Visual Analysis Strategies for Picture Perfect Student Engagement
presented by
Dr. Amanda Lickteig Dr. Darla Mallein Emporia State University Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Contact Information: Dr. Amanda Lickteig
Associate Director of Secondary Education Department of School Leadership & Secondary Teacher Education Emporia State University
alicktei@emporia.edu
Dr. Darla Mallein
Director of Secondary Social Sciences Education Department of Social Sciences Emporia State University
dmallein@emporia.edu
Note from Darla:
If you are interested in learning more about teaching with primary sources or have an idea for a professional development project, be sure to contact the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Midwest Region:
Richard Satchwell, PhD Director, TPS Midwest Region resatch@ilstu.edu 309-438-3441
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
20 Visual Analysis Strategies for Picture Perfect Student Engagement = Technology Version of Strategy
1.
= Handout is in online version of this packet
Bucket Art: In this activity, students “bucket” or categorize a set of photographs or images related to a common theme or historic period of time. The strategy requires pairs or groups of students to examine each image and identify the criteria by which they can sort them into the buckets. For example, the images can be sorted by subject of photo, symbols, purpose, elements of art, etc.
While students should be encouraged to create as many categories as they wish, they should be required to have at least three buckets, or categories, to prevent sorting the images into obvious categories such as old or new, black and white image or color image, male or female, etc. Discourage the creation of a “miscellaneous” category. After all groups have “bucketed” their images, students explain or justify their categories to the rest of the class. While you don’t need buckets to do this “open sort” activity, it does provide a nice visual for the students as they sort items into categories.
Examples: Several years ago, our Kansas State Historical Society produced a set of Famous Kansans trading cards that feature a photo of the famous Kansan (or Kansans when cards feature a married couple) on the front of the card and a set of bulleted facts on the back. For our “Famous Kansans Bucket Art Activity, each group of students is given 25-30 cards from a pack and asked to sort the cards into at least four categories based on the information on the back of the card. Students usually sort the cards into reformers, politicians, athletes, entertainers, entrepreneurs, etc. One strategy we use to have them explain their categories is the Kagan “two stay/two stray” strategy where two students stay behind and explain their categories to the two students who strayed. This also works well for the Famous Kansan activity because the packs of trading cards are divided into a couple of sets for students to use; thus, not all students get the same cards. Use the flashcard sets of famous landmarks, presidents, etc. that you can purchase at Target or the Dollar Tree and ask students to sort them into categories of their choosing. Or make your own according to your unit of study; e.g., Civil War – provide images of battles, generals, leaders, scenes of soldier’s lives, women in their various roles, etc.
2.
Caption Match/Caption Critique:
Version 2: Project an image on the screen and provide possible captions for each. Ask students to identify the correct caption. This idea is from an activity called “Caption Critique” found on teachinghistory.org website. Lewis Hine’s labor photographs and the captions he wrote for some of them are provided in a multiple choice quiz format: http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/quiz/25108
Version 1: Find a set of photographs and their accompanying captions. Separate the captions from the photos and ask students to read the captions carefully and match them to the correct photos.
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Technology Version of Caption Match: This strategy can also be completed using the online study tool Quizlet. Teachers can create a “set” by adding photographs’ captions as the “terms” and adding the photographs themselves as the “definitions.” Once the set has been created, students can log on to Quizlet with the URL and play the “matching” study tool to drag-and-drop the captions on top of the corresponding photograph. *Adding your own photos requires a Quizlet subscription; teachers must have at least 5 items to create a set.
Compare and Contrast
3.
Compare and Contrast: Provide two photos of the same subject/person
taken at different times and ask students to compare the differences. Have students record differences on a T-chart. A great subject for this strategy is President Abraham Lincoln and the photographs taken of him in 1860 before he was president and in February of 1865, a few months before he was assassinated. The physical toll of being president during the Civil War is quite noticeable.
The photo on the left was taken in 1860 before Lincoln was elected President; the photo on the right was taken in 1865.
Then and Now: A variation of Compare and Contrast is to find images of rural or urban places and ask
students to identify how the places have changed over time. Or, use images of scenes from the past to compare and contrast with images of the present; e.g., yesterday’s classroom compared to today’s; family life of early 1900s compared to present-day. Use T-charts, Venn diagrams, or other compare-contrast graphic organizers for students to record details.
