Literacy Through Photography: The Bill of Rights Melissa Riley

Literacy Through Photography:The Bill of Rights

Melissa Riley

4th Grade Goals & Objectives

NCSCOS: English Language Arts– 1.04 Increase reading and writing vocabulary through: wide

reading, writing process elements, writing as a tool for learning, discussions, and examining the author's craft.

– 2.07 Determine usefulness of information and ideas consistent with purpose.

– 3.01 Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by: analyzing the impact of authors' word choice and context and analyzing differences among genres.

– Competency Goal 4 The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.

– Competency Goal 5 The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.

4th Grade Goals & Objectives (cont.)

NCSCOS: Social Studies 3.02 Identify people, symbols, events, and documents

associated with North Carolina's history. 3.05 Describe the political and social history of colonial

North Carolina and analyze its influence on the state today

4.03 Explain the importance of responsible citizenship and identify ways North Carolinians can participate in civic affairs.

4.04 Examine ways North Carolinians govern themselves and identify major government authorities at the local and state level.

4th Grade Goals & Objectives (cont.)

Core Knowledge Curriculum:– Social Studies – Making a Constitutional Government

II-B. Making a New Government: From the Declaration to the Constitution

II-C. The Constitution of the United States

– Language Arts – Writing, Grammar, and UsageI-A. Writing and Research: Produce a variety of types of

writing—including stories, reports, summaries, descriptions, poems, letters—with a coherent structure or story line

I-B. Grammar and Usage

Daily Lessons:Day 1

Introduction of the Unit:– Most students own their own digital camera, have access to a

digital camera, or use a camera with their cell phones or I-pods

1st Principle of Photograpy – Framing:– Using index cards and scissors, we created a view finder in

order to focus on framing.– Students learned that framing was a way to include the

important parts of a photograph.– Students applied their knowledge of using the zoom feature of

a camera as we discussed the reason for close-ups and further out photos.

– Students also applied their knowledge of taking a vertical photo compared to a horizontal photos and the reasons for doing this in photography.

Daily Lessons:Day 2

Framing Review– Students applied principle of framing to a photograph

through whole class discussion.– Discussed focal point of photograph – What is it

about? What’s the purpose of the fence? – Students shared “story” behind photograph.

A haunted house where someone diedA home for a homeless personA home that was broken into by a thief one night

Daily Lessons:Day 3

Framing Reviewed:– Class discussion

Angle Introduced:– Low-angle = power & strength– High-angle = weakness or a bird’s eye view

Story Writing:– Using the above photo from Wendy Ewald’s book, I Wanna Take Me a Picture, we

discussed angle, and it’s purpose in photography. Students were able to show how to position the camera for a high-angle and a low-angle.

– Students were instructed to write approximately 10 minutes about what they felt was the “story” behind this photo. Most did so willingly except for one female student. After several attempts of explaining what to do, I had a couple of students explain it to her. She finally began writing with a Hansel and Gretel approach, where the kids were lost in the woods.

– Students came up with other various stories, which included a walk through the woods, going to school, lost on a trail in the forest, and playing games like hide-n-seek in the forest.

Daily Lessons:Day 4

Quick Review:– Framing & Angle

Introduction of Contrast & Symbol:– Contrast shows a difference between things,

which may include light and dark, young and old, big and little, or strong and weak.

– Symbol is a representation of something, such as our state and national symbols.

Daily Lessons:Day 4 (cont.)

Sample photographs shown to students during review and introduction of concepts. Students were able to see how some of the photos had overlapped the principles of photography.

Daily Lessons:Day 5

Reviewed 4 Principles:– Class Discussion– Used a checklist as

we viewed 10 photos

from various sources– Discussed principles

used within photos & students checked all that applied on their worksheet table before we discussed them as a whole class


Sample Photographs Used During Checklist Review of the 4 Principles Covered

Daily Lessons:Day 6

Quick Review– Questioned class about 4 principles of photography learned from

previous lessons– Using an actual camera, instructed students how to use a digital

camera Assign Bill of Rights Amendments

– Though students were still learning about the formation of the Constitution and haven’t focused on the reason for a bill of rights, I assigned students their freedom to photograph at home.

