Ideas for using the
Digital Camera
in the primary classroom
By Rachel Boyd
http://rachelboyd.wikispaces.com

The Digital Camera
Access to a digital camera is something most junior
teachers have.
Don’t be afraid to let the students use them!
They are amazing tools provided students are taught
how to use and care for the camera correctly.
It is an essential & very useful tool in the junior
classroom.

Digital trip books WALT take effective
photos to show an
experience
A digital camera is a must on class trips.
Ensure that students know how to properly
use the camera and allow one or two to
be the “trip photographer” while there.

Portrait
Weaving
In pairs, have students
take portraits shots of
each other.
Print the photos and
use them for weaving
activities.
Students could even WALT use our
weave their faces digital photos to
together! enhance our
artwork

Introducing...
WALT to
introduce ourselves
using text and a
speech bubble
In pairs, students take photos of each other.
In a programme like Comic Life, PowerPoint or
Word they add speech bubbles to introduce
themselves to others.

WALT take interesting
photos using the ‘macro’
Macro Photos
function on the digital
camera
Teach students
how to use the
‘macro’ or
close up
function on the
camera.
Get students to go exploring around
the school in pairs taking photos of
interesting things and textures.
You could even hold a macro
photography competition!

WALT take interesting
photos using the ‘macro’
What am I? function on the digital
camera
Using the macro function,
students take close up photos
of parts of objects within the
classroom.
Students write a series of “What am I?” prompts to
accompany their photos and see if other class members
can guess the object.

Ant eyes
http://mic-tiritea.wikispaces.com/Junior+Goals+and+Examples
WALT take photos to
show a different
perspective
In small groups, students imagine they are an ant
and take photos from the ant’s perspective.

WALT identify and describe
Letter of the Week
words & things that start
http://mic-whakarongo.wikispaces.com/Junior+Goals+and+Examples
with our letter of the week
Students plan and then take
photos in pairs or small
groups to depict the letter
of the week.
These can then be
put together in a
programme like
Comic Life, Word
or PowerPoint to
Older classes could
show their
adapt this and take
understanding.
photos to show blend
knowledge.

Digital Portrait Flip Books
A great fun
opportunity for
students to use
and enhance
their
http://www.userfr.co.nz/slideshow.asp?id=1234
photography
skills. Also great
for use at the
start of the year.
WALT carefully
take a structured
photograph of our
buddy
Students take either portrait or full body photos in pairs.
Print the pictures, staple into a book and carefully cut to
create a flip book of all students in your class.

Maori Greetings
http://mic-whakarongo.wikispaces.com/Junior+Goals+and+Examples
In small groups, students plan
and take photos of what
each Maori greeting would
look like.
In a programme like Comic
Life, Word or PowerPoint they
add speech bubbles to show
their understanding.
WALT correctly
use Maori
Greetings

Speech Bubbles
WALT write
speech & thought
bubbles to describe
Using photos taken on a trip, or by a buddy,
students add speech/thought bubbles using Comic
Life, PowerPoint or Word to describe thoughts and
feelings.

Personality Plus WALT take
interesting shots to
show our personality
In pairs, students take a variety of photos around the
school in an attempt to capture and show their
personality.
Review on the computer and choose the best photo.

Digital Collage Students
WALT use our
digital photos in
creative ways to
enhance our
artwork
In pairs, students take a front on close up shot.
Print and carefully cut out. Students combine with
cut out collage body/clothes pieces to create an
artwork.

WALT show
Photo Symmetry
symmetry by
sketching half of
our face
In pairs, students take a front on close up shot.
Print and guillotine in half. Using one half of the
photo, students can then sketch the other half of
their face (or their buddy’s face).

Photographic Artworks
WALT use our
digital photos to
The blue screening effect! enhance our
artwork
In pairs, students take photos
of each other in poses to suit
the artwork they are doing.
The photo must include the
subjects’ head right down
to, and including, their toes.
Print, cut out and glue onto
artworks to put students “in
the picture”.

Photographic Pop Art
WALT colour our
photographs in the
pop art style of Andy
Warhol
In pairs, students take close up portrait shots.
Print, photocopy & colour in pop art style using
either dye or paint!