Lesson 1: Film and Photography Basics (Sara Cornthwaite)
CREATE TO LEARN
Lesson 1: Film and Photography Basics (Sara Cornthwaite)
ACTIVATE: PHOTO ESSAY EXAMPLES
Inform students that today they will be learning about the basics of photography. Photogra-
phy can be a powerful storytelling tool. In fact, photo essay journalism has been around for
decades. A photo essay is a series of photos that tell a captivating story.
Show students some examples of famous photo essays. While viewing each essay, have
students attempt to describe what is being conveyed through the images. Ask them to try to
infer meaning based on the colours, composition and content of each photo essay.
"Dorothea Lange's Moving Photographs of The Depression Era"
• The onset of the Great Depression in the 1930s caused Lange to turn her camera lens
from the studio to the street.
Lesson Plan
CURRICULUM
CONNECTIONS
British Columbia and Yukon
• Composition 10
• New Media 10
• Composition 11
• New Media 11
• Composition 12
• English Studies 12
• New Media 12
Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut
• English Language Arts 10-1
• English Language Arts 20-1
• English Language Arts 30-1
Ontario
• English Grade 10, Academic and Applied
• English. Grade 1, University and College Prep
• English, Grade 12 University and College Prep
DURATION
2-3 Hours
OVERVIEW
Throughout this lesson, students will be exposed to examples of photo essay journalism while
learning photography basics. They will apply their knowledge by creating an original photo
essay that tells a story about an aspect of their lives or communities. To celebrate, their photo
essays will be displayed in the classroom as an exhibition and students will spend a class
viewing each other's work and discussing the meaning, emotions conveyed, and photogra-
phy elements used.
MATERIALS
• Create to Learn textbook or use the videos online: http://www.tigurl.org/fpbasics
• Camera (phone or camera)
• "Photo Essay Rubric"
• "Reflection Rubric"
CREATE TO LEARN
Unit 2: Photography, Filming, and Acting