Teacher Tech blog with Alice Keeler

Paperless Is Not a Pedagogy

Alice Keeler

Faster Better! Try Pixel Art with TemplateTab

Looking for a fun activity to do with your students? Look no further than Pixel Art! Harness the power of TemplateTab by Alice Keeler to
how to using pixel art with templatetab
Faster Better! Try Pixel Art with TemplateTab

One of my most popular activities is Pixel Art. This allows students to essentially paint by number in a spreadsheet. Typing numbers into the spreadsheet. I love to have all students working together in the same Google Sheets spreadsheet. TemplateTab allows you to duplicate a graphic organizer within the same spreadsheet. Creating graphic organizers with Pixel Art is fun! Here is how to use Pixel Art with TemplateTab

Adding Single Digit Numbers

When using pixel art with TemplateTab the students will type the digits 0 to 9. This allows them to be creative by starting  with a picture for the lesson activity. There are so many uses!

Design a template for students to complete an activity. 

screenshot gif of a google sheets spreadsheet with single digit numbers being entered. When 1 is entered the cell turns red. 2, the cell turns orange. Etc..

Pixel Art with TemplateTab

Duplicate your pixel art activity for each student using TemplateTab.

Pixel Art Add-on

You can now add pixel art to ANY spreadsheet. Install the Pixel Art by AliceKeeler Add-on. In any spreadsheet, use the Extensions menu to access the Add-on. Insert the pixel art spreadsheet. 

Install TemplateTab

TemplateTab allows you to have all students in the same Google Sheets spreadsheet. Using pixel art with TemplateTab will give each student the pixel art template on an individual tab within the same spreadsheet.

TemplateTab collects NO user data. No PII. 

Start with Pixel Art Template

Make a copy of the pixel art template at alicekeeler.com/pixelart. This will prompt you to make a copy. Rename the spreadsheet to match your activity.

The pixel art template is simply a grid that has conditional formatting applied. To design a learning activity you may want to merge some cells and add lesson elements. 

Customize the Template

From the book “50 Ways to Engage Students with Google Apps” try this pixel art sample where the pixel art template was modified for the activity. 

TemplateTab Add-on

After creating your pixel art template, use the Extensions menu to select TemplateTab. “Setup Sheet” will add a sheet to the front of the spreadsheet. Paste your class list, roster, into column A. 

Pixel Art with TemplateTab is facilitated by using Extensions menu and selecting TemplateTab by Alice Keeler and selecting Setup Sheet.

Run TemplateTab

What is important is that the first sheet in your spreadsheet is a list of your student names and that the second sheet is the pixel art template. 

After you have pasted your class list, go back to the Extensions menu and “Run TemplateTab.” This will duplicate the Pixel Art template for each student on the list.

A tab will be created with their name.

A Tab Per Student

After running TemplateTab each student will have a tab with their name on it. The tab will be a copy of the pixel art template. 

Share the Spreadsheet

TemplateTab is intended to create a collaborative experience. Share the one spreadsheet with students, giving them edit access. 

Students locate the tab with their name on it to complete the activity. 

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