Lesson+1+-+Framing+and+the+Metalanguage+of+Photojournalism

Lesson One Framing and the Metalanguage of Photojournalism

Purpose & Objective:

In a previous unit, students have become familiar with the stylistic and informative components of news writing. In this mini-unit, students will be exposed to the concept of photojournalism. The purpose of today’s lesson is for students to become familiar with the metalanguage involved with discussing photography—focus, lighting, angles, the rule of thirds, and framing. They will be able to take what they know about analyzing media using Visual Thinking Strategies a step further and learn to apply the metalanguage to the images. It is important for students to be able to have a critical eye when looking at all forms of media—it’s no different with photojournalism! They will also begin to think about the idea that someone has captured each photograph featured in the news—they will think about what is inside of the photo, what’s outside of the photo, and the concept of framing. The purpose of asking students to work with the photography to practice cropping is for them to get used to the idea of framing. //What might be cut out of a photo? What might be emphasized?// Students will practice cropping and analyzing the photographs using the metalanguage that we learn. By allowing them to crop photographs, they will have a chance to think about the photographs through the eyes of a photographer. This will prepare them for their next lessons as well.

Standards: LA.1112.1.6.1- use new vocabulary that is introduced and taught directly; LA.1112.1.7.2- analyze the author’s purpose and/or perspective in a variety of text and understand how they affect meaning; LA.1112.3.2.2- establishing a logical organizational pattern with supporting details that are substantial, specific, and relevant; LA.112.6.4.2- routinely use digital tools for publication, communication and productivity. Process:

The lesson will begin with some practice of Visual Thinking Strategies. I will begin by showing students the first slide of this PowerPoint: They will practice Visual Thinking Strategies and ask, //What's going on here? What makes you say that? What else can we find?//

Next, I will segue into the idea of applying a the metalanguage used in photography, and use overt instruction through a PowerPoint to teach the students about Lighting, Focus, Angle, and Framing. Students will be required to take notes. After providing each mini-chunk of terminology, I will provide examples for students to discuss using the terms they have just learned. We will talk about the effects of the lighting, focus, angle, and framing, and discuss the story that is being told (which will also include the implications of what is not being told/shown). By the end of the PowerPoint, students will have had many opportunities to practice using the terminology and explore their implications as a class. As the last slide of the PowerPoint, students will be able to return to the first picture that they examined with VTS and have a chance to use the new language to discuss it.

After the overt instruction, students will be able to practice in small groups. Students will get together in groups of three. Each group will receive three photographs. As a group, they must discuss how they might crop the photograph and use the rest of the metalanguage we've learned to discuss the photos. After deciding as a group, each member is required to crop the photo (if they chose to do so), and write a short, written analysis of the photograph and why they cropped it the way that they did. At the end of class, each group will put their photos up on the wall so that the class can walk around and look at the different ways that their classmates changed (or did not change) the photos.



For homework, students will be required to write a short post on the Class Wiki under a discussion thread titled Photo Framing. Here they should share a few sentences of a reaction to the process. Students will be comfortable with the practice of commenting on the Wiki because we use it often as a classroom extension.

Assessment:

Students will be formatively assessed during the PowerPoint presentation. I will ask for their feedback as they practice using the new metalanguage. I will be able to judge from their comments what is confusing, unclear, etc. It will be very important and a focus for me that students understand the idea of "framing," and what is inside and outside of the frame. Students will also be assessed as I walk around the classroom while they work in small groups. They will discuss as a group, but each student will be responsible for an individual portion. The students will be given a group grade for the completion of the tasks, and will be given an individual grade for the quality of their own explanations. I will explain that the quality will be determined by referencing each new term that we've learned with a thorough exploration of their effects. Students will again be assessed through their participation on the message board. This will be, as usual, a "completion" grade (but students will understand that "completion" requires thought and more than sentences such as, "It looks cool," "I just like it," etc. The messageboard provides an opportunity for a deeper reaction/reflection to the process. Students will be given an opportunity to share what they didn't get to share, or didn't notice, in class.