Name of Project:
Home Environments Lesson
Classroom, School:
Fifth grade classroom at Jackson Elementary in Saint Paul
Cooperating teacher:
Christopher Nelson
Grade Level:
Fifth grade
Presenter's Name:
Travis Spangler
Subject and Curricular Link:
Social Studies infused Photography
Overview of Project
I took the four aspects the students were using to research Native American cultures--food, shelter, clothing, and interesting facts--and asked the students to examine their own cultures/environments. I asked them to document these four aspects of their environments photographically.
Essential Question(s)
What do I find interesting about my own environment? What do I find interesting about others' environments? What is composition? What is a good composition? How can I make a photograph more interesting than just a snapshot?
Prior Knowledge
Basic understanding of the camera. Knowledge of one's own environment: food, clothing, and shelter.
Timeline
February 28: Presented lesson; March 5-9: Collected cameras/developed film/mounted photographs; March 12: "Feedback activities"
Examples of student or artist work
PowerPoint: Angela Strassheim photographs, disposable camera photographs taken by myself as an example.
Assessment
How are the students responding to the pictures they've taken? To the pictures others have taken? Are they showing an interest in their own work as well as to the photos taken by others? Do the photographs explore the themes? Do the photos demonstrate good composition?
Materials
Disposable cameras, mat boards, dry adhesive
Procedures
1. Show PowerPoint
a. VTS
b. good composition
c. interesting angles
d. DON'T put your finger in front of the lens, don't take picture closer than an arms-length away, don't try to flash through reflective surfaces (windows)
2. Explain the project goals
3. Have students take notes on food / clothing / shelter / interesting facts Is this a brainstorming list? Or what will they take notes from?
4. Give students cameras - explain parts of camera, CLEARLY explain that the first picture should be a self-portrait (to keep track of which photos belong to which student) - "try very hard not to lose!!"
Teacher Reflection
I anticipated that students would lose their cameras. This actually proved not to be a
problem. However, it did take longer for the students to use a roll of film than I had anticipated.
Also, I learned that there needs to be a clear way to determine which pictures belong to which student.
A good way is to clearly explain that the first photograph should be a self-portrait.
Feedback Activities
The children sat in a circle and chose one picture to talk about. They explained what
the picture was and explained how it covered one of the four aspects of their home environment.