Unit Title: History of Photography

Fourth Grade Unit

By Robert Smith

Goal: Students will study cameras and the history of photography. At the end of the unit students will take pictures and develop a report on some aspect of their lives.

Objectives for the unit:

1. Students will analyze primary source documents.

2. Students will use cameras to represent their own personal history.

3. Students will research camera and photography history.

Lesson 1: Cameras

Lesson 2: Photo Analysis

Lesson 3: Speaker

Lesson 4: Written Document Analysis

Lessons 5 & 6: Student Picture-Taking

Lesson 7: Culminating Activity

Materials:

Kodak Camera from 1920

Artifact Analysis Worksheet

Photo Analysis Worksheet

Disposable cameras for each student

Lesson 1: Cameras

1. Briefly explain the artifact analysis worksheet and how to complete one.

2. Give the class the artifact. (1920s Kodak camera) Do not tell them that this is a camera!

3. Discuss their findings.

4. Give them pictures AA1 and AA2 to show them similar cameras and discuss what a photo would look like from that camera.

5. Tell the students that they will be studying the history of the camera. They will be taking their own pictures and creating an oral and written history of their lives.

Lesson 2: Photo Analysis

1. Briefly explain how to do a photo analysis worksheet.

2. Then, they will do a photo analysis of photos PA1, PA2, PA3, PA4, PA5 in small groups.

3. Discuss step 1, 2, and 3 of the worksheet.

4. Wrap up the discussion with a summary of what they have learned and will later relate to their photos.

Lesson 3: Speaker

1. Invite Paul Idleman from the Cattle Bank Museum to visit the classroom and discuss the history of photography.

2. Have him also teach the students how to use the disposable cameras and discuss light, dark, distance, subject, etc. so they have an idea of how to begin taking their own pictures.

3. With Paul there, brainstorm with the class what they could use as a topic for their own photography unit.

Lesson 4:

1. Pass out books from the Urbana Free Library for students to look at and discuss facets of photography.

2. After the discussion pass out the written document analysis worksheet and explain briefly what to do.

3. Some students will do the analysis on advertisement WDA1 and others will do their analysis on newspaper article WDA2.

4. Share their findings in a class discussion.

5. Continue to share the books and learn more about camera history.

Lesson 5:

Continue with development of the bibliography as needed.

Lesson 6:

1. Pass out a disposable camera to each child.

2. Instruct them to have someone take a picture of them. They will then take pictures of something they have had the teacher approve in individual discussions. When they have finished taking their pictures, have the film developed.

Lesson 7:

1. Students will choose 1 or 2 photos, including the photo of themselves, and write a one-page history of the picture they picked. They should include what the picture is representing and why they chose that topic.

2. Post these photos and reports in the hallway to share with classmates. Students will later take these home.