Technology Version: Students can participate in a digital “Compare and Contrast” or “Then and Now” using the free online resource Padlet. Teachers can project two images at the front of the room, and then share a pre-made Padlet page with the class via link (or QR code). Depending on the teacher’s formatting preferences of the Padlet (wall, canvas, stream, grid, or shelf), students can then add their observations and evidence to the online pinboard. See an example here: https://padlet.com/adlickteig/o4xomzv985ar.
4.
Create a Caption/Cutline: After providing background information about the topic in the photo or image,
ask students to write a caption that will grab the reader’s attention and then a cutline that explains the important details of the photograph or illustration. Students can also be asked to sketch the scene from the image to help them focus on important details. See “Create a Caption and Cutline Photo Analysis Activity” handout.
Sidenote: Back in Darla’s school newspaper days, the term “caption” was used to denote the brief title or headline that accompanied the photograph; it was used to grab the reader’s attention. The cutline was the text that followed the caption; it was used to provide important details about the photograph. Today’s newspaper jargon usually refers to the caption and cutline as the caption.
5.
Crop It: This is a hands-on analysis activity where teachers pose questions and students use paper cropping tools to deeply explore a visual primary source. Students are led through a series of questions and then use evidence from their “crops” to build an interpretation or make a claim. Throughout the process students are provided with time to think deeply as they seek evidence, multiple viewpoints, and a deeper, more detailed understanding before determining the meaning of a primary source.
This AWESOME strategy is from the Teaching History website. See the Crop It! Handout for abridged
directions for the activity as well as a link to the website with all materials needed for the activity.
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
6.
Divided Image: Students often overlook the important details of a photograph or
painting that can lend insight into the purpose or meaning of the image. The Divided Image strategy asks students to focus on just one fourth, or one quadrant, of an image at a time. There are many ways to use this strategy, which can be conducted online with Google Slides as a hands-on activity with paper copies of the image and construction paper squares used to cover up three quadrants at a time.
Paper version: Project the image on the screen and tell students to look at the image for 10 seconds. Turn off
Technology Version of Crop It: This strategy can also be completed by teachers using
digital tools such as PowerPoint or Google Slides. To prepare this activity for digital use, teachers should locate an engaging image, paste the image into a slide, and then duplicate the slide as many times as needed (based on the prompts). When students are ready to participate in the activity, they should make a copy of the presentation (if in a shared folder, such as Google Drive) and then—following the prompts provided by their teacher on each slide—use the cropping tool to home in on specific parts of the photograph. Students can then respond in writing to the teacher’s prompt in the “presenter” text box below each slide.
image and then pass out copies of the image with all four quadrants covered up with construction paper squares paper clipped to each quadrant of the photo. Ask students to uncover the photograph one quadrant at a time. For each quadrant, they need to list all of the details they observe; e.g., people, objects, activities, etc. To help guide students, create a 3-column graphic organizer on which students can record the people, objects, and activities for each quadrant. When they have examined all of the quadrants, ask students to compare their first responses to the image to their responses after they examined each quadrant in more detail; e.g., what details did they notice in the quadrants that they didn’t see the first time? See “Divided Image Photograph Analysis Activity” handout.
Technology Version of Divided Image: Divided Image is another visual strategy that is easily modified for digital use. In a five-slide Google Slides or PowerPoint presentation, teachers can use the image crop tool to divide an image into quadrants for students—revealing only one quadrant per slide. The first slide would contain the entire image, which students would view for 10 seconds before the teacher would move on. The following four slides would each contain one new quadrant of the image. Students could work collaboratively or individually to record their observations in an online 3-column graphic organizer in Google Docs.
Another Version: Sneak Peek: Provide each pair or group with a photograph that has a different quadrant of
the photograph covered up. Ask each group to predict what they think will be found in the rest of the photograph and to explain their prediction. Give each group time to examine their quadrant of the picture to identify and then share specific details with the rest of the class. Reveal the image as a whole and discuss how accurate they were in their predictions. Teachers may also want to take time to point out how artists and photographers can “stage” their photos and the implications of that for the people who view the photographs.
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
7.
Hide and Seek: This activity comes from the Library of Congress. The featured photo for the
activity features the very busy Mulberry Street in New York City circa 1900, but any visually rich primary source will work. Pair up students to play one of these two variations of Hide and Seek:
Variation #1: One student in each pair should choose a hiding place and imagine hiding there. The student gives a series of sensory clues to help the other student “find” him. I feel warm pavement under my body. It’s dark, but I see some shadows. I see men’s shoes. Where am I?
