This week our art teacher, Mrs. Cooper, approached me for help with a 1st grade photography lesson, not that she needed much of my help. So, I came to offer moral support and any troubleshooting that might help smooth out an otherwise perfect lesson!
I was so impressed with Mrs. Cooper's lesson and how much lesson content her students demonstrated. Before I arrived to help with the iPads, Mrs. Cooper had already taught her students about many concepts important in art and photography. Students had chosen a beanie baby and then created an appropriate background for it. They were immersed in the vocabulary and concepts for a rich discussion about background, foreground, portrait, landscape, close-ups, and focal point.
Mrs. Cooper prepared her students for the photography and the device, using this set of step by step instructions for air dropping their photographs to her laptop.
Her students did a great job of demonstrating their learning!
While I was helping Mrs. Cooper, I began to think about how much the iPad camera has been such a boon to classrooms. Yes, the apps, with their subsequent creative and collaborative uses have enriched learning for our students, but it is the camera that has given students alternative ways of interacting with content and given rise to new ways of demonstrating their knowledge. Not only do they get to take photos, now they can easily share them with Mrs. Cooper and their classmates using Air Drop. These 1st graders digital natives are well on their way to becoming photographers!