MakerSpace Blog Idea !! Working with Canva and Text to image AI?!!!

💭 Art TEK 3b.2(c)  Produce drawings, paintings, prints, and sculptures, including modeled forms and other art forms such as ceramics, fiber art, constructions, mixed media, installation art, digital art and media, and photographic imagery using a variety of materials.

Core Standard 3.9(A) Observe and describe the physical characteristics of environments and how they support populations and communities within an ecosystem.

( Garden TEKS ) Exploring texture in the garden(properties of soils & abilities to support plant growth) 

I would like to integrate science and fine arts! Students will learn about soil conditions and how they help plants grow. I would also like for students to have opportunities to work on CS and CT skills by having them work with text-to-image AI and find images concerning the makeup or structure of the soil. Students can also use AI to make visual representations of how soil can affect plant life. I am interested in using Canva so students can make digital art boards showing all their AI findings. 

I can use this activity to show unique forms of art for this year's digital maker space. Canvas is a digital program I've been using for a while, which has helped me with a number of projects over my college years, and Adobe Express is a text-to-image AI generator that I know the students will enjoy messing with.

   Resource tools: Canva, Adobe Express

💜Link to digital maker space resource 💜

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Facts About Soil

There are 4 main types of soil: clay, loam, sand, and silt.  Clay is less than 2 microns, that's 0.0002mm. Silt is 2 - 75 microns, Sand is 75 microns, and Loam is 30% clay, 20%silt and 50% sand. Soil helps plants grow because of two main factors: Structure and nutrients. The structure of soil directly relates to a plant's ability to grow. The texture of soil can determine its ability to sustain plant life. A loose structure allows spaces and pores for plants to grow roots and to drain into. Plants need certain nutrients to grow, and those nutrients are elements found in soil. Some major elements that help soil sustain plant life are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.

     Elements of Soil               ~~~~~~~~             Types of Soil          

                            

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 My Experience Messing With AI and Canva

👉An example of what I've done with Canva in the past for a project on the effects of sugar. As you can see, Canva allows for a variety of customization options, perfect for any student who wishes to capture their personality and background and make art digitally.

💟  Click on the Picture to View Video 💟

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Experimentation with Text-to- image AI ( Adobe Express ) 

😊This was fun to mess around with. I know students will enjoy it too.😊

When I typed" What is AI," I got some weird, incomplete images as if the computer was trying to think of ways to represent my question as if it were a statement.

When I made the statement, "What plants need to grow," it showed me an example of small droplets of rain sitting on a leaf.

I got a weird one when I put " effects environment has on plants" It looks like a sign that's trying to say environment, but isn't quite spelled correctly. Some plants look like they have slices of case growing off of them. It definitely had me puzzled for a second.😅                        

Found this cool piece of art when I typed " example of plants in different environments"

" Plants in harsh conditions"

💟Computational Standards💟

5.3.c Plan collaboratively with other educators to create learning activities that cross disciplines to strengthen student understanding of CT and CS concepts and transfer the application of knowledge in new contexts.

Working with my partner on this activity will definitely hit the collaboration goals of this standard; similarly, working with other students for our upcoming STaR hero activity is another way to meet collaboration goals. I've found that text-to-image AI works well when being specific. 

1.d Develop a Growth Mindset -Develop resilience and perseverance when approaching CS and CT learning experiences, build comfort with ambiguity and open-ended problems, and see failure as an opportunity to learn and innovate.

Students will be developing resilience and perseverance when using Canva to create environments for their plants to live in. Students will have to explore the program and learn to innovate to edit their designs. Students will also use AI to find the pictures they're looking for. Trying to find a picture that best fits what you're looking for is a great way for students to experience trial and error; and perseverance.

5.3.a Model and learn with students how to formulate computational solutions to problems and how to give and receive actionable feedback.

Once students learn about soil, I being the facilitator,  can model my understanding of what makes the soil a primary abiotic factor in plant life and show students how I adjust my text to get the pictures I'm looking for. Students will get to view other students' Canva slides and leave comments concerning the artistic and aesthetic ideas the students decided to go with. Students can learn new ideas for future uses they may have concerning Canva and Adobe and will also get to know their peers better, furthering the establishment of a community of learners.