Variation #2: One student identifies a particular person in the image, and then gives a series of sensory clues that will zero the partner in to identify the selected person: I feel the weight of a baby as big as me. I hear my friends goofing off. I put my face in a serious expression for the photographer. Who am I?
In both versions, the partner guesses based on the clues. Students can revise and work on hitting the right amount of detail in their clues to keep the game going. Students practice many skills. When composing clues, students can engage purposefully with the “text,” use content-specific vocabulary, draw on background knowledge, and identify key details. To guess, partners must practice good listening comprehension, determine point of view and make inferences. The activity could be done at any point in a unit of study, to engage or assess students, apply skills, or build content knowledge. See Hide and Seek on Mulberry Street handout for directions and a link to the activity on the Library of Congress Website.
8.
Image sequencing: Image sequencing activities help students better understand written or spoken texts.
Image sequencing requires groups of students to review an image set and match individual images with designated lines of text, discussing and justifying their choices. These activities give students great practice in the skills emphasized by the Common Core State Standards, particularly the CCSS standards related to Speaking and Listening and Language (vocabulary). The TPS – Barat website offers image sequencing activities on the Gettysburg Address, I Have a Dream, Pledge of Allegiance, and Preamble to the Constitution. Access the online packet to access a link to the TPS-Barat website. While on the website, be sure to look at their other primary source activities!
9.
In A Nutshell: Students examine historic artwork by summarizing what they see “in a nutshell”; i.e., describing
the artwork using single words only. In particular, the students work in small groups to brainstorm words for parts of speech; e.g., nouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. Each group is assigned a different part of speech. Groups share their lists out loud with the rest of the class as peers record words in a four-square graphic organizer that is labeled nouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. After all lists have been shared, students write a descriptive sentence about the work of art.
10. Magic Eye: Another way to encourage students to slow down and look at the details of a
photograph or painting is to give them a “Magic Eye” through which they can focus on smaller sections of the image. The online version of this packet contains a pattern for the Magic Eye and a Magic Eye analysis worksheet with a 3-column graphic organizer for students to record people, things, and activities. Inquiry questions can ask students to discuss what the photograph tells them about the way people lived at the time and what questions they would ask the people in the image. About the Magic Eye: The original version of the magic eye was a half sheet of construction paper or card stock that had a hole about 2 ½ inches in diameter cut from the center. That seemed boring; thus, the magic eye pattern that has been provided was born!
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
11. M and Ms (Mirror, Message, and Symbolism): Use this strategy with artwork to have students
examine what life was like at the time the artwork was created. Students are asked to examine the painting and then answer the following questions:
Mirror: In what ways does the artwork attempt to reflect life at a particular place and time in history? Based on your knowledge, how accurate is this reflection to reality? Describe how you reached this conclusion.
Message: What message(s) is being expressed by the artist about life during this particular time or in this particular place? What is the artist trying to say through is work? What would you believe to be the artist’s perspective toward a particular time, event, or place portrayed in the artwork?
Symbolism: Describe any item or individuals in the artwork which could be regarded as a
“symbol” for groups of people, ideas, concepts, etc.? Do you believe the primary purpose for creating this artwork to be a “mirror” of the times or to send an important “message”? Why Example: Johannes (Jan) Vermeer’s, a Dutch Baroque painter, specialized in domestic interior scenes of ordinary life during 17th century Netherlands. He painted the Girl with the Pearl Earring, which was the subject a movie in 2003 and featured Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth. His paintings can be downloaded from online websites or purchased from poster company and laminated.
12. Making “Sense” Of…This strategy requires to students to put themselves in the photograph and use their five senses to describe what they might have seen, felt, heard, smelled, and tasted. To help your students organize their responses, use a Five Senses graphic organizer. For a sample activity based around the five senses, see “Making ‘Sense’ of Woodstock” handout.
