- How does the context of a photograph change its meaning?
- Why were these photographs chosen to represent Sontag’s arguments in the film?
- How do iconic images shape our understanding of the world?
- What is the relationship between photography and history?
- Does the photographer’s intent matter?
- When do photographs inspire action against injustice?
- How can students use photography and film to explore the social and political challenges of their era?
- Investigate Susan Sontag’s arguments about historical photographs
- Recognize how the context of a photograph affects its meaning
- Compare modern interpretations of iconic photographs to their historical contexts and intents
- Consider the use of photography as a form of historical documentation
- Explore the role of archival photographs in film
- Use photography and film to represent complex ideas creatively
1-7 Class Periods + written, visual, or video assignment (optional)
VIDEOS:
On Photography Video and Transcript
HANDOUTS:
Unit Background
Unit Research
Handout 1
Handout 2
Handout 3/4
WORKSHEETS:
Panel Discussion Worksheet
Essay/Speech Worksheet
Film/Video Worksheet
Photography Worksheet
TEACHING PLANS:
Teach Handout 1
Teach Handout 2
Teach Handout 3/4
Panel Discussion Activity
Essay/Speech Activity
Film/Video Activity
Photography Activity
- Art and Culture
Medium > Visual Arts
Subject Matter > Art History
Subject Matter > Philosophy
- History and Social Studies
Place > The Americas
Place > Asia
Place > Europe
Themes > Civil Rights
Themes > Culture
Themes > Exploration and Discovery
Themes > Globalization
Themes > War and Foreign Policy
U.S. History
U.S. > Civil War
U.S. > The Great Depression and WWII
World > The Modern World
- Literature and Language Arts
Genre > Essay
Place > American
Place > Modern World
- Analysis
- Compare and contrast
- Critical analysis
- Critical thinking
- Cultural analysis
- Debate skills
- Discussion
- Evaluating arguments
- Expository writing
- Film editing
- Gathering, classifying and interpreting written, oral and visual information
- Historical analysis
- Internet skills
- Interpretation
- Investigating/journalistic writing
- Literary analysis
- Media analysis
- Making inferences and drawing conclusions
- Online research
- Oral analysis
- Oral communication
- Oral presentation skills
- Persuasive writing and speaking
- Photography
- Report writing
- Representing ideas and information orally, graphically, and in writing
- Research
- Summarizing
- Synthesis
- Technology
- Textual analysis
- Using archival documents
- Using primary sources
- Using secondary sources
- Visual analysis
- Visual art analysis
- Visual presentation skills
- Writing skills
- ELA Reading: 1-3, 7, 10
- ELA Writing: 1-2, 4-10
- ELA Speaking & Listening: 1-2, 4-6
- HSS Reading: 1-3, 6-10
- HSS Writing: 2, 4-10
Notably, On Photography does not contain any images, though it refers to numerous photographs and photographers. This lesson looks at the historical photographs in Regarding Susan Sontag—which itself uses hundreds of images to tell Susan Sontag’s story—and augments Sontag’s analysis with background information about these iconic images. Students will think critically about why the filmmakers selected these photographs, how looking at them in the context of a film is different than seeing them as still images, and how our understanding of the images has changed over time, then respond with their own essays, films, and photographs.
LESSON 3 HANDOUTS
LESSON 3 STUDENT ACTIVITY OPTIONS
- Watch Regarding Susan Sontag and reflect on its relevance to your students and subject area. For extracurricular organizations, community groups, and book clubs, consult our guide on adapting the curriculum.
- Select the handout(s) and student activity you will use with this lesson.
- Begin the lesson by watching and discussing the lesson video module with Handout 1
- Continue the lesson with Handouts 2-4 to deepen learning (optional)
- Complete the lesson with a student activity: options include writing, presentation, and creative assignments as well as class projects or debates
- Download or print all related resources for this lesson at our resource center (video module, handouts, worksheets, teaching plans), and prepare for classroom use. Preview the video module, familiarizing yourself with the content and any potential areas of sensitivity for your students (see Information for Teachers).
- Screen Regarding Susan Sontag and discuss with our educational screening guide before beginning this lesson.
- Assign full texts or articles in place of handout excerpts.
- Assign supplementary texts or facilitate independent research with our photography research handout, which includes:
- Photographers featured by Sontag
- Online photography resources
- Photography reference texts (unit citations and recommendations)
- Allow additional time for discussion, group work, peer-review, editing, revision, or student evaluations and critiques of finished work.
- Coordinate presentations of student activities outside the classroom, such as a class blog, podcast or online gallery posts, school newspaper or literary/art journal publications, student radio or video broadcasts, or all-school exhibits, panel discussions, and screenings.
- Teach this lesson with additional content from the curriculum guide. See our interdisciplinary diagram for help choosing related units and lessons.