Screenshots
Master the art of capturing, cropping, annotating, and documenting digital information using screenshots and screen clipping tools.
Capture the entire screen using the Print Screen key or dedicated capture button.
Learning objective
Let's Go!
Routine: See, Think, Wonder
Look at this computer screen. How could you save a picture of exactly what is on the screen right now without using a phone camera?
Teacher note: Facilitate the See, Think, Wonder routine for 2–3 minutes. Encourage students to connect the prompt to Form (Digital tools allow us to capture and document our learning moments in real time.).
Learn
A screenshot takes an instant picture of whatever is showing on your computer monitor! Pressing the Print Screen (PrtScn) key or using the screen capture button takes a photo of your whole screen and saves it to your clipboard. In computing, digital tools allow us to capture and document our learning moments in real time. As you explore the interactive Screenshot Simulator below, focus on how to capture the full screen and pastes it into a blank document or slide.
Loyal, gentle family dog known for intelligence and playful temperament.
Apply Simulator Skills • Try it yourself
🚀 Open a practice space
Or try locally: 📸 Snipping Tool (Windows) · 🖥️ Grab (Mac)
Locates the Print Screen key on a keyboard.
Captures a full-screen image using the shortcut key.
Captures the full screen and pastes it into a blank document or slide.
Explains when a full-screen capture is better than a cropped capture.
⭐ Secure StandardWhen you finish creating your project in your software, copy the share link or take a screenshot and publish it onto your student portfolio website!
Reflect
Learning check
Routine: See, Think, Wonder
Teacher notes: Facilitate the See, Think, Wonder routine for 2–3 minutes. Encourage students to connect the prompt to Form (Digital tools allow us to capture and document our learning moments in real time.).
Curriculum strand: Everyday Digital Skills
Outcome: SHOT.01.B.1.1 — Capture the entire screen using the Print Screen key or dedicated capture button.
PYP: Form · Digital tools allow us to capture and document our learning moments in real time.
Learner profile: Inquirer
Accessibility alternative: Students may verbally explain or point to the correct answer for "Which key takes a picture of your entire computer screen?" with a teacher or teaching assistant.
Teacher override: allow
Locked level
Complete the previous learning check to unlock this next level.
Use a snipping tool to drag and capture a specific region of the screen.
Learning objective
Let's Go!
Routine: Zoom In
Look at this full screen screenshot filled with clutter. Why would we only want to capture the small game score in the top corner?
Teacher note: Facilitate the Zoom In routine for 2–3 minutes. Encourage students to connect the prompt to Function (Selecting specific details helps communicate key information clearly.).
Learn
Instead of capturing your whole screen with all your desktop clutter, the Snipping Tool (or Win+Shift+S / Cmd+Shift+4) lets you draw a box around just the part you need! This keeps your work neat and focused. In computing, selecting specific details helps communicate key information clearly. As you explore the interactive Drawing Layers Simulator below, focus on how to capture a cropped screenshot containing only the required information.
Maintain comfortable breathing space (margins) so eye movement flows naturally across the headline.
Apply Simulator Skills • Try it yourself
🚀 Open a practice space
Or try locally: 📸 Snipping Tool (Windows) · 🖥️ Grab (Mac)
Opens the Snipping Tool or screen capture utility.
Drags a rectangular box around a specific image on screen.
Captures a cropped screenshot containing only the required information.
Demonstrates how cropping unwanted screen clutter makes work look cleaner.
⭐ Secure StandardWhen you finish creating your project in your software, copy the share link or take a screenshot and publish it onto your student portfolio website!
Reflect
Learning check
Routine: Zoom In
Teacher notes: Facilitate the Zoom In routine for 2–3 minutes. Encourage students to connect the prompt to Function (Selecting specific details helps communicate key information clearly.).
Curriculum strand: Everyday Digital Skills
Outcome: SHOT.01.B.1.2 — Use a snipping tool to drag and capture a specific region of the screen.
PYP: Function · Selecting specific details helps communicate key information clearly.
Learner profile: Communicator
Accessibility alternative: Students may verbally explain or point to the correct answer for "What shortcut opens the region snipping tool on Windows/Mac?" with a teacher or teaching assistant.
Teacher override: allow
Locked level
Complete the previous learning check to unlock this next level.