Another version: If you happen to have a Mr. Potato Head, take him apart and give each student, or pairs/groups of students depending upon size of class, one of his body parts and ask students to analyze a photograph from the “perspective” of that body part. For example, students who are given the eyes or glasses would describe what they would have seen if they were a subject in the photograph; students who are given fingers and feet would describe what they might have touched or felt; and so on. Students who are given the hat could be asked to describe what a subject might have thought, and students given the mustache could use the recently popular “must ask you” phrase associated with the mustache to ask a question they have about the photograph or one of the subjects in the photograph. Mr. Potato Head is put together as each student/pair comes forward and shares their answer and places the piece in its proper place.
13. Newspaper Story: Provide students with a painting or photograph that illustrates an historic event. Tell students to carefully study the image and then brainstorm a list of questions they need answered in order to write a newspaper story about the image. Students then research the event to write a newspaper story that could accompany the photograph if it were used in a newspaper. Depending upon time period of event, students could compare their stories to actual newspaper accounts using Library of Congress’s Chronicling America newspaper collection.
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
14. Point of View: This strategy asks students to put themselves in the shoes of the people featured in the
photograph or painting. What might each person be thinking or saying? Start by asking students to discuss what they think took place before the photograph was taken and why. Ask how they think the subjects of the photograph are feeling and why. Then ask students what they think the subject(s) of the photograph might have said or thought before, during, or after the photograph was taken. If there are at least two people in the photograph, ask them what they think they might have said to each other before, during, or after the photograph was taken. Provide students with thought or speech bubbles on which they can write what the subject(s) might have said or thought. To encourage more thoughtful and accurate responses, be sure students have been provided with some historical context. See Point of View Analysis Activity handout.
Technology Version of Point of View: This strategy turns digital through the use of Evernote’s Skitch tool. Students with Apple devices are able to open the free Skitch program, insert their photograph, painting, or other visual and annotate over the top of the image. Students simply find and snap a photo (with their camera or using the screenshot feature), mark it up, and send it on to their peers or teacher.
15. Prequel-Sequel: Show students a photo and ask them to predict what happened before the photo was taken
(prequel) and then to explain the clues or evidence for their prediction. Then have them research the photo to find out what event occurred before the photo was taken. For example, find the photograph of Rosa Parks getting fingerprinted and ask students if they can guess what happened to the woman in the photo before being taken to the police station. You can also show the same photo and ask students to predict what happened after the photograph was taken (sequel). In both cases, students should be given an opportunity to research the event with other primary sources. They can then check to see if their predictions were correct.
16.
Putting Myself in the Picture/Act-it-Outs.
Select a photograph (or painting) that is rich in emotion, drama, and details and invite students to step in and recreate the moment in a mini-dramatization of the image. Make sure the images are of clear quality when projected as large as possible on a screen or wall. Ask student volunteers to come to the screen and point out details they can identify in the image. After discussing the observed details, have the student volunteers assume the role of one of the individuals in the photograph. Ask them to place their bodies in the same position as the individual in the picture as well as make the same facial expressions as seen in the picture. While posed within the picture, ask students to verbally describe what might be on the mind of the individual they are “portraying” at this given time in history. Students remaining in the audience will assume the role of TV or newspaper reporters and ask the individuals in the picture questions. The students in the “picture” will answer the questions based upon their understanding of the viewpoints of those historical figures they represent. Teachers’ Curriculum Institute’s History Alive! Program offers five kinds of act-it-outs teachers can use based on the level of their students as well as the nature of the selected image. These five include scripted Act-it-Outs, Act-it-Outs with Role Cards, Talking Statues, Group Act-it-Outs, and Impromptu Act-it-Outs. For a brief description of each, see “Act-it-Outs” Handout.
17. Map It Layers: In this digital visual strategy, students can upload maps to the free online resource ThingLink and then layer text or multimedia (other images, video, audio, or web content) pins on top of key areas of the map.
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
18. 30-Second Look: This photo analysis strategy, from the J. Paul Getty Museum, says that research in museums
shows that that 30 seconds is the average amount of time visitors spend in front of works of art. After looking at a work of art for only 30 seconds, students use their visual recall to discuss what they noticed in order to demonstrate that really seeing and reflecting on a work of art requires time. See the “Thirty-Second Look” handout. A great painting to use this strategy with is Grant Wood’s “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.” To access a lesson plan with other ideas for the painting as well as information about the painting, go to this link from NEH.
19. Thinking Triangle: This activity, also from the TPS Barat website, requires students to use higher level
thinking skills as they interact with a primary source image. Students look at their image, read question prompts, and then record their one to five word answers on a thinking triangle. An interactive Thinking Triangle Tool is available. For the link to this activity, see the online version of this packet or visit the TPS-Barat website and search for Thinking Triangle. A copy of the Thinking Triangle is also in the online packet.
