Recapturing the Past with Digital Imaging

Theodore Roosevelt School (TRS) is surrounded by culture and history. Located on the grounds of the former Fort Apache Army Post, TRS serves sixth- through eighth-grade native students, primarily from the White Mountain Apache Tribe. Tradition and culture are so much a part of the TRS students' background of experiences that teachers at the school often infuse their lessons with studies of traditional stories, arts and crafts, and Apache language. TRS teachers have found that their students are more receptive to lessons that pertain to the unique experiences of Native Americans. This article describes the Native American art unit developed by computer and art teacher Michael LiPira at TRS. In this unit, LiPira has developed a series of lessons that teaches about Native American art, foundational art concepts, and digital image tools such as Microsoft Paint and Adobe Photoshop LE. (Contains 2 resources and 8 online resources.) ["Recapturing the Past with Digital Imaging" was written with Michael LiPira and Janice Hinson.]