Pictures are accessible to students, and the complexity of interpretation can vary based on teacher questions and comments. For this reason, all learners can participate in the use of photos in class. 

 

A photo can be used to build background knowledge, inspire discussion, develop questions, or hook students on a new concept. A breaching shark, a Fibonacci sunflower, or a 1930s California migrant family can lead to thinking and debating before content is presented. It can be as simple as showing the photo and asking for reactions, or you can use questions to lead students toward conclusions about the picture. Encourage student ownership and facilitate collaboration by assigning each student to find a photo related to your class content. 

 

The following websites have photo collections

• The New York Times 

• National Geographic 

• NASA

• The Guardian