Learning with iPad - Paper to Pixel Productivity with Files

Context

Handouts, worksheets, returned tests—paper documents are a constant part of school life, but they are easy to lose or damage. This lesson empowers students to bridge the gap between their physical and digital worlds. Using the powerful, hidden scanner inside the Files app, students will learn to create a perfect digital copy of any document.

This is a lesson in modern organization and resource management. Students will discover how to capture crisp, clear scans, batch multiple pages into a single PDF, and save their digitized work directly into their organized folder system. It’s the ultimate tool for creating a digital archive of their work, submitting assignments online, or simply keeping a backup of important papers.

By mastering the skill of digitizing documents, students will ensure they never lose an important handout again, building a practical habit for a paperless future.

Preparation & Flow

For this lesson, students will need an iPad with the Files app and a physical, multi-page document to scan (e.g., a two-page worksheet or handout).

The Lost Paper Problem (5 mins)

Start with a scenario: "Have you ever needed to study from a worksheet but couldn't find it? Or needed to submit a signed permission slip but left it at home?"

Introduce the iPad's scanner as a way to create a permanent, high-quality digital backup of any paper document.

Unveiling the Scanner (10 mins)

Project the Files app and navigate to a specific folder (e.g., the "Science" folder created in the "Digital Backpack" lesson).

Demonstrate how to access the scanner:

Tap the "More" icon (the three dots in a circle).

Select "Scan Documents."

The camera view will open. Explain that the blue box automatically detects the edges of the paper.

The Scanning Challenge (20 mins)

Give students their multi-page handout. Their task is to scan it into a single PDF.

Guide them through the process:

Place the first page on a flat, contrasting surface.

Use the scanner to capture the first page. It will automatically scan and show a thumbnail in the corner.

Do not tap "Save" yet. Place the second page down. The scanner is ready for the next page.

Capture the second page.

Once all pages are scanned, tap the thumbnail to review the scans, then tap "Save."

File and Rename (10 mins)

After saving, the PDF will appear in the folder they started in.

Show students how to press and hold on the file to bring up the menu, then select "Rename."

They should give their scan a descriptive name (e.g., "Cell_Diagram_Worksheet.pdf").

Confirmation (5 mins)

Have students navigate to the correct folder and confirm that their newly named, multi-page PDF is filed away neatly.

Possible Extensions

Digitize Old Work: Have students find an old piece of artwork or an essay they are proud of and scan it to create a digital portfolio of their best work.