– Each student was partnered with another student, and they discussed ideas of how to photograph their assigned freedom, applying ways they could incorporate some of the principles of photography.

Daily Lessons:Day 7

Newspaper Mini-Lesson:– Materials: Sample newspaper articles (nonfictional & fictional)

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/04/03/2195100/sheriff-dog-kept-missing-child.html (“Sheriff: Dog kept missing SC child safe”)

http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Interdisciplinary/INT0051.html (“Bad Fall Injures Children”)

– Procedures:1. Discuss reasons for newspapers – their purpose & how they sell2. Display actual newspaper article to students for read aloud3. Discuss format of article – catchy title, author, publish date, etc.4. Discuss content of article5. Make students aware of 5 W’s and How method that reporters use to write newspaper

articles6. List these questions on the board & answer them from the article as a whole class7. Display fictional newspaper article about a nursery rhyme8. Read aloud and answer the 5 W’s and How questions from this article9. Clarify the nursery rhyme the article is written about and focus on some of the

elaboration added to enhance the story– Assessment: Student participation during class discussion

Daily Lessons:Day 8

Newspaper Mini-Lesson: (cont.)– Materials: Sample nursery rhymes & fairy tales

Jack B. Nimble, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Old Mother Hubbard, Humpty Dumpty, Little Miss Muffet, The Three Little Pigs, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Fairy tales were assigned to those with higher reading abilities– Procedures:

1. Review previous mini-lesson – 5 W’s and How method2. Display fictional newspaper article from previous mini-lesson to students for

read aloud and review3. Assign student groups based on nursery rhymes and fairy tales4. Students discuss and begin brainstorming their 5 W’s & How questions on a

worksheet5. Assist and monitor student groups, offering guidance in areas of struggle

– Assessment: Observation of Student Group Discussions & Brainstorming Questions


Reflections:– Some groups were struggling with the when question so I paused

a moment to address all groups. We looked at the sample article displayed on the board with the document camera through the entire group discussions and noticed how a specific day of the week and time of day were mentioned. We also referred back to the nonfictional article from The Charlotte Observer, and it included the same thing. Some of the students were trying to list dates in the future, making it hard for them to report on the subject as if it had occurred in the past.

– As we looked at the fictional newspaper article about “Jack and Jill,” I reminded students how some details were elaborated on that weren’t included in the original nursery rhyme. We also discussed that despite this elaboration, the reader was still able to recognize the particular nursery rhyme being reported.

Daily Lessons:Day 9

Procedures:1. Students were given their questions worksheets completed from the

previous day.2. We reviewed the fictional newspaper article about “Jack and Jill” again.3. We discussed forming a title and the importance of it being eye-catching.4. Students wrote their fake newspaper articles independently.5. Teacher walked around offering guidance when needed.

Reflections:– Overall, students enjoyed this task. Many asked how long it had to be. I

assured them that good reporting makes sure all the questions are answered and provides additional detail or elaboration. We discussed the reason titles had to be catchy, and students were able to apply that the purpose of a newspaper was to inform and try to sell. Therefore, titles were usually what grabbed readers’ attention so they would want to buy it. I informed students that often times, a reporter will write the article first before forming his/her title. However, sometimes, catchy titles come to a reporter before they begin writing. Most students seemed to have their titles before they began writing.

Daily Lessons:Day 10

Newspaper Mini-Lesson: Brainstorming– Materials: Kid-friendly Bill of Rights worksheets (

http://www.education.com/worksheet/article/illustrate-bill-rights/ & http://www.eduplace.com/ss/hmss/7/unit/act8.1blm2.html), students’ at-home photos, document camera, notebook paper, & pencil

– Procedures:1. Review Bill of Rights worksheet (completed previous day with a substitute)2. Students list 5 W’s and How questions on a sheet of notebook paper before

we review what we know so far about the Bill of Rights. Students are taking notes for their reporter questions during class discussion with some guidance from the teacher.

3. After reviewing knowledge on the formation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, teacher displays students’ at-home photos of their individual interpretation of assigned amendment.

