Projection mapping is a perfect intro to art, code, and creative tech — visual, hands-on, and instantly rewarding. The usual blocker is software. SquirrelCast removes it.

Why it suits schools

The whole reason this works in a classroom is that there's nothing to install. No IT ticket, no admin rights, no waiting weeks for approval. It runs in the browser, there's no account needed to start, and it's free to try — so students can open it and begin in the first five minutes. Because everything runs in the browser, the same lesson works whether the room has Chromebooks, managed Windows laptops, or Macs.

What you need

Keep it simple:

One laptop or Chromebook running Chrome or Edge.
One projector, connected as a second display.
A surface to map — a wall, a cardboard box, or a stack of shapes works great and teaches the corner-alignment idea clearly.

You can run it as a whole-class demo on one projector, or have students design their own scenes on their laptops and take turns projecting.

A 45-minute lesson plan

(5 min) Show an example and explain mapping. Show a projection-mapped scene and explain how visuals are aligned to a real surface.
(10 min) Students open SquirrelCast and pick a template. Everyone opens the browser and chooses a starting template.
(10 min) Open the projector window and align corners on a wall/box. Hit Project, drop the window on the projector, and drag the four corners to fit the surface.
(10 min) Swap in their own image or an effect. Students import an image or add a generative effect to make the scene theirs.
(5 min) Go fullscreen and present. Each student goes fullscreen and shows the class their scene.
(5 min) Save/export the project. Save the scene locally or export the project file to revisit next class.

Where it leads

🎨

Art & design

Composition, color, and how a flat image wraps a three-dimensional object — a real-world lesson in perspective.

Browse templates →

💡

Creative tech

An approachable on-ramp to maker culture, light, and projection — no coding prerequisite to get a result.

See tutorials →

🤝

Group projects

Teams design a shared scene, then present it on the wall — collaboration with an instant, visible payoff.

Open the app →

For teachers: SquirrelCast works on Chromebooks and managed laptops precisely because there's nothing to install — it runs in the browser. Scenes save locally in the browser, so each student's work stays on their machine. A dedicated Classroom plan is planned for managed rollouts and shared resources — see pricing for where things stand.

Have a question before you try it with a group? The FAQ covers projectors, surfaces, offline use, and managed-device specifics.

Teach projection mapping in one class period.