The program that says 'pro' more than any other is Adobe Photoshop. Believe it or not, there are a whole list of skills easy enough for a fifth grader (maybe even fourth, but I haven't had time to test it on them yet).

Here are the basic skills fifth graders can learn in Photoshop if you've prepared them with basic computer skills. I've provided links but they aren't live until publication:

• Photoshop artwork--already live
• Photoshop actions--already live
• Photoshop basics
• Photoshop filter and rendering tools
• Photoshop starters--auto-correct with the auto-correction tools--those quick fixes that make a photo look cleaner (coming up)
• Photoshop crop tool--with the lasso and the magic wand
• Photoshop clone tool-- within a picture and to another picture
• Photoshop--change the background (put yourself in front of the Eiffel Tower or on top of Hoover Dam)
• Photoshop tools--add custom shapes
• Photoshop--start with Word (a little dated but still useful)

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Custom shapes are great fun in Photoshop, and one of the simplest skills to learn.

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Q: When tech gets difficult, my students stop trying. What do I do?

A: After well over a decade of teaching K-12, I know kids will try harder if it’s fun. The challenge for us teachers: How to make a multi-step skill that they may rarely use ‘fun’.

The answer is keyboard shortcuts–aka shortkeys. My students love them. I start in kindergarten with easy ones–like Alt+F4 to exit a program–and build each year. Throw in a few quirky ones and you’ve won their hearts and minds. Here's a starter list:

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