ImagesThis first image was a picture I took of a hiking trail I visited last summer. I picked this image to showcase how you can take a simple picture like this and use it in your classroom. I could see putting this picture up to have students use as a writing prompt, or maybe a start for a discussion about plants and their habitats. This image has a size of 1960x4032 and takes up 4.1 MB.
Cropping An ImageCropping an image allows you to narrow down the view of an image. Basically it's like cutting out a portion of a photo and zooming in on that piece. In this image I zoomed in on the stone archway. In class I could use this to discuss the science behind how archways were created. I could have students write about why this tunnel was created. I could even crop it in closer and look at the rock formations and have them determine what type of rock is present and what type of erosion might have caused this ravine.
ScanningScanning is an important technique to use. There are many scanning apps out there to help pull in work that you want to display or share on a presentation or lesson. I used a program called Office Lens to scan this artwork my daughter created. The program allows you to neatly scan items without seeing a border, but I left it this way to show it was a scanned item. You can scan writing samples, artwork, pages from a textbook, etc. The neat thing about this app is that it turns it into a jpeg file and acts like a photo. You can then resize, crop, edit, and use photo effects on it. The possibilities for usage in a lesson or presentation are endless. This scanned photo is 3024x4032 and takes up 5.2 MB in space.
Creating GraphicsUsing a program like Microsoft Paint or Drawing Desk allows you and the students the ability to create beautiful one of a kind pieces of art. The tools and effects you can use can make any dream come to life. As you can imagine, in the classroom they could be writing a story and want to illustrate a book using the Pages App. The Students could use the paint program to design images and add them to the ebook they are creating. They can add backdrops, filters, draw, paint, add stickers and text, etc. The power behind these types of programs are limitless. This artwork is 2048x2048 and takes up 942KB in space.
In this image, I have once again resized it. This one is 480x479 and takes up 93KB.
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Importance of GraphicsGraphics can be a valuable asset in education, not only in the realm of lesson planning, but also in presentations to colleagues. Adding images, clipart and artistic elements can bring to life what you are presenting to your audience. There are many ways to use graphics you find and create, and tons of cool programs that you can use to achieve what you are trying to accomplish. Below is a list with links to many programs you can purchase or even find for free online. You can find many more programs online or in the App Store.
Resizing an ImageThe original image (on the left) was a rather large photo and sometimes can take up too much space in a presentation or activity you are creating. I used a program called Photo Image Editor Pixelstyle to resize this image. This images below has a size of 460x988 and only takes up 445 KB of space. Resizing a photo changes the physical shape of the image but not the pixel dimensions.
Photo EffectsWith the advances in technology there are tons of programs and effects you can use to enhance a photo. They range from placing filters on them to create different colors and textures. You can turn something black and white or highlight in color a specific feature. You can play with exposure and saturation, etc. The fun behind these effects is you can be totally creative and bring new aspects out of a photo for your learners or audience. With this picture I changed the filter to change the colors of the green and highlight the darker greens on the rock. This would be a great story starter for a writing class. Even better would be to teach the students to use these programs and have them create photos to go with stories, artwork or presentations. I could see them writing a diary placing themselves in a historic period and then taking photos and changing them to look black and white or antique in nature.
In this image, I have once again resized it. This one is 480x681 and takes up 149KB.
Outside Work
The internet has made finding images to use very easy and can make it tempting to break copyright laws. Be sure when you save an image from somewhere that you have the permission to use the image and credit the source. I found this image in the Library of Congress in their free to use image section. They have tons of resources available. There are also tons of free clipart sites that you can use to find items to make your lessons and presentations more intriguing.
C.M. Bell, photographer. (1901) Johnson, Rev. J.A. , 1901. [between February and December 1903] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2016699863/.
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