Teacher name: Kirsten Ledbetter

Lesson title: Cameras

Grade level: First and Second Grade
Time frame: 1.5 hour class period- Saturday Art
Sequence Theme/Big Idea: Fact/Fiction: Cardboard Cameras!
Lesson Narrative:
We will be creating our own make-believe cameras. Cameras are something that practically
every person has on their person, in the form of usually a phone. Many people photograph small
moments everyday and upload their images to instagram. But the art of photography is much
more involved than the simple click of a button and applying filter in an application on a phone,
photography involves technology, chemistry and patience. IT can be quite a tedious process, with
both traditional film photography and digital photography.
Lesson Rationale: Student will learn about cameras and some basic information about
traditional photography in order to be aware of the art of photography and not just the easily
accessible photo taking that can be done with a camera in an iphone or the like.
Objectives: Students will be able to write two succinct statements about what they learned about
cameras and what they learned about photography. Students will be able to identify photography
in and talk about these images and how they think they relate to art. Students will produce a
work of art inspired by using their daily experiences and environment as a source of inspiration.
As a result of this lesson, students will know more facts about cameras and the art of
photography.
Standards
The students will:
1. Identify and discuss what an artist does and find examples of works by artists in their
communities. (1:5PE)
2. Discuss the meanings of visual symbols, images and icons observed in artworks.(1:5RE)
3. Generate artmaking ideas from their daily experiences and the environment. (2:7PE)

Materials:
-ribbon
-small cardboard boxes
-construction paper
-scissors
-paper straws
-cardstock
-Dixie cups bottoms cut off (for lens)
-Pins
-Stickers
-white glue
-markers
-paint

Lesson Vocabulary:
Photography- capturing a moment in time or an experience and being able to print out that
moment
Image- what is produced in the process of photography, a paper with a picture on it
Contrast- Light and dark parts of an image, it helps keep the viewers interest
Composition- when you look through a camera and see the image, what you choose to put in
your image and how you choose to show the things in your imag
Historical/Multicultural Exemplars:
Ansel Adams and other early photographers- nature photography, relatively new art medium- xrays of plants- Dr. Dain Taiker
Diagram of a simple film camera to show the different part of a camera- lens, buttons,
viewfinder, etc.
Question strategies for images: How does a camera work? What are the different parts of a
camera? What are the different kinds of cameras? How is this camera, one that operates with
film, different than cameras that you may use and often see today? Iphone camera versus a film
camera? What is film? How do we take pictures? What pictures are we familiar with? What photography
do we see on a daily basis? What famous photographers do we know? What was the first camera like?
Do you take pictures? What would you want to photograph?

Visual Culture Component (this is often used as the hook for the lesson):
How are images made? How did photography start? What would you like to photograph? Do you
take photographs? What kinds of things, moments, animals, weather, fun, activities do you wish you
could capture in a single image?

Procedure (Teacher modeling, Guided Practice, & Independent Practice):

Instructor will introduce lesson with exemplar
Instructor will go over visual culture with students- introduce diagram of camera.
Instructor will show exemplar again to refocus students and get them to start thinking about what
they want to create, how they want their camera to look.

Instructor will show students their materials and they will begin designing, collecting materials,
cutting up materials, and laying out their camera designs.
Students will write name on finished piece and place finished cameras in designated finished
area for instructor to collect.
Assessment:
Rubric/Checklist :
-craftsmanship
-effort
-students discuss photography and how they think it is art.
-students talk about the different photography they see on a daily basis i.e.: out shopping, newspapers,
books, school, magazines, doctors office, etc.
-students discuss why people photograph the things they do
- students can talk about the things, moments that they would capture with their camera and
why they choose to photograph that subject matter
Classroom set-up (optional): The room will be split into two areas- one area for where the
actual creation of work takes place, which will be four tables each with six chairs, and the other
area for where students can view prior lesson stimulus and exemplars to inspire them. ** remove
all rolling chairs from room and replace with the red stools.
Example images of activity/project:

Resources: http://makezine.com/2011/06/06/how-to_build_a_toy_camera_from/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiYUc6BNR0U
http://www.diyphotography.net/23-pinhole-cameras-that-you-can-build-at-home/