Literacy Through Photography

1. Literacy Through Photography Julie Duncan RE 5130 Dr. Connie Green

2. English Language Arts Goal 1: The learner will develop and apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write. Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology. Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts. Goal 5: The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.

3. Social Studies Goal 1: The learner will analyze how individuals, families, and group are similar and different. Objectives 1.02 Identify various groups to which individuals and families belong. 1.03 Compare and contrast similarities and differences among individuals and families. 1.04 Explore the benefits of diversity in the United States Goal 7: The learner will recognize how technology is used at home, school, and in the community. Objectives 7.03 Use the computer and other technological tools to gather, organize, and display data.

4. What is a Memory? My project began by reading the book, Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge, by Mem Fox. This story is about a little boy who lives next door to a rest home for the elderly. He visits often and makes friends with the residents, especially Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper. He overhears his parents talking about how sorry they were for Miss Nancy because she had lost her memory. This begins a quest for Wilfred Gordon to search for what a memory really is and to help Miss Nancy find hers. My students discussed what they thought a memory was and we made a bubble map to describe.

5. What is Family? • We discussed about how our families are alike and different. • We talked about what our families like to do and where we like to go. • We talked about customs from family to family even living in the same culture . • We discussed the three different ethnic cultures in our classroom.

6. Memory Bag • Each student was asked to think of a time in their life that they remember and that was important to them. We made a list: vacations, birthdays, celebrations, notable events, and trips to try and bring a memory to thought. • Students were given a take home task to find an object that represented their memory. A parent letter was attached to a paper bag and given to students to bring their object to school. It took several days but one by one the students orally told about their memory. I made notes and asked questions to help them remember as much as they could. Students told how their object was relevant to their memory.

7. Memoir • Students then began writing a narrative about their memory, a memoir. They were instructed to include a thought or feeling about their experience. • I did conferencing with students to help them along with the process. • Much editing was done to write the best possible memoir. Handwriting and conventions were of importance. The finished draft was made into a class book.

8. Using a Digital Camera • Each student photographed another student with their memory bag and object. • Students were given basic picture taking skills. They were given instructions about the digital camera. • On/off button • Box on screen for centering • Zoom lens • Button for snapping picture • Holding camera still

9. Analyzing Photographs Students were given a score sheet to evaluate the photographs that were displayed using a document camera and projector.. They worked in pairs to mark their cards and then we discussed whole group.

10. Photographs we used for writing Mrs. Coulter- Custodian Tiana- 2nd grade student Dere Mrs. Mery I do not like you to do all thes thanings because you are the sweet little thang and this is the hungred day of school. I do not wont you to do all thes dirty jobs. Shakala One day a little grle name Tenu wus going to school to go un pak and do hre morning work. Memorie Tona wos waking to her class. She was at the bath room. She mabe was going to the class room to gite her mony for lunch. Brooklyn Miss Mary is going to clean up the big bathroom flore. Then she is going to put more toilit paper in the bathroom. Next she is going to clean the nasty toilit. Last she is going to clean the dirty sink. Kylie H. Shakala Shalala was on the playground an I thanke she was pertinding she was a fery. Kayla

11. Nathan’s Memory Bag Nathan’s memory is about a time he went to the beach with his family. He brought in a bag of sand for his object. The student who took this picture did not do a good job with framing. He got the subject a little off center and cut some of his head off. The subject is close enough to the camera to get a good look at his sand. Lighting,, angle, and scale are good elements. The background distracts a little from this picture.

12. Leah’s Memory Bag Leah is showing a horse and barrels to represent a time she went horse barrel racing. She loves horses and owns several. This is a big part of Leah and her family’s life. Her family even went to Montana to recue two horses. The student who took her picture did a good job with framing. The lighting does cast a shadow over her face but the scale is close enough to see her objects.

13. Haley’sMemory Bag Haley brought in sea shells from her trip to the beach. The student who took this picture had a hard time with framing. The scale is good because we can see the shells up close. The angle is a little to the left. This is an example of poor visual elements.

14. Kayla’sMemory Bag Kayla collects pennies that have been stamped with different places she has traveled. She and her family have been to many interesting places. She chose one to talk about in her memoir. This picture is a good example of good visual elements working together. I think the lighting works well to highlight the subject and make the background more subtle.