20. Zoom – In: This is similar to divided images as far as students are exposed to the image one piece at a time. For
this strategy, create power point slides with photograph or painting that has been divided into four or five parts. Reveal one part at a time as you guide students through inquiry activity with spiral questioning. This strategy can also be used for posters, letters, or any kind of primary source for which you would like students to be exposed to one section at a time. For more information on how to create the power point slides and the types of questions to ask as each section is revealed, see the Zoom-In handout.
Recommended Websites for Visual Images and/or Lesson Plan Ideas (Click on logos)
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Check out their Digital Collections as well as their Teacher Resources which contains primary source sets on a variety of topics that you can easily access and download for use in your classroom.
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We also suggest that you subscribe to their Teacher blog and receive ideas for how to use primary sources at all levels and for all subject areas!
Since this group receives funding from the Library of Congress, they feature a lot of Library of Congress primary sources. Many of their activities are tied to the Common Core Standards, so if your school requires you to incorporate those standards into your lesson plans, this site can help! http://primarysourcenexus.org/
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Compare and Contrast Name _____________________________________
Directions: The photo on the left was taken in 1860 before Lincoln was elected President; the photo on the right was taken in 1865. Look closely at each photograph and then describe the way Lincoln looked in 1860 to how he looked in 1865, after four years of leading a divided country through the Civil War.
Lincoln in 1860
Lincoln in 1865
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Terms to Know: Caption: The brief title or headline that accompanies a photograph and grabs the reader's attention. Cutline: Text that provides the important details of the photograph or illustration; follows the caption. Cutlines include the following information: • Who is that? (Identify people from left to right unless the action in the photograph demands otherwise.) • What's going on? • When and Where is this scene taking place? • Why does he/she/it/they look this way? • How did this occur?
Sketch the scene of your assigned photograph in the space above and then write a caption and cutline that explains the photograph.
Caption: ____________________________________________________________________________________ Cutline: ___________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Adapted from http://teachinghistory.org/teaching-materials/teaching-guides/25697
What is it? Crop It is a hands-on analysis activity where teachers pose questions and students use paper cropping tools to deeply explore a visual primary source. Rationale: In our fast-paced daily activities we make sense of thousands of images in just a short glance. Crop It slows the sense-making process down to provide time for students to think. It gives them a way to seek evidence, multiple viewpoints, and a deeper, more detailed, understanding before determining the meaning of a primary source. Description: This routine helps young students look carefully at a primary source to focus on details and visual information and use these to generate and support ideas. Students use evidence from their “crops” to build an interpretation or make a claim. Crop It can be completed as part of a lesson, and can be used with different kinds of visual sources (for example cropping a work of art, a poem, or a page from a textbook). Teacher Preparation 1. Print off classroom set of a primary source related to the unit or topic under study. The primary source could be a photograph, cartoon, or advertisement. 2.
Print enough copies so each student can have one source: it’s fine if some students have the same image.
3. Print and cut out enough Crop It tools so that each student has a set of two tools. 4. Prepare a series of questions in a PowerPoint presentation.
Conducting the Activity: 1. Pass out a set of two Crop It tools to each student. Demonstrate how to use the Crop It tools to focus on a particular piece of a source. Students can make various sizes of triangles, rectangles, and lines to “crop” or focus attention on an important part of the source. 2. Invite students to carefully explore their image by using the tools. Pose a question and ask students to look carefully and “crop” to an answer. For example, ask students to: Ø Crop the image to the part that first caught your eye. Think: Why did you notice this part? Ø Crop to show who or what this image is about. Think: Why is this person or thing important? Ø Crop to a clue that shows where the image was taken. Think: What has happened at this place? Suggestion: Avoid asking too many questions during this step. Keep the questions and the cropping moving fairly quickly so students stay engaged and focused on their primary source. 3.
Call on students to share their crop with a partner or the whole class.
4.
Conclude the lesson by asking students what they learned about the topic related to the collection. Ask them to reflect on what they learned about looking at the image, and when in their lives they might use the Crop It routine to understand something.
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Assigned Photograph: _______________________________________________ Step One: Examine the photograph for 10 seconds. How would you describe the photograph?
