As I have mentioned, I spend a lot of digital time in the Library of Congress using primary sources and sharing in the Teaching with Primary Sources Teachers Network (TPS Teachers Network). I'm always looking for technology integration ideas that merge the exploration of content and primary sources with digital creations by students.
The Library of Congress also has a wonderful Flickr site where they post images around topics. I was browsing through the topic of Autumn Arriving curated by Kristi Finefield from Prints & Photos Library of Congress which sparked for me this outdoors classroom activity that might be used where Autumn is experienced.
Activity:
1. Get Outdoors - Have students take their phones or iPad and head outside for a photo walk around school or nearby area. Encourage them to observe their surroundings with a fresh perspective.
2. Capture the Season - What do learners notice that shows the arrival of fall? They might consider nature (changing leaves, seasonal plants) or signs of autumn in an urban setting (seasonal decorations, clothing, or even store displays).
3. Incorporate science, history, literature, language. - As students take photos, encourage them to think about how their observations connects to subjects they are studying. How do their surroundings reflect both the natural world and local history? Can they find examples of scientific concepts, like seasonal plant cycles or weather changes? How might climate change affect their surroundings? Are there historical or cultural connections to the environment they observe? (For example, in my neighborhood, the heavy acorn drop from the Oak trees reminds us of the food supply that sustained the Bay Miwok people on the Saklan nation’s land).
4. Write, Reflect, Create - Once back in the classroom, have students select their favorite photo and write about it using Pages. They could compose a poem inspired by the image or reflect on the seasonal changes they observed. What emotions or memories does the image evoke? What makes it special to the autumn season? Students might choose to animate the photo in Keynote with words (as I did above) or take several of their photos and create a mood movie in iMovie integrating some of the Library of Congress primary source photos with their own.
5. Share & Discuss - After completing the photo walk and creative activity, let students share their photos and reflections with the class. A discussion could follow about how autumn affects different environments (rural vs. urban) and cultures.
A simple walk, sparked by primary sources may clear the mind, encourage creativity and inspiration and add a little inquiry to the color and feel of fall.
Here are some additional fall activities I found by using Search in the Apple Education Community:
- Fall in Love with Creativity byJennifer Orton
- Fall Explorations with Camera App by Susan Maynor
- Fall Imaginariums to Unleash Creative Genius by Susan Maynor
- Fall in Love with Creativity: Advertise Autumn by Andrea Eggering
- Fall in Love with Creativity: Hidden Pictures byJennifer Orton
- Fall in Love with Creativity: Magic Trees by Andrea Eggering
Can you find others that you like - or please post your own activities!
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