Lesson Plan Originally Created By:
Gregg Witkin
Storytelling in 6 pictures
Part of Unit: History and Social Impact of Photography
Lesson Plan Overview / Details
In this lesson students will shoot and display 6 photos that will be used to tell a story.
This activity will also allow students to incorporate writing skills because they will be asked to write an artist statement.
The only prerequisites for this lesson are the ok of the school's administration that allows photography students to photograph outside of the classroom for projects and a photo printer.
Lesson Time
- Entire Lesson
- 2 Class Periods
Standards
California Career and Technical Education Standards
California Academic Content Standards (Reinforced)
Objectives and Goals
- Improve upon a student's ability to use a camera.
- Use a series of images to tell a story.
- Improve writing skills.
Activities in this Lesson
- Simple story creation - Hooks / Set
Students when they arrive have at their desks a piece of paper which has 6 boxes (2 rows of 3) and some colored pencils. Using no more than 3 stick figures and close up stick faces students, are to draw a progression of a story. They have three choices in terms of subject material. 1) A dating issue, 2) facebook interactions 3) friends choosing a concert.
Students are told each box represents one photograph and there is no dialogue so their story must be told through alternative means.
- Storyboard Template [ Download ] Storyboard Template, six empty boxes.
- Discuss Storytelling - Lecture
Briefly engage the students about telling stories explaining how a photograph has the ability to convey emotion, mood, ideas, and messages all while narrating a story.
Discuss with students how relationships and themes work together to tell stories. Visual themes such as colors and textures, locational themes such as theaters or construction sites, stylistic themes like black and white, should all be discussed on how a story can unfold in multiple images.
Also impart on students to allow viewers to take information from the photograph and process it in their imagination to help them form the story. To avoid making a cluttered image just to not tell a complicated story.
Students share out their stories to the group or in small groups depending on the size of the class. Ask students to discuss what they liked and what they might do differently.
- Plan the Story - Group Work
Students are now asked to work in small groups to design a story around a character (no more than 3). The character can be a stuffed animal, a paper doll cut out, or another mutually agreed upon character.
Because this is done at school and during the class time the stories have to revolve around a school theme. Students will use the same 6 box form used in the hook to plan their story.
The students will use the remaining portion of the first day of this projet to plan their six photo story. The teacher should rove the classroom challenging and encouraging the students to find creative ways to tell their story.
By the end of the class period students have to turn in a completed story board of their project and a list of necessary props that they will need to have the next time they have class.
They are also asked to secure any permission from other teachers or staff (in writing) for any part of the story that requires use permission, such as using a classroom or field location or likeness.
- Photograph the Story - Projects
When students arrive for the second class period the teacher should have their completed storyboards already sitting at their desks.
Instruct students to discuss in their group to see if any changes are necessary in their storyboard.
Once the teacher ok's each group the students are sent out onto campus to photograph their pictures.
The requirement is that each box should be shot at least 3 different times and students are encouraged to improvise with the surroundings and to improve upon their storyboard and to take into account new ideas. Though students are also expected to stay close to the orignial storyboard that was thought of in class.
- Select Images - Group Work
Students will return from shooting and upload their photos. They will then select the six photos and have them printed in class.
They are then to use a matte board to mount all six images in order from the beginning to the end.
- Present and Artist Statements - Closure
Students will then present their projects to the class giving students time to examine each other's projects and make constructive comments.
An artist statement is required from all students in the group that details their role in the project, what their project is about and the personal meaning it has to them as an artist.
Assessment
- Assessment Types:
- Portfolios, Observations,
Students will print, matte, and submit their six photos with an artist statement as part of their year long portfolio. This concept holds an important part in a photography student's overall portfolio for a sememster grade and credits.
