CREATE TO LEARN - Unit 1 - Film and Photography Basics

Sep 22, 2026

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Unit 1 focuses on photo essay journalism and the foundational skills needed for confident photography and storytelling. Students analyze well-known photo essays, then create an original photo essay about a topic from their own life or community. The lesson includes activation with example works, a reading/video acquisition phase, guided debrief questions, an apply stage for producing a minimum nine-image set with introduction text, and an exhibition plus reflection to discuss meaning, emotions, and photography elements.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time2 min

AccessFree to download

Overview

Duration

Materials

Activate: Photo Essay Examples

Acquire: "Film and Photography Basics"

Apply: Photo Essay Assignment

Assess: Photo Essay Exhibition

CREATE TO LEARN Unit 1: Photography, Filming, and Acting Film and Photography Basics By Sara Cornthwaite Students examine photo essay journalism, learn photography fundamentals, create original photo essays about their lives and communities, then exhibit work in classroom displays. Overview Throughout this lesson, students will be exposed to examples of photo essay journalism while learning photography basics. They will apply their knowledge by creating an original photo essay that tells a story about an aspect of their lives or communities. To celebrate, their photo essays will be displayed in the classroom as an exhibition and students will spend a class viewing each other's work and discussing the meaning, emotions conveyed, and photography elements used. Duration 2-3 Hours Materials • Create to Learn textbook or use the videos online: [http://www.tigurl.org/fpbasics](http://www.tigurl.org/fpbasics) • Camera (phone or camera) • "Photo Essay Rubric" • "Reflection Rubric" Activate: Photo Essay Examples Inform students that today they will be learning about the basics of photography. Photography can be a powerful storytelling tool. In fact, photo essay journalism has been around for decades. A photo essay is a series of photos that tell a captivating story. Show students some examples of famous photo essays. While viewing each essay, have students attempt to describe what is being conveyed through the images. Ask them to try to infer meaning based on the colours, composition and content of each photo essay. "Dorothea Lange's Moving Photographs of The Depression Era" • The onset of the Great Depression in the 1930s caused Lange to turn her camera lens from the studio to the street. • [https://artsandculture.google.com/theme/dorothea-lange-s-moving-photographs-of-the-depression-era/UgKSzBM63VVaJw?](https://artsandculture.google.com/theme/dorothea-lange-s-moving-photographs-of-the-depression-era/UgKSzBM63VVaJw?)[ ](https://artsandculture.google.com/theme/dorothea-lange-s-moving-photographs-of-the-depression-era/UgKSzBM63VVaJw?)[hl=en](hl=en) "Signed, X" by Kate Ryan *Sensitive Subject Matter • Survival looks different for everyone. Life after sexual violence in our words • [https://www.signedxproject.com](https://www.signedxproject.com) "Perception" by KC Adams • An attempt by Winnipeg artist, KC Adams, to combat the stereotypes some of the public have of First Nation, Inuit and Métis people to illustrate you can't judge a book by its cover. • [http://www.kcadams.net/art/photography/PERCEPTION.html](http://www.kcadams.net/art/photography/PERCEPTION.html) "Beauty Warriors" by Evija Laivina • A collection of photographs featuring strange and unusual-looking beauty products. • [https://evijalaivina.com/beauty-warriors](https://evijalaivina.com/beauty-warriors) Acquire: "Film and Photography Basics" (Sara Cornthwaite) Inform the class that they will learn how to take professional looking photographs. Have students read "Film and Photography Basics" by Sara Cornthwaite, found on pages 82-92 of the Create to Learn textbook. Alternatively, they can watch the series here: [https://www.createtolearn.ca/tutorial/film-and-photography-basics](https://www.createtolearn.ca/tutorial/film-and-photography-basics) [To debrief the reading](To debrief the reading), ask students the following questions: Create to Learn—Film and Photography Basics Page 1 1. Define the following: rule of thirds, aperture, shutter speed, night exposure, iso, b-roll, transitions, stop motion 2. What are some of the tips and tricks Sara shares? 3. What makes a photo appealing? Apply: Photo Essay Assignment Have students demonstrate their learning of photography basics by creating a photo essay. A photo essay is a series of photos that tell a story. While each photo is different, all of them should be unified by colour composition and theme. Teachers may assign all students the same photo essay t

FAQs

What is the main outcome of this unit for students?

Students create an original photo essay that tells a story about an aspect of their lives or their communities, then present it in a classroom exhibition and reflect on peers’ work.

What learning content do students review before starting the assignment?

Students examine examples of photo essay journalism and learn core photography concepts such as rule of thirds, aperture, shutter speed, night exposure, ISO, b-roll, transitions, and stop motion.

What are the assignment criteria for the photo essay?

Students must produce at least nine captivating images demonstrating photography basics, and include a one-paragraph introduction that provides context for their 2020 photo essay.

How does the unit assess and extend learning after students create their essays?

The unit includes a photo essay exhibition where students discuss emotions and inferred meaning using colors, composition, and content, followed by a written reflection about classmates’ photo essays.

Sep 22, 2026

Upload by Kurz