Transform an open museum scan, then reveal the new sculpture's credit trail.
Smithsonian Open Access and New Art
Smithsonian Open Access & creators' rights
Social SciencesCoding
When museums share digital files, students see how open access lets a local artist turn a Smithsonian 3D scan into a nine-piece sculpture series with credit.
Students create in ElementariFrom open scan to a credited sculpture seriesThis is the project students open and build in Studio.
Pacing
3 days · 3 × 45 min
Grade
Grade 4
Coding
Beginner
Students codeDragOn Page StartScaleBackground Music
Opens a private practice project in the Studio — no account needed.
What can happen when a museum shares its files with everyone?
Students will be able to
Write title, subtitle, and narration pages
Explain how Smithsonian Open Access and CC0 allow reuse
Code a drag interaction to reveal a credit label
Arrange an opening page with autoplaying music
Key vocabulary
Smithsonian Open AccessCC03D scancredit
Assessment
Formative
Organizer drafts, exit tickets, and peer-review checks along the way.
Summative
A published, playable interactive story.
The student journey
This is a build — not a worksheet packet
Every lesson runs like the story students are about to make: read it, write it, build it, polish it, publish it. The printables scaffold each stage — the published Elementari project is the destination.
1
📖
Read
Students read a short, high-interest passage — a real-world hook, not a dry textbook definition — to spark ideas for what they'll make.
📖A Dinosaur's Digital Adventure
An artist named Amy Karle looked at a 3D digital scan of a Triceratops skeleton. The real skeleton was safe inside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. From that one computer file, she created nine new sculptures. How could…
In the studio, students bring the project to life — adding art and following the exact writing and coding steps shown below. The Studio Compass walks them through it, one step at a time.
🧭Studio CompassStep 1 / 3
Create the cover page
Write the page text, choose its background, and set music to play when the page opens.
Key words — tap to learnOn Drag
Each step checks off & advances on its own
All 3 studio steps · dynamic to the project
1Create the cover page~10 min
2Write the artist introduction~5 min
3Build the installation and credits~30 min
4
🔁
Polish
ongoing
Teacher and peer feedback pin right onto the project — students revise until it's ready to share.
Feedback on the project2 pins
🍎
Add one more sentence here so readers get the full picture.
👍 2Teacher
A
The interaction is clear — it helps the reader follow the project!
A couple of things to gather, a few quick steps to prep — then you're ready to hand it to students.
What you need
A device per student or pair
Internet connection
Headphones or speakers
Prep · about 10 min
1Print the student kits
2Assign this lesson to your students
3Skim the build steps
Teacher background
What you need to know
A museum can choose to remove restrictions and let people reuse its digital files. When files are openly shared, creators and educators can download, change, and make new works or learning materials from those files.
Key terms
Smithsonian Open Access
A project where the Smithsonian shared many digital items for people to use.
CC0
A label that means people can use a file without asking permission.
3D scan
A computer file that shows an object in three dimensions so you can view it on a screen.
credit
A short note that tells where an idea or file came from and who made the work.
Watch for these misconceptions
✕
unsupported reasons →Ask: 'Where in the passage does the text say this happened?'
✕
distracting media →Have the student explain how the music or image supports the main idea.
✕
unclear audience →Ask the student to name their intended audience and one choice made for that audience.
Standards alignment
Aligned to the standards you teach
Every task maps to a specific standard, so planning and reporting are covered.
Tracking 7 frameworks: Common Core ELA, Common Core Math, NGSS +4
CCSS · ELA6ISTE12 frameworks · 7 standards · DOK 2–3
CCSS · ELA
Common Core State Standards — English Language Arts
6 standards
RI.4.3
Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
SL.4.5
Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.
Also addressedL.4.6 · W.4.2 · W.4.3 · W.4.4
ISTE
ISTE Standards for Students
1 standard
6
Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.
Full task-by-task mapping — including Depth of Knowledge — is in the answer key.
Differentiation & accessibility
Built to reach every learner
One lesson, three built-in paths — with accessibility baked into the materials, not bolted on afterward.
Extra support
Emerging readers & writers
Read-aloud and multilingual support in the Elementari build
Studio Compass highlights one task at a time — including the coding
Sentence frames and a word bank so it is never a blank page
On grade
The core lesson
The passage and storyboard exactly as written
Model answers and “look-fors” in the answer key
Self-check chips at every milestone
Ready for more
Extension & challenge
Challenge vocabulary and a real-world extension question
Deepen one existing page or interaction — without changing the required mechanics
A longer, evidence-based reflection prompt
Accessibility, built inPredictable step-by-step structureOne task at a time · Studio CompassHighlighted response areasLow-stimulation printMovement-friendly pacingDesigned so every student can design, write, and code — with ADHD, autism, and dyslexia in mind.
Questions
Teacher FAQ
Do I — or my students — need to know how to code?
No. Coding concepts are introduced in plain language exactly when students need them, and Studio Compass confirms each milestone so students keep moving without you troubleshooting. The teacher guide walks you through the whole build, answers included.
How long does this lesson take?
About 3 days, paced into 45-minute class periods. You can spread it out or compress it — students pick up where they left off, so it doesn't have to finish in one sitting.
What devices does this lesson work on?
Students can read, write, code, and publish on Chromebooks, iPads, tablets, laptops, or desktops. All they need is a modern browser — nothing to download or install.
What is Studio Compass?
Studio Compass is the step-by-step guide inside the Studio. It shows students what to do next, identifies the exact coding blocks they need, and confirms completed milestones so they can keep moving independently.
How does this lesson support different learners?
This lesson includes read-to-me with synchronized highlighting, a built-in glossary, and picture-based storyboarding, with writing and coding scaffolds you can dial up or down. Students can work with guided support or more independently — and still finish the same project.
Ready when you are
Bring this lesson to your class
Import your class, assign in one click, and watch them build — the whole kit comes with it.
