Lessons Using Digital Cameras
Enhancing Lessons with Digital Cameras Helps make the Lesson more Interactive for the Students
Some tips on using a digital camera to enhance instruction.
Many schools have at least one digital camera on hand. They are used to take pictures of the students at sporting events, school plays, and other school-wide activities. Sometimes, when something special is going on in the school that day, the camera comes out (“Read Across America” and Cat in the Hat hats come to mind.) and the pictures are uploaded to the school and/or district website. However, that is the extent of digital camera use. With a little thought and creativity, digital cameras can become a valuable classroom tool. Even some camera phones have fairly good picture-taking ability. Many of the pocket computers have the capability to upload pictures to any school computer.
Ideas for enhancing instruction using the digital camera:
- Math: For an introductory geometry lesson, have students take pictures of objects that have certain shapes in them (Octagonal stop sign, hexagonal tile floor, rectangular door, etc.). Upload, print, and make into a class collage.
- Writing: Have students who do not draw well take pictures to illustrate a story.
- PreK, Character Education: Take pictures of students expressing various emotions (facially). Have students tell a story about why they made each face.
- Science: Since many labs are three dimensional and difficult to hang up or keep around the room on display, take pictures of the lab in progress, and display in or out of the classroom.
- Social Studies: Many ideas come to mind, such as pictures at the Department of Motor Vehicles to show government agencies at work, or of various people in the neighborhood to represent different cultures.
Safety Tips:
- Make certain students have permission slips on file to allow their images to be used on the Internet.
- Store your pictures of students in a password protected file so students do not have access to them without supervision.
- Do not allow students to send pictures to anyone via e-mail.
- Delete pictures from the camera after each use.
See related blog.
