Image as History
In this activity, students will take a series of photographs that explore a historical, cultural or aesthetic aspect of contemporary life.
PHOTOGRAPHY LESSON 3:
PHOTOGRAPHY
½—1 class period (30-60 min) + visual assignment
HANDOUTS:
Handout 2 (as needed)
Handout 3/4 (as needed)
Sample Release Form (as needed)
WORKSHEET:
TEACHING PLAN:
- Art and Culture
Medium > Visual Arts
Subject Matter > Art History
- History and Social Studies
Themes > Culture
- Critical thinking
- Cultural analysis
- Discussion
- Expository writing
- Gathering, classifying, and interpreting visual information
- Historical analysis
- Interpretation
- Media analysis
- Making inferences and drawing conclusions
- Photography
- Representing ideas and information graphically and in writing
- Technology
- Visual analysis
- Visual presentation skills
- ELA Reading: 7
- ELA Writing: 2, 4, 6, 10
- ELA Speaking & Listening: 1, 4-6
- HSS Reading: 7, 9
- HSS Writing: 2, 4, 6, 10
LESSON 3 HANDOUTS
- Choose a single contemporary movement or event to explore as a class—with individual photographers highlighting different aspects of the same subject—and arrange a public exhibition of the work (see our Information for Teachers).
- Allow additional time for peer-review, editing, revision, and critique of collections.
- Assign a longer essay or response paper in place of the short reflection, asking students to include research on their subject and its contemporary context in their writing.
- Publish a selection of photographs in the school newspaper or literary/art journal, or encourage students to submit their work independently.