only see classes once a week, a lot gets lost in between, so having that video will be a great refresher for them!  Here are some examples of the students work. 

The kids did such a great job with this assignment and the best part was they LOVED doing it.  I even had a student come in the next day telling me that he created all types of pixel art at home using the conditional formatting. 

This would be great to do at the end of the year! Please comment below and let me know how it worked in your classroom! 

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