Add arrows, text labels, and highlights to screenshots to explain information.
Learning objective
Let's Go!
Routine: Think, Pair, Share
If you want to show a friend where the 'Save' button is on a busy toolbar, what drawing tools could you add to your screenshot?
Teacher note: Facilitate the Think, Pair, Share routine for 2–3 minutes. Encourage students to connect the prompt to Connection (Visual annotations clarify technical details and guide audience understanding.).
Learn
Once you take a screenshot, you can mark it up! Using red arrows, text boxes, and yellow highlighters helps your audience immediately see important buttons, errors, or answers without getting lost. In computing, visual annotations clarify technical details and guide audience understanding. As you explore the interactive Shortcut Simulator below, focus on how to add a text box annotation and bright highlight to explain a step clearly.
Apply Simulator Skills • Try it yourself
🚀 Open a practice space
Or try locally: 📸 Snipping Tool (Windows) · 🖥️ Grab (Mac)
Selects a pen or highlighter tool inside the screenshot editor.
Draws a circle or arrow pointing to a specific feature on a screenshot.
Adds a text box annotation and bright highlight to explain a step clearly.
Creates a fully annotated visual diagram using multiple markup tools.
⭐ Secure StandardWhen you finish creating your project in your software, copy the share link or take a screenshot and publish it onto your student portfolio website!
Reflect
Learning check
Routine: Think, Pair, Share
Teacher notes: Facilitate the Think, Pair, Share routine for 2–3 minutes. Encourage students to connect the prompt to Connection (Visual annotations clarify technical details and guide audience understanding.).
Curriculum strand: Everyday Digital Skills
Outcome: SHOT.02.B.1.1 — Add arrows, text labels, and highlights to screenshots to explain information.
PYP: Connection · Visual annotations clarify technical details and guide audience understanding.
Learner profile: Thinker
Accessibility alternative: Students may verbally explain or point to the correct answer for "Which annotation tool is best for drawing attention to a small icon on a screenshot?" with a teacher or teaching assistant.
Teacher override: allow
Locked level
Complete the previous learning check to unlock this next level.
Distinguish between pasting from clipboard memory and saving screenshots as image files.
Learning objective
Let's Go!
Routine: Parts-Purposes-Complexities
What happens to your screenshot on the clipboard if you copy a sentence of text right after?
Where did the screenshot go?
Teacher note: Facilitate the Parts-Purposes-Complexities routine for 2–3 minutes. Encourage students to connect the prompt to Responsibility (Understanding storage formats ensures our digital assets remain accessible.).
Learn
When you take a screenshot, it goes into your computer's temporary Clipboard memory. If you paste (Ctrl+V) right away, it appears in your doc. But if you want to keep the image for later, click 'Save As' and save it as a PNG file in your project folder! In computing, understanding storage formats ensures our digital assets remain accessible. As you explore the interactive Save Dialog Simulator below, focus on how to save a screenshot as a named PNG file in a specific project folder.
Apply Simulator Skills • Try it yourself
🚀 Open a practice space
Or try locally: 📸 Snipping Tool (Windows) · 🖥️ Grab (Mac)
Pastes a screenshot directly into a document using Ctrl+V.
Explains that clipboard memory disappears when a new item is copied.
Saves a screenshot as a named PNG file in a specific project folder.
Evaluates when to paste from clipboard vs when to save permanent file archives.
⭐ Secure StandardWhen you finish creating your project in your software, copy the share link or take a screenshot and publish it onto your student portfolio website!
Reflect
Learning check
Routine: Parts-Purposes-Complexities
Teacher notes: Facilitate the Parts-Purposes-Complexities routine for 2–3 minutes. Encourage students to connect the prompt to Responsibility (Understanding storage formats ensures our digital assets remain accessible.).
Curriculum strand: Everyday Digital Skills
Outcome: SHOT.02.B.1.2 — Distinguish between pasting from clipboard memory and saving screenshots as image files.
PYP: Responsibility · Understanding storage formats ensures our digital assets remain accessible.
Learner profile: Knowledgeable
Accessibility alternative: Students may verbally explain or point to the correct answer for "Where should you save a screenshot if you need to upload it to a website tomorrow?" with a teacher or teaching assistant.
Teacher override: allow
Locked level
Complete the previous learning check to unlock this next level.