15. Our Memoirs Nathan’s Memoir My fale(family) wit to modr bech(Myrtle Beach). I wus six ues old. I wit on the bule bord (boogy board). I wis abl to rid but it flipt rvr (over). I wis theqin (thinking) I wie gon dan (drown) my sef. I wis ufad. (afraid) Haley’s Memoir My mom, dad, brother, and my sister went with me to the bech. I got in the salat (salt) wotr (water) and I fent ( found) a seashell in the sand win I was at the bech. I had fun at the bech win I wus six yirs old. Shakala’s Memoir When I was five I whent to Mcdonals with Azira and my sister eat are Happy Mill. When we got finesh we playd on the slide and it was a long slide because we whent the roing (wrong) way but I found the way out. The slide was loing we whent back to are parents and we eat are parent’s food.

16. Carson’s Memoir When I was six I whet to Bubba’s Fun Park. I went in the Lazer tag room. My brother had a pink vest and I had a blue vest to play. My gun was pointing at me and I thought the gun was the right way. Funny me I choot my self. Kylie H.’s Memoir Me and my faimly went to Sowth Mowten last year. We went to a rock mining place. I hered the rain poring to the grawd. When you go to the rock mining place you git a pot of dirt and go sit down. After you sit down you pore some of the dirt in a box of water and pritty rocks. Then you git a pan that has tiny houls in it. You dip the pan in the box. The gravl fouls throo the tiny houls. When you have got a lot of rocks you go to a Lady that cleens your rocks. If you want to you can go to a man who sorts out your rocks on a pice of paper and tels you what kind of rocks thay are. It was sooper fun. Bryson’s Memoir I went to tweese RR. I brot my cesn Colby. Win we got tar on the tran it wus scare scare. The Gost wus in front uf the tran scaring peple. I wus scard to. Tha shot a cane (cannon) at the tran and I sad (said) wo!

17. Memorie’s Memoir My famley pat (packed)up to fo to the bech. The name wus Okorkoke. When I got thar a krab tok my shoe. He came up to me and pinched my shoe. I laughted because it tickled. Then I found the shineit, prideit shal of all with pink. I love the now (new) shal I fad because inside it wus sollft (soft). Destiny’s Memoir I whent to Mrdle Bech when I wus six. I digged in the sand. It wus the best shell of all. I whent to tell my mom, dad, sister, kuzin because It wus the best shell. Evry bidy liked It but I felt rily happy. Kayla’s Memoir When I was five I went to tibe iland. I roud a bike. I climd a lihthous an I climd on till I reacht the tope an I saw the ocean. I thot I coud be a mir made. Ty’s Memoir I wit to the rodo at the fair last year. I rod a shep. First we put a rope on the shep. Then,Daddy told the bull fighter to let the shep out. I win but a nuth boy skord the sam. It wus fun bukas I win first plas!

18. Miriam’s Memoir When I was six I whent to the bech with my family. Me and my brother found a whit seshell but I found a nuther different whit seshell. I got to hold the seshell in my arms. Than I took it home. I felt happy. I felt rily rily happy. Katelyn’s Memoir My family paket up to go to the beche! Next, me and my family got on the road. Then, we got there! We found a store colld bilder bear work shope! We wint in there I fonde a hello kittey. I made one. I pickt it’s close out. Then, I gave it a bath it was fun! Last, I pickt it’s shoos out! My family and I had fun! Gary’s Memoir When school was out I went to my Daddy’s. He bought me a motorcycle and let me ride with him. It was fun and it was a bumpy ride! Destiny’s Memoir I whent to Mrdle Bech when I wus six. I digged in the sand. It wus the best shell of all. I whent to tell my mom, dad, sister, kuzin because it wus the best shell. Evry bidy liked it but I felt rily happy.