4. Students begin interpreting photos, using their Bill of Rights worksheet. During the class discussion, we talk about how some of the photos could actually represent more than one amendment.


Newspaper Mini-Lesson: Brainstorming (cont.)– Materials:

Kid-friendly Bill of Rights worksheets (http://www.education.com/worksheet/article/illustrate-bill-rights/ & http://www.eduplace.com/ss/hmss/7/unit/act8.1blm2.html), students’ at-home photos, document camera, notebook paper, & pencil

– Procedures:1. Students continue taking notes for their reporter questions during class

discussion of the remaining students’ at-home photos of their assigned amendments. Some guidance from the teacher is administered during discussion.

2. After viewing all of the student photographs, students begin writing their newspaper articles about the Bill of Rights based on the information learned in class and from the photos viewed while the teacher conferences individually.

– Assessment: Class Discussion Student Photographs Rough Drafts of Newspaper Articles (Capitalization, Punctuation, Complete

Sentences, Content based on facts and related to the Bill of Rights)


Materials:– Computer for each student, printer, rough drafts of newspaper

articles Procedures:

1. In computer lab, students type their final drafts of their newspaper articles from their rough drafts that have been reviewed and edited by the student and teacher. Students use their word processing and keyboarding skills and also learn how to center and justify text and create a title within a header.

2. They proofread before printing as a part of the editing process. Assessment:

– Word-Processed Final Drafts (Graded on content – Do they relate it to the Bill of Rights depicted in the photographs?, proper punctuation, correct capitalization, and complete sentences)


Rubric:Item Graded Points

Content – Does it relate to the photos and amendments of the Bill of Rights? Does it make sense?

30

Use of 5 W’s and How – Who?, What?, When?, Where?, Why?, and How?

10

Newspaper Format – Centered Catchy Title with Reporter and Publish Date and Justified Columns

20

Complete Sentences 20

Beginning Capitalization 10

Ending Punctuation 10


Letters to Editor Mini-Lesson: Expressing Voice– Materials: Kid-friendly newspaper articles that apply to the practice of people using or being denied

their Bill of Rights, pencils, notebook paper, marker board & dry-erase markers– Procedures:

1. Students are grouped in small groups according to the newspaper article assigned. They discuss how the article relates to the Bill of Rights using these guided questions: Are people exercising their Bill of Rights, or are they being denied their Bill of Rights? and How does the article make you feel as a reader?

2. After conferencing in their groups, students return to their desks to review letter writing.3. Basic letter format is discussed and placed on the marker board.4. Introduce how a person expresses their voice within a letter – whether it is friendliness, anger,

agreement, etc. Teacher focuses on how the word choice within the content of the letter and the closing of a letter expresses the writer’s voice.

5. Instruct students that they will be writing letters to the editor of their assigned articles. Briefly review who the editor is and his/her role in newspaper publishing. Also discuss why people may write to the editor.

6. Students will then write their letters to the editor of their assigned articles. They will review and edit during the writing process, making sure they follow the rubric placed on the board.

– Assessment: Written Letters to the Editor

– Proper letter format– Complete sentences with correct ending punctuation and beginning capitalization– Content (Does it make sense? Does it relate to the Bill of Rights?)


Reflections:– One student (Brandon) was struggling with what to write even

though he was able to discuss some valid points during his group’s discussion. While conferencing with me, he was unsure where to begin and how to write it. I reminded him of his contributions to the group and encouraged him to write those in his letter. After conferencing with him, he seemed to complete the task with a bit more ease than when he began.

– Even though I listed the format of a letter that we had been following all year, a few of the students still didn’t complete it as modeled. They either didn’t list the date in the appropriate place or include a closing with a signature.


Letters to the Editor Rubric:Item Graded Points

Content – Does it relate to the Bill of Rights? Does it make sense?

30

Word Choice – Is the writer’s voice expressed with certain words?

10

Letter Format 20

Complete Sentences 20

Beginning Capitalization 10

Ending Punctuation 10

Student Photograph:Sample 1

Amendment IV:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Photographer: Halcy


Amendment I:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Photographer: Kymberly


Amendment IV:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Photographer: Zach H.