Capture drop-down menus and timed pop-ups using delayed screenshot timers.
Learning objective
Let's Go!
Routine: Connect-Extend-Challenge
Try taking a screenshot of a drop-down menu that disappears every time you click away. What challenge occurs?
Teacher note: Facilitate the Connect-Extend-Challenge routine for 2–3 minutes. Encourage students to connect the prompt to Change (Advanced tools allow us to capture transient digital events and complex layouts.).
Learn
Some menus disappear as soon as you click a screenshot button! To capture these 'tricky' pop-ups, set a 3-second or 5-second Delay Timer in your snipping app. Click the delay button, open your menu, and wait for the screen to freeze! In computing, advanced tools allow us to capture transient digital events and complex layouts. As you explore the interactive File Extension Simulator below, focus on how to open a drop-down menu during the 3-second delay and captures it successfully.
Apply Simulator Skills • Try it yourself
🚀 Open a practice space
Or try locally: 📸 Snipping Tool (Windows) · 🖥️ Grab (Mac)
Identifies the Timer / Delay clock button in Snipping Tool.
Sets a 3-second delay timer before taking a capture.
Opens a drop-down menu during the 3-second delay and captures it successfully.
Teaches peers how to capture disappearing tooltips and pop-up menus.
⭐ Secure StandardWhen you finish creating your project in your software, copy the share link or take a screenshot and publish it onto your student portfolio website!
Reflect
Learning check
Routine: Connect-Extend-Challenge
Teacher notes: Facilitate the Connect-Extend-Challenge routine for 2–3 minutes. Encourage students to connect the prompt to Change (Advanced tools allow us to capture transient digital events and complex layouts.).
Curriculum strand: Everyday Digital Skills
Outcome: SHOT.03.B.1.1 — Capture drop-down menus and timed pop-ups using delayed screenshot timers.
PYP: Change · Advanced tools allow us to capture transient digital events and complex layouts.
Learner profile: Open-minded
Accessibility alternative: Students may verbally explain or point to the correct answer for "Why would you use a 3-second delay timer when taking a screenshot?" with a teacher or teaching assistant.
Teacher override: allow
Locked level
Complete the previous learning check to unlock this next level.
Construct step-by-step visual bug reports and documentation guides using annotated screenshots.
Learning objective
Let's Go!
Routine: I used to think...
I used to think describing a computer bug in words was enough... Now I think taking annotated screenshots is better because...
Teacher note: Facilitate the I used to think... routine for 2–3 minutes. Encourage students to connect the prompt to Perspective (Documenting digital evidence accurately helps resolve technical issues and support collaborators.).
Learn
Software developers and tech support teams rely on visual bug reports! By compiling annotated screenshots showing 'Step 1', 'Step 2', and the 'Error Message', you create crystal-clear evidence that helps others fix problems quickly. In computing, documenting digital evidence accurately helps resolve technical issues and support collaborators. As you explore the interactive Upload Download Simulator below, focus on how to create a complete visual bug report showing expected vs actual results with clear annotations.
Apply Simulator Skills • Try it yourself
🚀 Open a practice space
Or try locally: 📸 Snipping Tool (Windows) · 🖥️ Grab (Mac)
Takes screenshots of two sequential steps in a task.
Arranges screenshots in order with numbered step labels.
Creates a complete visual bug report showing expected vs actual results with clear annotations.
Publishes a comprehensive digital troubleshooting guide for school computing support.
⭐ Secure StandardWhen you finish creating your project in your software, copy the share link or take a screenshot and publish it onto your student portfolio website!
Reflect
Learning check
Routine: I used to think...
Teacher notes: Facilitate the I used to think... routine for 2–3 minutes. Encourage students to connect the prompt to Perspective (Documenting digital evidence accurately helps resolve technical issues and support collaborators.).
Curriculum strand: Everyday Digital Skills
Outcome: SHOT.03.B.1.2 — Construct step-by-step visual bug reports and documentation guides using annotated screenshots.
PYP: Perspective · Documenting digital evidence accurately helps resolve technical issues and support collaborators.
Learner profile: Reflective
Accessibility alternative: Students may verbally explain or point to the correct answer for "What makes a visual bug report effective when asking for tech support?" with a teacher or teaching assistant.
Teacher override: allow