Step Two:
Divide the photograph into quadrants or four squares. (Suggestion: Use construction paper squares to cover the three corners of the pictures). What details, such as people, objects, and activities, do you notice? Record the details in the graphic organizer below.
People
Objects
Activities
Quadrant 1
Quadrant 2
Quadrant 3
Quadrant 4
Step Three: What other information can you gather from the photograph?
Step Four: How would you revise your first description of the photo using the information noted in Steps 2 and 3?
Step Five: What questions do you have about the photograph? How might you find the answers to these questions?
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Hide and Seek On Mulberry Street with the Library of Congress September 20, 2013 by Cheryl Lederle http://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2013/09/hide-and-seek-on-mulberry-street-with-the-library-of-congress/ Kids of any age enjoy playing Hide and Seek. It all starts with the very young playing “peekaboo,” discovering their own view of the world and their place in it. Mulberry Street, New York City (Circa 1900 - Detroit Publishing Company, from Library of Congress website)
Vary the game with any visually rich primary source, such as Mulberry Street, for a quick but worthwhile classroom activity. A quick scan of this print reveals a crowd on a busy street. But a closer look draws in the viewer to see specific people. The setting includes items that suggest a feast for the senses–horses, wagon wheels, a cigar, a baby, fresh vegetables, and more. Pair up students to play one of these two variations on Hide and Seek: •
One student in each pair should choose a hiding place and imagine hiding there. The student gives a series of sensory clues to help the other student “find” him. I feel warm pavement under my body. It’s dark, but I see some shadows. I see men’s shoes. Where am I?
•
One student identifies a particular person in the image, and then gives a series of sensory clues that will zero the partner in to identify the selected person: I feel the weight of a baby as big as me. I hear my friends goofing off. I put my face in a serious expression for the photographer. Who am I?
In both versions, the partner guesses based on the clues. Students can revise and work on hitting the right amount of detail in their clues to keep the game going. Students practice many skills. When composing clues, students can engage purposefully with the “text,” use content-specific vocabulary, draw on background knowledge, and identify key details. To guess, partners must practice good listening comprehension, determine point of view and make inferences. The activity could be done at any point in a unit of study, to engage or assess students, apply skills, or build content knowledge. Additional ideas for classroom applications: • Conduct a primary source analysis of the image as a warm up or an extension of the activity. • Consider how the photographer composed an image with details that come together to tell a story. • Ask students to write a story using the details they gathered, either about the whole image or about a particular person.
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Name: ____________________________________________________ Photo: ____________________________________________________
Directions: 1. Look carefully at the photograph for one minute. 2. Pick up the Magic Eye and look through it as you move it around the photograph. You should see things that you didn't see at first. 3. Fill in the chart with examples of each category. 4. Answer the questions below the chart.
People
Things
Activities
1.
What does your photograph tell you about the way people lived?
2.
What questions about these people would you ask?
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Name: Directions: Over 400,000 people from across America crowded a 600-acre dairy farm in Bethel, New York to attend what was to become the most famous music festival to ever take place in rock ‘n’ roll history. From August 15 to 17, 1969, a bedlam of mud-drenched hippies, along with some of the most influential rock artists of the twentieth century, came together in the spirit of peace, music and free love at Woodstock’s Music and Art Fair. What do you think it would have been like to attend the Woodstock Music and Art Fair? Using the packet of photographs and eye witness accounts provided, describe what the participants would have seen, heard, felt, smelled, and tasted over the course of the three-day event.
Five Senses See Hear Smell
Taste
Touch
Description of “Woodstock Nation”
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Assigned Photograph: Step One: Examine the photograph. •
What do you think probably took place before this photograph was taken?
•
What clues led you to believe this?
•
How do you think the subjects of the photograph are feeling? Why?
Step Two: Think about the subject's Point of View. •
What do you think the subject of the photograph might have said or thought before, during, or after the photograph was taken?
•
If there are at least two people in the photograph, what do you think they might have said to each other before, during, or after the photograph was taken?
Step Three: Create a thought or speech bubble. Use the thought/speech bubbles below to record what the subject(s) of the photograph might have said or thought. Cut out the thought/speech bubble and place in the appropriate place on the photograph.
