.....

Using Historical Photographs to Help Students “Live History”

Download PDF Version

Instructor: Carrie Geiger

Students: 3rd Grade

Objectives:

Students will grasp a deeper understanding of historical time periods when vicariously experiencing the situations and circumstances of real-life individuals and responding to them.

Materials:

1. Historical photographs (can use the photos in the social studies textbooks. They are best if magnified and/or made into overheads)
2. Miscellaneous props to match artifacts in photographs when possible.

Procedures:

1. Have the students, in groups, try to recreate the photograph by becoming the characters and modeling their actions after the characters.

2. Have the students use the following response model to respond to the photograph through art, writing, or oral discussion.

   Perception: What did you notice about the photograph? What grabbed your attention the most?

   Association: What did the photograph remind you of? Did you connect this picture to anything in present times? Did the photograph remind you of something else you’ve seen before?

   Affect: How did the photograph make you feel? What words would you use to describe your feelings and/or the photograph?

3. After having the students work on their individual responses (oral responses are the first ones finished in small groups), have them share with the entire group. They are often amazed at the variety of ideas and emotions one photograph can evoke.