Middle School photography lesson ideas?

[Feathers]

I teach middle school art. I've been lucky enough to get 8 used digital SLR cameras as our high school photo classes upgraded and have set up a short photography unit. I have had a bunch of older film cameras donated and we look at them to see how a camera works (watch a shutter open at different speeds, look at the aperture open and close, let some of them touch film for the first time in their life, etc).

Then we do two lessons. For one I put black paper up on the windows and we set one camera up on a tripod in the front of the room and do light painting with flashlights (and cell phones) and let those without lights do multiple poses. We do several sets of three, looking at the results on the classroom screen, so students can learn what works and what doesn't work- they often move too much at first thinking they'll show up on 8 different places (which means they don't really show up in our photo at all). For the second lesson we do water drop photography- to freeze motion- with all 8 cameras in small groups. I only have two tripods so we go without them. I have students set the camera on their elbows on the table while they manual focus on a pencil at the location of the dripping water. This works out better than you would think actually. It also forces each student to do all their own focusing when it is their turn with the camera. We have multiple backdrops of various colors and materials, watercolor paint to put in the baggie water supply to turn the water different colors, and I think we're going to experiment with gelling our flash next time. Even with only the on camera flash and kit lenses we get photos the kids find amazing. Then, if we have time, we take the photos into Pixlr and do adjustments and effects.

So I'm here to gather wisdom. Any ideas on what else I could do with a class of middle school kids and the cameras? I will take them outside if the weather permits, but I'm really looking for other ideas I could do in my room so I don't have to worry about weather.

I have also started an after school photo club and that is a smaller group that I can do more involved things with. So even if you have an idea that may be too complicated for a general class feel free to share. I might be able to use it with them.

This has been a very successful unit already and it is very gratifying to see students go from the introduction where I get stuff like "Isn't photography just pushing the button on your phone?" to real understanding of the creative aspects of photography and students telling me they're planning on taking photography in high school as a result of our short unit. But I'm always looking to make things better. Maybe you can help?

Thanks!

 

[amolitor]

How about setting up a single light source in your darkened room, and putting a subject under it (a bust of Beethoven or something) and having them take pictures of it rotated this way and that under the light. Then pick the photograph that they like best, the one that they think shows best what Beethoven looks like, and maybe some discussion about "does it make him look mean in this one?" or whatever.

Something like this that's fun and experimental, but which plays in to "let's think about how light falling on a subject makes it look different" which should play nicely into the rest of the visual arts section of the course.

If the digital cameras have video capability as well, you could do a little movie-making segment.

 

[rexbobcat]

You could do maybe a "ten interesting things in the room" assignment where the students have to use their current knowledge of composition, color, light ecetera to try and make unique photos out of things that are normally mundane.

You could also modify that and make it where the ten photos have to be abstracts so that it's not immediately obvious what the subject is. This would help them become more aware of form, light, and color in their surroundings

 

[texkam]

Agree with Amolitor. Teach them about portrait lighting, making the connection to the old masters, thus making the connection between painting and photography (Classic concepts don't change, only the technology). Single light source, with reflectors, hard, soft, etc. Heck, use a real model (student).

 

[Designer]

amolitor's idea reminds me of drawing class. The instructor placed a plaster bust in the middle of the room, and we all had to draw the bust from our own vantage point. This was first a regular class exercise then it was also in the final exam as well.

 

[texkam]

But using a real model will make it more relevant for the kids.

 

[amolitor]

My idea for the bust was simply that it allows you to take decent photos with a directional light source that's NOT a strobe. You can just use a table lamp or whatever, together with long exposures. Remember, these are basically little kids. "Portrait lighting" is going to be a bit dense, and probably a bit too specific for this kind of class, assuming I am reading the OP right.

So, I figured something more generic just "about light" would maybe hit a good level.

But anyways, exploring the ideas around that isn't hurting anything and might well hit on something the OP finds perfect!

 

[unpopular]

Have them choose an artist in any medium from the last 100 years and have them photographically appropriate the style, not replicate the image, the STYLE!

Sink or swim, baby! First year college level or nothing! Look for that over achiever who chooses Picasso!

Seriously though. Once you teach the basics you can start approaching photography like any other medium, line, form, texture, contrast, color, etc. It's a matter of encouraging your students to take what they've learned in composition, and applying it to photography. It's a great opportunity to impress the concept that art, at it's root, is art and that the aesthetic concerns don't really change much from medium to medium.

