Literacy Through Photography Project

Literacy Through Photography Project

This project will be a combination of English Language Arts and Social Studies based on the NC Fourth Grade Standard Course of Study. This unit will cover the following ELA/ SS goals and objectives:

ELA Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.

4.02: Use oral and written language to present information and ideas in a clear and concise manner.

4.03: Make oral and written presentations using visual aids with an awareness of audience and purpose.

ELA Goal 5: The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.

5.01: Use correct capitalization and punctuation

5.02: Demonstrate understanding in speaking and writing by appropriate usage of pronouns, subject/verb agreement, verb tense consistency, and subject consistency.

5.09: Create readable documents through legible handwriting and/or word processing.

SS Goal 2: The learner will examine the importance of the role of ethnic groups and examine the multiple roles they have played in the development of NC.

2.04: Describe how different ethnic groups have influenced culture, customs, and history of NC.

2.03: Describe the similarities and differences among people of NC, past and present.

SS Goal 5: The learner will examine the impact of various cultural groups on NC.

5.01: Explain different cultural traditions in NC communities.

Each student will need access to a camera. I will first contact parents to find out who has a camera at home they can use, and if developing the pictures is something they can financially take care of. For the students that do not have access to a camera at home, I will use money I receive from PTA each year to purchase disposable cameras for those students that need one. I will seek additional funding from PTA to cover the costs of developing the pictures from the disposable cameras, and for any family that cannot afford to develop the pictures. The Green Valley PTA is very supportive. They will definitely fund a project like this. The cameras will be due back to school on a certain day. I will be responsible for taking them to get the pictures developed.

Before sending the cameras home, we willspend several days discussing picture taking. I will bring in pictures I have for the students to look at. We will discuss topics like subject, lighting, focus, clarity, etc. I will let students experiment with picture taking around the school using digital cameras that belong to the school so the students can see the pictures without having to get them developed. This will give them an opportunity to see how you have to center the subject, have it in good light, etc. We will also look at pictures from sources such as Ewald’s book, I Wanna Take Me a Picture, as well as sources like Our State and National Geographic magazines.

Artifact selection and photography

Each child will choose an artifact that has been passed down through the family. It can be a craft item, like quilting or knitting, dishes, guns, old farm equipment, or clothing, like a wedding dress worn by Grandma and then Mom. Each child will share with me, in advance, the artifact they intend to use so that I can help them make a better choice if necessary. The student will then photograph the artifact with different family generations such as Grandma, Mom, and then the child. If a significant family member with a connection to the artifact has passed away, I will encourage the child to bring in existing photos of that person to include in their project. Students will be encouraged to take many photos of each person with the artifact so that the best ones can be selected to use in the final project. Students must have at least one picture of each person with the artifact to include with the interview in the final product.

*Some students may wish to do more than one artifact. That will be allowed, however, there will be a maximum of no more than three artifacts.

Writing

The students will be writing in two genres for this project, interviews and personal narrative.

Interview: The student will interview each person they photograph with the artifact. During Writer’s Workshop time we will discuss what meaning we want the reader to get from the interview and picture(s) so what kinds of questions would we need. We will examine photos, from previously mentioned sources, and discuss what would we want to know about those subjects. The purpose of the interview will be for the child to find out how the person feels about the artifact. What special meaning does it have for them? What special memories do they have about the artifact or other family generations in regard to the artifact? As a class, we will develop a list of questions together so that each student will know specifically what should take place during the interview. We will also role play interviewing so they can practice asking the questions and recording the person’s answers to the questions.

The next step in Writer’s Workshop will be to write up the interviews. Those will be like a script. We will look at examples of plays to see how each speaker is identified. The students will then write each interview remembering to use correct punctuation and grammar. Peer editing and teacher editing will also occur during Writer’s Workshop.

Narrative Writing: The final writing piece of this project will be a narrative. The students will create a story centered on the artifact. The story will either be historical fiction or realistic fiction based on the actual artifact. Some students may even be able to write about an actual event with the artifact. Narrative writing will have been taking place throughout the year during Writer’s Workshop so this will give the students an opportunity to apply what they have learned about narrative writing.

Final Product

The final copies of the interviews and story will be word processed in the computer lab at school. The technology teacher will be involved in this part of the project to guide the students through this step. After each interview is word processed, at least one picture of the artifact with the interviewee will be attached to the interview sheet. A picture of the student with the artifact will be attached to the story. We will spend a few days in class analyzing photos, and choosing the best ones to include in the final product. Students will be able to work with peers to make those photo selections. Finally all of the interviews and story will be bound into a booklet. Each student will be able to create a cover using an actual photo.

Presentation

Each student will present their project during Social Studies as part of our study of NC history, culture, and traditions. Then the booklets will be on display in the classroom to allow peers to read them during Reader’s Workshop. The final display will be in the library for a few weeks to allow everyone throughout the school to have a chance to read them. It is my hope that when the booklets are finally sent home, they will become a family keepsake, maybe even passed down to future generations!

Evaluation

The students will receive two “grades” for this project. The first grade will be a SS grade. This grade will be based on completing the project with consideration given to effort and attitude.

I will grade the writing using the Features rubric and the Conventions rubric from NCDPI. The rubric score will be converted into a letter grade for report card purposes.

**Special Note

Due to my current teaching assignment, I am not able to complete this project with a classroom of students. I will be doing the project with a small group (3 students) on the weekends. I have shared this project with the fourth grade SS teacher, and I may guide her through completing this project with her students in the spring.