19. Dylan’s Memoir When my mom was gonto have a baby boy I bot my baby borther a blue and white dog. The ners poot the dog in the cratle. My baby borther likes it a hol lot! He was born on septmber six teenth. He had to go to sarltit (Charlotte) hosptle because he wasn’t breatheng good. I felt kindor sad. Ashton’s Memoir My family went on a trip to Flrido and we travld in a car. We traold for twelve ower. And when we got ther it was 10 o clock. The nexst day we wint to ent at a cfres meding. (conference meeting) Ther was two prizis at the table and I owe (won) a toy trater. (tractor) Brooklyn’s Memoir When I was a baby I was at chach. We was haveing fun at my brother brith day prtty. My momo was sitting beside me at my brthr bith day we all was haveing so much fun. We eat ice crem and cake.

20. Tinley’s Memoir On my 7th birthday I got a lat of birthday cards and prez. My momo gaiv me a spechl card. I fell so haep that it was my birthday. My cake was a 7. My Dad had his birthday with me. My birthday was at the skating reing. Isaac’s Memoir When school was ovre my Moma and Daday took me and Noah to Yoge Bear Camp site. I was five and it was raneining. Then me and Noah went to the gameroom and it was tiny. Then me and Noah play lots of games and we got lots of tiks. Then we whent to the Yoge Bera stachine (station). Last I got the Hormonca. Kylie S.’s Memoir Last year my famly patd up fro a vkashen to merdle bech. When we got there then we reted a room. After we got unpatd we got in the sea. I felt hot befo I got in the water. That’s when I got the shells. It wus cool.

21. Jacelyn’s Memoir I went to Chucke Cheeses with my faimly on my biruthday. I was four at Chucke Cheeses. I made frends at the party. It was a fun time ther. Ther was a big Chucke Cheeses mouse. I got to hug him. I was so happy to be ther. We got a pirzze. The pirzze was good. I got a cool truk. The truk had a blak and pink roof. This was the best bruthday ever! Paige’s Memoir Last yaer I went to the huge mountains with my prityy Mom and Dad. We went on a sky lift to get some rocks. My Mom and Dad got me some rocks. One spieshl rock was the rombus. I was thinking it was verry verry speshl! My rombus rids me of the mountains. Clay’s Memoir My dad, brother, me wint to the eport to race dertbike. We got to the starting line. Then I starting my dertbike. Then I jump a small tree. Then I jump a medyme tree. On the last lap I throo durt and I won 9th place. I felt good.

22. Dylan’sMemory Dylan had a new baby brother born in September. Of course this is a major change in his family. This stuffed dog was a present he gave his baby brother. He used an “I Am” poem and book jacket to represent other genres. Book Jacket I am Dylan Mistretta. I wonder wat my baby borther lookes like. I hear cring form the room. I see my baby borther. I want to hold my baby borther. I am so happy!

23. Ty’sMemory Ty’s memory was from a sheep riding contest at the local fair. He and his family have a farm and enjoy animals. He won first prize in his category. Below he shares his “I Am” poem. Going to the Fair I am at the fair. I wonder if I will foll off. I hear the bel. I see a lot of peppl. I want to won. I am at the far.

24. Katelyn’s Memory Katelyn’s memory was about a time she went to a Build-a-Bear Workshop while at the beach on vacation. She used multigenres of Haiku poetry and a book jacket. Hello Kitty I have a kitty Soft and furry very cute I love her so much!

25. Jacelyn’sMemory Jacelyn shared about her birthday at Chucky Cheeses. Her object was a T-shirt. She used the multigenres of “I Am” and Haiku poems and a book jacket. I am very happy here. I wonder if I make friends. I hear skreeming and fun just begun. I see a playgrownd and kids. I want to play with them. I am a kid where a kid can be a kid! Chucky Cheeses Four years old birthday I went to Chucky Cheeses I was so happy!

26. Publishing Students published their memoirs in a class book. The students either wrote a Haiku or I Am poem and some did both. The poems were word processed in the classroom or computer lab. My AIG students were given an additional project to create a book jacket for their memoir. We displayed our work in the hallway.

27. Grading The following rubric was used to grade each piece of work.

28. Closing Students enjoyed this project very much. Here are some of their comments about the Literacy Through Photography lessons. Kylie H.- “I liked the Haiku poem. I like learning how to make up the words.” Miriam- “I liked when we got to show our memory bags” Ty- “ I learned to write a long sentence.” Carson- “ It helps make you smart and you can learn.”