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Adapted from History Alive! Directions: Select a photograph (or painting) that is rich in emotion, drama, and details and invite students to step in and recreate the moment in a mini-dramatization of the image. History Alive! offers five kinds of act--it-outs teachers can use based on the level of their students as well as the nature of the selected image. • Scripted Act--It--Out: For each significant character in the scene, prepare a simple script that the actor can read to bring the image to life. This is particularly effective for images that have two figures engaged in conversation. • Act--It--Outs with Role Cards: Rather than using complete scripts, provide each student actor with a role card that simply tells his or her name (when it is unknown, use an appropriate fictional name) and a brief explanation of who this character is. The cards should provide actors with some cues, ideas, key phrases, or questions to help them prepare for their roles and accurately represent their characters. • Talking Statutes Act--It--Out: For images that include a large number of characters, or that represent especially poignant moments in time, such as the sit-in at the Woolworth lunch counter during the civil rights movement, ask everyone to pretend to be one of the figures or objects in the image. Tell students to imagine what their character is thinking or feeling at that precise moment. Then ask a group of volunteers to come forward and have them “freeze” into the precise body positions of the different figures. One by one, touch each character on the shoulder. That figure “comes to life” long enough to state what he or she is thinking or feeling then freezes back into position. Each talking statue statement should be brief-ideally no more than one sentence. • Group Presentation Act--It--Out: For images with several figures, you can put students into groups of four or five and assign one character to each group. Give each group some questions to discuss and answer from the perspective of their character. Once groups have prepared their responses, ask a volunteer from each group to step into the image and take on the assigned role. During the act-itout, the teacher assumes the role of an on-scene reporter and interviews the characters, asking questions similar to those discussed in the group. • Impromptu Act--It--Out: After the class has analyzed an image and/or acquired the necessary background knowledge, have students step into the image and assume the roles of some of the figures. Either the students or the teacher can act as the on-scene reporter(s) to interview the figures.
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Thirty-Second Look—Getty Center From: http://www.getty.edu/education/teachers/trippack/activity_during_30second.html
Grades/Level: Lower Elementary (K–2), Upper Elementary (3–5), Middle School (6–8), High School (9–12) Subjects: Visual Arts Time Required: Short Activity 30 minutes Author: J. Paul Getty Museum Education Staff
Activity Overview Researchers in museums have found that 30 seconds is the average amount of time visitors spend in front of works of art. After looking at a work of art it for only 30 seconds, students will use their visual recall to discuss what they noticed in order to demonstrate that really seeing and reflecting on a work of art requires time. Learning Objectives Students should be able to: • give reasons why more than 30 seconds is required to look at a work of art in order to gain an understanding of it. • give reasons why discussing a work of art with others increases their understanding of it. Materials • pencils and paper
Go to the website above and view a demonstration of this activity from a person who works for Getty Museum.
Activity Steps 1. Ask students to estimate the average amount of time they spend when looking at a work of art. Record their responses and discuss the factors they believe affect the amount of time. Ask students how long they think adults spend, on average, looking at a work of art. Record their responses and discuss why there may be a difference between an adult's and a child's looking. After students have answered, explain that researchers have discovered that the average time that adults spend looking at one object in a museum is less than 30 seconds. Are 30 seconds ample to spend with a work of art? Why or why not? Try the following experiment to test their answers. 2. Direct students to sit in front of a work of art and to study it for 30 seconds then ask them to turn their backs to the artwork. 3. While students are still turned away, ask them to list what they noticed in it or ask questions to help their recall, such as: • How many people are in the work of art? • How would you describe them? • How is each one dressed? • What kind of setting is depicted? • Is the scene tidy or chaotic? • Are there any animals in the work of art? • How would you describe them? • What is the subject of the work of art? • What kind of mood has the artist created? Ask students to describe the one aspect of the work of art they remember most vividly. Encourage all students to share and discuss their answers. Did everyone notice the same things? Comment on the variety of responses. 4. Have students turn around and face the artwork. Ask them what they see that they did not notice the first time. Guide them through a careful re-examination of the artwork. 5. Ask students to share their ideas about what the work of art may be about. If the work of art is narrative in nature, encourage students to speculate on the story. 6. Ask students to consider how much longer they spent looking at the image the second time. Was their first glance sufficient? Ask students if discussing and comparing observations with other people helped them understand the work of art. Have the students explain their answers.
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
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Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
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Distributed through the TPS-Barat Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Program | 847-574-2465 Find additional materials and resources at http://Barat-TPS.org and http://PrimarySourceNexus.org.
