Things to Do > Computer Resource Center > Electronic Curricula

Tech Etches

Download Project (143kb PDF, includes samples)

Subject: Math and Art
Age Level: 3 years old and up

Performance Standards Information
Mathmatics M2a, M2d, M2f
Writing E2d

Activity Goals

• To encourage children to use computers and physical art materials together.
• To teach children about the concept of repeating patterns
• To teach children about shapes

Skills children will learn from the activity

• How to create patterns using Microsoft Word and Microsoft Publisher
• Understand the fundamental concept of layers.

Materials needed
one of the following programs

• Adobe Photoshop
• KidPix
• Paint

Prerequisites

• Basic computer skills
• Familiarity with tool bars in either KidPix, Paint or Photoshop

Procedure

1. Begin in KidPix by having the children create their first layer by filling a page with a design or pattern. Encourage them to make it as colorful as possible. Instead of using the paint bucket to fill the entire page, have the children create a doodle using the pencil tool and then fill the spaces using the bucket tool. Make sure the the circles and areas that you want to fill are complete closed, otherwise the bucket will fill the whole area.
2. After the picture is finished in KidPix, open the image in Photoshop.
3. On the toolbar, click on Image and make sure that RGB Color has been selected.
4. Then, click on Layers> New Layer (then name the second layer so that you know it's the second layer). Hit OK.
5. Select the color that you want the foreground to be, black works well because it makes the colors on the first layer pop out. Then click on the bucket icon and fill the whole image with black.
6. Click on the brush tool and select a brush size. Then, click on the eraser tool and then use the mouse to draw the picture underneath. .Place pictures on brightly colored construction paper for background matting and hang around the room.

Extension Activities
Have students do a collection of these drawing and use them to illustrate stories and poems. To include text on the image, create a text box on the image in Photoshop. If the children have used a colored foreground put them into a Power Point presentation. If pictures have used white as the foreground color, print them out and create small books or pictures for center decorations.