Before we get into Photoshop, we’ll start with a program your fifth grader is most likely comfortable with: MS Word. For basic image editing, Word does a pretty good job, so we’ll start with a project using Word’s tools:
- Open a blank document in MS Word. Insert a picture with multiple focal points (see samples).
- Duplicate the image once for each focal point.
- Click one image to activate toolbar.
- Crop each duplicate to show just one of the focal points
- Double click the image to bring up the ‘Format Picture’ dialogue box.
- Change the fill and border (line). Use the ‘Picture—image control’ tab to change to washout, grayscale, etc. Say OK.
- Click image once to display the ‘dot. Rotate picture creatively.
- If you use pictures from the internet, be sure they’re royalty free.
I’ve put it all on one page for you if you want to print it out:
Image editing with MS Word
Next, we start Photoshop with easy auto fixes.
Jacqui Murray is the editor of a technology curriculum for K-fifth grade and creator of two technology training books for middle school. She is the author of Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy midshipman. She is webmaster for five blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a columnist for Examiner.com, and a weekly contributor to Write Anything and Technology in Education. Currently, she’s working on a techno-thriller that should be ready this summer. Contact Jacqui at her writing office or her tech lab, Ask a Tech Teacher.