Adapted from the Thinking Triangle activity found in Kingore, Bertie. Teaching without Nonsense: Activities to Encourage High-Level Responses. Professional Associates, 1999.
Row 5 (Why?): Think of a Why question that this image answers and write the answer in five words, one word on each line in the fifth row.
Row 4 (How?): Think of a How question that this image answers and write the answer in four words, one word on each line in the fourth row.
Row 3 (Where?): Think about the place shown in this image and describe it in three words (write each word on one line in the third row).
Row 2 (When?): Think about the time period this image represents and describe it in two words (write each word on one line in the second row).
Row 1 (Who/What?): Think about who or what this image represents and describe it in one word (write the word on the top line in the triangle).
Follow the directions below to record thoughts about the image using the thinking triangle.
Primary Source Activity: Thinking Triangle
How to Create the Questions & Slides for a Zoom-In Inquiry Activity
Step 1:
Create Title Slide with title of Zoom-in and your name. Title shouldn’t give away the “theme” of the image.
Step 2:
Create a slide with directions for students. Keep them simple! Example: Examine the primary source clues carefully. Determine what you see and what questions you might ask to get the “big picture.”
Step 3:
Create a slide with an Investigative Question that will lead students down the path of Inquiry to reach the “big picture” or understanding goal.
a. b.
What might primary sources tell us about? Or… How does this primary source confirm your thinking about____?
c.
Make sure the Investigative Question ties in with the “Big Picture Understanding” Questions you will write for the last question slide.
Step 4:
Create 4-6 slides with Guiding Questions that spiral from the concrete to the abstract. This means you must ask them in the order below, although you can add additional observation questions when you reveal additional sections of the image. a. Observations Questions (at least two) Observation questions ask students to identify and note details. Observations are made with the senses and can be verified by other people. • • • • • • • •
What do you see? What do you notice first? Describe what else you see. Describe who/what you see in this image. What’s happening in the image? What people or objects are shown? How are they arranged? List three things you observe in the image. What new people or things do you see? What is the physical setting?
b.
Interpretation Questions (at least one) Interpretation Questions ask students to draw conclusions from their observations. Be sure to ask students to support their interpretations with evidence found in the image. • • •
When do you think this image was taken? What clues support this? Make a hypothesis about what is happening in this picture. Support your hypothesis with evidence from the photo. What do you think happened before this picture was taken? What clues support this?
c.
Evaluation Questions (at least one) • • • • • •
How did your perception of the image change as you saw more of it? Why do you think this image was created? What might have been the creator’s purpose? What evidence supports your theory? Why do you think the creator chose to include these particular details? What do you think the creator might have wanted the audience to think or feel? What questions do you have?
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Step 5:
Create a slide s that reveals the entire image and poses a question that will help students reach the “Big Picture Understanding.” You can create two slides for this if you want - one with just the entire image revealed and followed by a slide with the image and the final question. • • • •
What does this image say about the relationship between _____ and _____? Based on this image, how can you explain the impact of _____ and _____? What do you understand about the role of _____ in our nation’s history? How is ___________ applied to ___________?
Step 6:
Create a slide that provides background information about the picture; who took the photo, when, where, why, etc.
Darla’s Method for Making Zoom-In Slides 1. Insert a photo/image into a BLANK power point slide. “Mentally”* divide photo into approximately four equal parts or quadrants. 2. *I drew the lines to represent the quadrants that will be reviewed one at a time.
3. Insert rectangular or square shapes that will fill three of the four quadrants. You may have to select the “Arrange” option of bringing the shape forward so it doesn’t get hidden behind the photo or image or sending the photo to the back so the boxes appear in front of image.
What do you see?
4. Insert a text box and then type in your question(s). You may have to wrap the text box “in front of text.”
What new things do you see?
5. Duplicate the slide. Remove one of the shapes to reveal the next part of the image that you want students to see. 6. Repeat steps two more times until the full image has been revealed. Don’t forget the spiral questions!
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University
Thank you for attending our session! We know you could have
opted to attend a different session, so we appreciate you choosing
US! We hope you were able to get some new ideas for integrating visual literacy strategies into your classroom! Enjoy the rest of the conference!
Amanda and Darla
Dr. Darla Mallein & Dr. Amanda Lickteig | Emporia State University