Photoshop Fundamentals

Overview

This 60-minute lesson introduces Year 7 students to basic Photoshop skills, aligned with the National Curriculum for England’s Design and Technology and Computing programmes. Students will explore Photoshop’s interface, fundamental tools, simple image editing techniques, use of layers, and saving their work. The lesson develops digital creativity and technical understanding, supporting curriculum goals for digital competency and creative expression.

National Curriculum Links

• Design and Technology – KS3
  • Understand and use the properties of materials and digital tools to create purposeful products (DfE, 2013)
  • Develop, model and communicate design ideas using digital tools
• Computing – KS3
  • Use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked
  • Understand computer networks including the internet
  • Use logical reasoning to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programmes
  • Understand the hardware and software components of computer systems, including application software (such as image editing)

Specifically, this lesson addresses:

• Use of technology to create, edit and manipulate digital images consistent with the creative design process
• Developing transferable ICT skills for digital creativity and problem-solving

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, students will be able to:

1. Identify key components of the Photoshop interface (toolbar, panels, canvas).
2. Demonstrate use of fundamental Photoshop tools: Move, Brush, Eraser, and Selection tools.
3. Explain and apply the concept of layers for non-destructive editing.
4. Perform basic image editing: cropping, resizing and simple corrections (e.g., brightness/contrast).
5. Save and export a Photoshop file correctly in two formats (PSD and JPEG).

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Resources Needed

• Computers with Adobe Photoshop installed (Creative Cloud version recommended)
• Sample images prepared for editing (e.g., landscape photo, simple graphic)
• Projector and screen for teacher demonstrations
• Worksheets for guided notes and tool functions
• USB sticks or cloud storage access for saving work

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Activity: Brief discussion: What is Photoshop and why do designers use it?
• Show an example of professionally edited images to engage interest.
• Introduce the Photoshop interface via projected screen share, highlighting the main areas: Toolbar, Canvas, Layers Panel, Options Bar.
• Explain the purpose of layers as “digital sheets” to build and edit images non-destructively.

2. Guided Exploration (15 minutes)

• Students open Photoshop and their sample image.
• Teacher models fundamental tools:
  • Move Tool: Moving and positioning elements
  • Brush Tool: Painting with colour on a new layer
  • Eraser Tool: Correcting mistakes
  • Selection Tools (Marquee/Lasso): Selecting parts of the image for editing
• Students follow along, replicating the teacher’s actions to practice tool use.

3. Applying Image Edits (15 minutes)

• Demonstrate cropping and resizing an image using the Crop Tool and Image Size function.
• Show how to adjust brightness and contrast using “Image > Adjustments”.
• Explain how to create and rename layers to organise edits (e.g., background layer, brush layer).
• Students apply these edits to their sample images, encouraged to experiment within set parameters.

4. Saving and Exporting (10 minutes)

• Teacher explains the difference between PSD (editable format preserving layers) and JPEG (compressed format for sharing).
• Students save their Photoshop files in PSD format and export a JPEG version.
• Quick check: Are files saved correctly and named appropriately?

5. Plenary and Assessment (10 minutes)

• Class discussion: What new tools or features did you find most useful or interesting?
• Students share their work with a partner, explaining one tool and one image edit they performed.
• Assessment: Teacher circulates, observing and asking targeted questions:
  • “Can you show me how you used layers and explain why?”
  • “What tool did you use to make that correction?”
• Collect worksheets to review students’ understanding of tool functions.

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Differentiation and SEND Support

• Provide step-by-step pictorial guides for Photoshop tools.
• Pair less confident students with a peer mentor.
• Offer additional time or verbal prompts for students needing support.
• Challenge extension: For advanced students, introduce basic use of selection masks or layer opacity.

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Cross-Curricular Links and Skills Development

• Art & Design: Digital creativity and visual composition
• Maths: Understanding pixel dimensions and aspect ratios
• English: Using subject-specific vocabulary accurately (e.g., layer, selection, crop)
• ICT: Developing digital literacy and file management skills

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Teacher Reflection and Next Steps

• Evaluate student engagement with the software and understanding of specific tools.
• Identify students who may need revisiting of basic Photoshop skills in future lessons.
• Plan next lesson focus on combining Photoshop edits with other media or introductory graphic design principles.

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Summary

This lesson introduces Year 7 students to Photoshop basics within the framework of the National Curriculum, fostering digital literacy, creativity, and technical skills. Through scaffolded activities and formative assessment, students gain confidence using essential Photoshop tools and managing digital files responsibly.