Lesson 268: Create digital art about ‘smart machines’

💡 TECHNOLOGY & FUTURE SKILLS (40 Lessons) • 🟣 D. Creating with Technology

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Objective

I can use a simple drawing or paint app to create digital art about smart machines. I can say how the machine helps people, follow family rules for screens, and remember that people are in charge.

Materials

Mini-lesson — What is digital art?

Digital art is artwork we make on a screen. We use apps instead of pencils and paper.

Drawing tools in apps

  • Brush or pencil tools let us draw lines and shapes.
  • Colour pickers let us choose bright or soft colours.
  • Undo and eraser help fix mistakes.
  • Save lets us keep our picture for later.

Smart machines in our art

  • We can draw helper robots that tidy toys or carry books.
  • We can draw machines that help care for the Earth, like robots that pick up litter or water plants.
  • We can show machines that help people at home or school.

People design smart machines

  • Humans decide what the machine can and cannot do.
  • Humans build the parts and write the computer code.
  • Machines and robots follow instructions instead of having their own rules.

Safe rules for making digital art

  • Ask a trusted adult before using a device or app.
  • Follow family screen rules about time and content.
  • Do not write your full name, address, or school in the picture.
  • Use a safe name when you save, like "smart-helper-art", not your full name.

People are always more important than screens

  • It is okay to pause or stop the art when adults ask.
  • Eyes and bodies need breaks from screens.
  • Drawing with people and talking together is more important than the device.

Adults can say: "We can use this app to make fun smart-machine art, but people are in charge, and we will follow our family rules for screens."

Picture strip: "Drawing a smart helper on a tablet"

Guided Practice — Draw a smart helper machine

You and an adult will use a drawing or paint app to make one picture of a smart helper machine.

  1. A trusted adult opens a safe drawing app and checks the settings.
  2. Choose a background colour or leave it white.
  3. Use simple shapes to draw the body of the machine (a rectangle, box, or round robot).
  4. Add wheels, arms, or buttons to show how it can help. Draw a friendly face if you like.
  5. Draw one way it helps people, such as carrying books, picking up toys, or watering plants.
  6. Practise using undo and eraser when you make a mistake. Say aloud: "It is okay to fix my art."
  7. When you finish, choose a safe file name together, like "smart-helper-art". Do not use your full name.
  8. Save the picture. Ask: "How does this machine help people?" and "Who is in charge of the machine?"
  9. If you print the art, hang it where you keep devices as a reminder that people guide machines.
Tracing Pad
Tracing snapshot for print
Tip: As you trace, say a sentence such as "People design smart machines and are the boss of devices."

Practice — My smart machine digital art page

Use this practice to help your child think about how smart machines help people and who stays in charge.

  1. Make a new digital art picture of a smart machine that helps in one place: home, school, or the Earth.
  2. In the picture, show at least two helpful jobs, such as carrying books, picking up litter, or sorting recycling.
  3. Add short labels on or near the picture, such as "carry books", "pick up litter", or "water plants".
  4. Under the artwork, write or trace: "People built this smart machine."
  5. On the next line, write or trace: "People decide the rules, not the machine."
  6. Talk together: "What can this machine not do?" (It cannot hug, choose family rules, or decide by itself.)
  7. Save the picture with a safe name and show it to a trusted adult. If you print it, hang it near a screen area as a reminder that people guide technology.

Quick Check — Creating digital art safely

Answer each question about digital art, smart machines, and staying safe.

1) What is digital art?

Digital art is made on screens using apps or software.

2) Which tool can help you draw a smart machine?

Drawing apps are made for creating pictures on screens.

3) Who decides what your digital art shows?

People make the choices in art, not the device.

4) What can you use if you make a mistake in your drawing app?

Undo and eraser tools help fix mistakes in digital art.

5) What is a safe rule before using a drawing app?

Adults help you choose safe apps and set screen rules.

6) Is the smart machine in your picture a real machine?

Digital art shows pretend pictures, not real machines.

7) Which file name is the safer choice?

File names should not include your personal information.

8) When is a good time to stop drawing?

Breaks protect your eyes and help you follow family rules.

9) Someone online asks for your digital art and your full name. What should you do?

Never share personal information; adults can help you stay safe.

10) What is one big goal of this lesson?

We want children to enjoy creating with technology while remembering that humans and family rules come first.

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Exit ticket (student)

Next time I will practise…

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