I'd just integrate it into your composition lessons. I wouldn't spend TOO much time on technique, you can go over how to improve upon that in your one-on-one and critiques. I am a big proponent to manual, so maybe offer those non-specific "bonus points" to those who play in manual mode, but I wouldn't insist on it necessarily.

 

[Designer]

But using a real model will make it more relevant for the kids.

Why be concerned if it is "relevant"? Photography is not relevant to some kids. A plaster bust will not change position until the instructor moves it. Also, an inanimate object will be less intimidating to first-timers.

As an aside, the objects we drew were sometimes simply geometric shapes; blocks, balls, cones, etc. made of wood and painted white. The same type of objects could be used in a photography class. The idea being to learn to recognize subtle changes in light quality on different sides of the same object.

 

[texkam]

Remember, these are basically little kids.

I deal with middle schoolers on a daily basis. Don't underestimate their capabilities. When challenged and given the opportunity to produce something that they can really relate to, they can surprise you. Anything you can do to make it "real-life" will increase student buy-in. As a long-term sub, I once challenged my middle school art class with a landscape architecture design project, pulling their basic understanding of plant requirements (science class), they had to redesign the school's courtyard, integrating specific elements into their plans (seating, water feature, etc.) and deliver a finished site plan. The level of buy-in and results were astonishing. I applaud what the OP is doing. These kids will really get a lot out of, and remember this class.

 

[Light Guru]

I remember an assignment in high school photography where we had to do the alphabet. Basically you have to find objects that are shaped like all the letters of the alphabet, and you could not take a photo of an actual letter.

It was a good exercise in learning to see shapes.

 

[Feathers]

I really appreciate all this response! You all have given me a lot to think about. Just a few more details- my classes are every other day for a semester (so a quarter class) and I have everybody (this is not an elective that was chosen) so I have all ability levels and attitudes, and this is just one of five units I try to squeeze into the time I have. My unit has been more about the camera and giving the students an idea if photography is something they'd like to explore further as they move to the Jr High and even more so at the High School. So, I have limitations to work within that somebody teaching at a more upper level or a course specifically on photography would not have.

The abstract photo hunt around the room or building sounds like something that would work for me. I would hesitate having students take photos of one another. At this age about 10 percent of them would be pleased to have their peers taking photos of them: the rest would range from hesitant to mortified and likely several would use behavior choices that would sabotage the lesson. This could be avoided by just having a few volunteers model, or looking for adult volunteers to come in and model for us. The directional light idea relates directly with our drawing unit which precedes the photography- so I like the connection. It would take less coordinating to just use objects for me, so I'd probably go that route most of the time.

There is more gold to mine yet from your responses. I thank you.

Any further ideas or suggestions happily accepted.

 

[Derrel]

Maybe do amolitor's "bust of Beethoven" with something simpler, like say, a single egg, or two eggs, or three eggs. (Previously hard-boiled, for possible mess avoidance sake!) Eggs are a very commonly-used lighting class subject, and they work well with single light sources like desk lamps and whatnot. Plus, the kids can draw or sketch on them as well, or integrate them with various implements like forks, spoons, whisks, drinking glasses made into "jail cells", and so on.

photographs of eggs - Google Search

 

[unpopular]

I'd STRONGLY suggest building off of previous art modules the students have been receiving, and try to allow photography to segway into the next. Don't be tempted to isolate photography from the rest of the art world. A lot of people kind of learn that there is painting and drawing, there is sculpture and ceramics and there is photography and video and that they're all kind of these uniquely different aspects of something called art, but beyond that don't have a lot in common.

This is a really unfortunate situation we find ourselves in, and makes art history and art appreciation classes later in college much harder; a kid might be so stuck in one medium that it's hard to appreciate or understand another because they were never taught the foundations that hold all visual art together - if that makes sense.

 

[amolitor]

I think my idea for this class boils down to making it about *seeing*.

So much of art is about technique, mixing paints, applying paint, how do I glue this thing, and so on. While you certainly CAN spend a great deal of time learning about technique in photography, photography is unique in the visual arts that you don't HAVE to master a bunch of technique to get to first base. You can produce SOMETHING with a button press.

Odds are the kids are learning loads of techniques all the time, so photography could be used as a unique opportunity to spend some time mostly looking, and seeing, and thinking about what we're seeing.