Here you will find some of the digital artifacts I created while teaching 3rd and 4th grade. I frequently used Midjourney to generate interesting images, graphics, and characters that I incorporated into original stories, classroom assignments, and visual vocabulary supports for students learning English.

I also used applications such as Bitmoji to create images that I edited and incorporated into classroom expectations, behavioral reminders, and other instructional materials. Additionally, I combined Midjourney-generated artwork with my own editing in Photoshop to create interactive posters and visuals for special classroom activities.

One example is an original story I wrote featuring two competing skateboarders, Preacher the Panda and Tonsils the Turtle. I used Midjourney to generate illustrations and then edited them in Photoshop to bring the characters to life and make the reading activity more engaging.

The assignment incorporated narrative, opinion, and informational writing, followed by reading comprehension questions and creative writing challenges. Rather than providing students with an ending, I asked them to decide how the competition would conclude. The students genuinely enjoyed hearing the different endings their classmates created.

Activities like this demonstrate how I have used AI and other digital tools to support creative instruction while keeping the focus on student imagination, reading comprehension, and writing skills.

One of my favorite classroom memories involves a cow. My 4th-grade students once noticed something unusual about a cow in an image I had created. After seeing their reaction, I started secretly including cows in disguise throughout my instructional images, reading passages, and even the final assessment at the end of the semester.

The students caught on and began carefully examining everything I gave them, hoping to discover another hidden cow or reference. What began as a small classroom joke became a way to encourage students to pay closer attention to the materials and take a greater interest in their assignments.

Experiences like these remind me that technology does not have to be complicated to be effective. Sometimes a little creativity and humor can make learning more engaging and memorable.