I can imagine a plethora of ways to incorporates images in the classroom. Whether they are taken by me or a student, or taken legitimately from the Internet, photos can really supplement a lesson or reading. For instance, the photo below is a rift valley caused by fault lines. During an elementary science unit involving plate tectonics, earthquakes, mountains or volcanoes, I could introduce the concept of fault lines and supplement any assignment with this photo. I’d probably choose to display it in a format in which all students could easily view it, perhaps on a PowerPoint or under the “Elmo” described in this post. This would probably be the first exposure young students would have to fault lines, and it’d be beneficial for them to map the concept onto a real-life photo.
flickr Photo by eco-photography
There are many other places images can be found in the classroom. To create an engaging and stimulating space, curriculum-related photographs could simply be placed on the walls. Difficult, abstract vocabulary could be supplemented with a corresponding photo (e.g. connect the word ”diversity” with a photo of people of many genders, races, ages, etc.). A specific assignment could be a quick-write inspired by a photograph that I display. Truly, I think that photographs must be incorporated creatively into the classroom, as they are such a simple way to get students interested, involved, and engaged.
