Like all things Popplet, the Popplet Drawing Tool – we wanted to call it the Popplet Colored Pen, but it isn’t really a pen! – is a simple intuitive feature, which does exactly what it says on the box: it draws inside popples! However, in the hands of the Popplet community, the Popplet drawing tool has evolved into a hugely popular and useful feature, which when wielded effectively can add a whole other dimension to Popplet work: a superior visual learning tool, which is a lot of fun to use.
The drawing tool can be accessed by clicking on the circular features button that contains an image that looks suspiciously like a pen…or is it a pencil?
On selecting the tool, you have three options:
- colors – a choice of, click to select one
- expand – increases the size of the popple, providing a flexible canvas
- clear drawing – for when you need to start again
At this point, we suggest that you jump right in and give it a go if you haven’t done so already. Sketch whatever you like and see how much fun it is. Or, if you’re not quite ready to surrender to your creative self quite yet, or if you’re seeking inspiration, take a look at what can be done.
Can you circle the vertices? – Popplet annotation
With the drawing tool, you can! Anything contained in a popple, can be circled, pointed at, and have lines dragged across, through over and around it; why stop at circle? A neat little tool for annotation. Finger, stylus or mouse, and when you’re done just tap clear drawing to start again. Thanks to Apple Resource Teacher, Cassandra Stewart, for sharing this math class popplet on Twitter.
Words Ending in -at, -ip and -op
The drawing tool is pretty versatile, and it works well when you need to add short words or parts of words to your work, as in this splendid literacy popplet from 1st-grade teacher Mrs. White. A seriously fun way to teach vocabulary and phonetics with word endings and sounds. Students can collaborate on their teacher’s or their classmates’ work, creating puzzles for each other. Additionally, students could add simple drawings to their popplets: so much potential here!
All About Kindergarten – A Popplet Presentation
Here is an example of how a Popplet presentation can be made more colorful, attractive and informative by adding drawings. This work from Miss McLelland’s kindergarteners, let’s us see how simple images created in Popplet scale up on the big board. An impressive display,
Separating 10s and 1s
Number practice has always been a favorite Popplet activity, and Separating 10s and 1s from the Kindergartener class of Kara Bunch is an excellent example of one where the drawing tool can be used to good effect. Students draw the numbers and use colors to highlight the separate parts, resulting in a valuable and visual learning experience. This activity could also be done using the popplet drawing tool to create the number pieces, which are represented by blue and yellow squares above.
Measurable Attributes
More writing with the drawing tool in this orderly and informative popplet from Michelle Gonzalez’s kindergarten classroom. A neat summary of a larger investigation, with everyday things sorted into their measurable attributes.
2-D Shapes
This geometry popplet is part of a set of basic shape popplets from Ms. Acs´ 3rd-grade class. Packed with pertinent information, and containing a drawing of the shape under investigation at its center, the above popplet can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about a square. A simple, effective fun way to teach math. Check out Ms. Acs blog for more great ideas.
H-Blends: Ch-, Sh-, Th
Art in the form of a chili meets literacy in this activity, where simple drawings and words gracefully combine to uncover and highlight the mysterious pronunciation differences between words that begin with Ch-, Sh- and Th-: chili/chemistry, sheep/sugar, the/thing. Thanks to the kids at Brunswick South Primary School, we are one step closer to a solution to the mystery of English pronunciation.
Mystery Eggs
Mystery Eggs from the classroom of the mystery teachers Miss H and Miss R. Study an image of an egg, guess what’s inside. Posted on their Twitter page, along with other examples, this particular effort caught our eye because a student chose to use the popplet drawing tool to sketch most of their predictions: a born drawer.
Brainstorming Our Essential Question
Popplet has proven itself a worthy addition to the brainstorming session: tap to make a popple, add the thought (text, photo, video), connect the ideas. Or if you prefer, make quick drawings as in the Brainstorming Our Essential Question popplet from teacher Laura Nunnink of Briarwood Elementary School. Sometimes, drawing is just better.
Are you drawing with Popplet? Simple sketches – mere squiggles if you like! – or magnificent masterpieces, whatever you’re creating with the Popplet drawing tool, share it with our community on our Twitter and Facebook pages.