Amendment VI:In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Photographer: Chandler


Amendment VII:

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Photographer: Ashley

Student Photographs:Reflections

Overall, many of the students chose a symbol to represent their assigned Bill of Right. They also focused on the framing principle as they chose the orientation of the photo’s layout (vertical or horizontal) and whether or not to use the zoom feature.

Principles of Photography Applied:– Sample 1: Framing and angle suggest power in the photograph as the student centered on a

man repairing damage to a house. However, her interpretation suggested that he was searching through the damaged home without proper permission. Her subject displays the use of timing and motion as well as the reader of the photo sees the man in the middle of a task.

– Sample 2: Framing and symbol are obvious principles that this student used. Though it has been cropped for the presentation, she positioned her camera to create a vertical photo.

– Sample 3: Framing within this picture enables the student to include desks in the background as he centers around the other student searching in someone else’s desk. Even though we didn’t focus on the timing of a photo, this student manages to incorporate this principle.

– Sample 4: Symbol is represented with the courthouse as this student tries to show his assigned amendment of the judicial system. Though his photo is somewhat off center, his framing shows that his main subject is the courthouse. He takes the photo from a distance and uses lighting to his advantage as some contrast is displayed within the flowering trees at the top of the photo. This also gives way to his distance from the actual subject of the photo.

– Sample 5: Symbol is applied as this student zooms on a twenty dollar bill. She actually uses a high angle in order to get a bird’s eye view of the paper money that is nicely centered horizontally in the picture.

Writing Samples: Newspaper ArticlesSample 1

Grading: 96/100

Student achieved all possible points for content because she applied the Bill of Rights with a scenario, newspaper format, beginning capitalization, and ending punctuation. There was at least one incomplete sentence (17/20), which may have occurred in the transfer of typing the rough into a final draft, and she could have been more specific in explaining the Bill of Rights in her 5 W’s and How questioning (9/10).


Grading: 95/100

Student achieved all possible points for using the 5 W’s and How questioning, newspaper format, complete sentences, beginning capitalization, and ending punctuation. The student could have been a bit more specific and applicable with her content (25/30) by providing an example of Amendment One in her article and how it relates to her or the readers.


Grading: 89/100

Student achieved all possible points for complete sentences and ending punctuation. One of her sentences lacked beginning capitalization (9/10), and though she showed creativity in trying to form an entire newspaper with different articles, her content (25/30) could have flowed more in organization as the Bill of Rights were being applied to her scenarios. She also didn’t have her publish date positioned (19/20) correctly in the header and didn’t apply all of the 5 W’s and How questions to her written article(6/10).


Grading: 95/100

Student achieved all possible points for newspaper format, using the 5 W’s and How questioning to assist her writing, complete sentences, beginning capitalization, and ending punctuation. Though her content (25/30) was detailed and included example amendments, she could have applied those amendments with scenarios relative to the reader.


Grading: 85/100

Student achieved all possible points for newspaper format, complete sentences, beginning capitalization, and ending punctuation. Student could have been more detailed by using the 5 W’s and How questioning (5/10) to assist her writing, and she lacked application of the Bill of Rights (20/30) in her article by providing examples of the three amendments being practiced. Instead, she simply listed a few amendments in her article.

Writing Samples: Letters to the EditorSample 1http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3752607&FullBreadCrumb=%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.scholastic.com%2Fbrowse%2FtopicBrowseLevel2.jsp%3FFromBrowseMod%3Dtrue%26Ns%3DPub_Date_Sort|1%26N%3D0%26TopicValue%3DScholastic%2520News%22+class%3D%22endecaAll%22%3EAll+Results%3C%2Fa%3E+%26gt%3B+National+News

Grading: 95/100

Student achieved all possible points for word choice because he utilized his closing to clearly define and express his opinions and feelings, complete sentences, letter format, beginning capitalization, and ending punctuation. Though he related the article to the Bill of Rights, he could have been more specific in this application by actually stating the amendment.

Writing Samples: Letters to the EditorSample 2http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3752607&FullBreadCrumb=%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.scholastic.com%2Fbrowse%2FtopicBrowseLevel2.jsp%3FFromBrowseMod%3Dtrue%26Ns%3DPub_Date_Sort|1%26N%3D0%26TopicValue%3DScholastic%2520News%22+class%3D%22endecaAll%22%3EAll+Results%3C%2Fa%3E+%26gt%3B+National+News

Grading: 99/100

Student achieved all possible points for word choice because she utilized her closing to clearly define and express her opinions and feelings, complete sentences, letter format, beginning capitalization, and ending punctuation. Though she related the article to the Bill of Rights, she could have been more specific by connecting her applied examples.

Writing Samples: Letters to the EditorSample 3http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/04/13/2220514/sc-homeowner-shoots-suspect-trying.html

Grading: 96/100

Student achieved all possible points for content because he gave details and examples from the article in relating it to the Bill of Rights, beginning capitalization, ending punctuation, and format. There were a few incomplete sentences, and he could have improved word choice in his closing to truly get his opinion and feelings across to the editor.

Publishing Student Work

Since my only door to the classroom leads outside, I have no bulletin board for others outside of our classroom community to see student work so I decided to use my two classroom windows. I created a di-cut title out of laminated newspaper (Bill of Rights) and laminated student photos and articles. I then placed all photos in the window, along with the title and some of the students' work. The rest of the students' work was placed on the wall within my classroom right beside of my Social Studies bulletin board about the causes of the American Revolution. The next day, the students were excited to see their written work up, and I noticed several staff members and students stopping to read the window display.

Publishing Student Work (cont.)

References/Resources:

Photographs – – I Wanna Take Me a Picture by Wendy Ewald (2001)– Scholastics’ The Pledge of Allegiance (2000)– Scholastics’ The Star-Spangled Banner (2002)– Scholastics’ My Country, ‘Tis of Thee (2002)– National Geographic, December 2010– National Geographic, January 2011– National Geographic, March 2011– Volcanoes by Seymour Simon (1988)– The Washington Monument: It Stands for All by Thomas B. Allen (2000)

Newspaper Article – – http://www.education.com/worksheet/article/illustrate-bill-rights/– http://www.eduplace.com/ss/hmss/7/unit/act8.1blm2.html– http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/04/03/2195100/sheriff-dog-kept-missing-child.html– http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Interdisciplinary/INT0051.html– http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Interdisciplinary/INT0051.html – http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/creating-classroom-newspaper-

249.html?tab=1#tabs

References/Resources:

Letters to the Editor – – http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/04/13/2220514/sc-homeowner-shoots-suspect-

trying.html – http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3752607&FullBreadCrumb=<a+href

%3D"http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.scholastic.com%2Fbrowse%2FtopicBrowseLevel2.jsp%3FFromBrowseMod%3Dtrue%26Ns%3DPub_Date_Sort|1%26N%3D0%26TopicValue%3DScholastic%2520News"+class%3D"endecaAll">All+Results<%2Fa>+%26gt%3B+National+News

– http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3755002&FullBreadCrumb=%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.scholastic.com%2Fbrowse%2FtopicBrowseLevel2.jsp%3FFromBrowseMod%3Dtrue%26Ns%3DPub_Date_Sort|1%26N%3D0%26TopicValue%3DScholastic%2520News%22+class%3D%22endecaAll%22%3EAll+Results%3C%2Fa%3E+%26gt%3B+National+News

– http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3754373&FullBreadCrumb=%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.scholastic.com%2Fbrowse%2FtopicBrowseLevel2.jsp%3FFromBrowseMod%3Dtrue%26Ns%3DPub_Date_Sort|1%26N%3D0%26TopicValue%3DScholastic%2520News%22+class%3D%22endecaAll%22%3EAll+Results%3C%2Fa%3E+%26gt%3B+National+News

Bill of Rights – – http://www.constitution.org/billofr_.htm– http://www.discoveryeducation.com (United Streaming – “Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution”

video based on the book by Jean Fritz)

Documents

Literacy Through Photography: The Bill of Rights Melissa Riley