Prepared by Teachers at Sunnybrae Normal School

1. Using Photography in
the Junior Classroom
Geeta Naran, Glenda Pretorius & Hamish Betts
Sunnybrae Normal School

2. Images are a Powerful Stimulus.
Children took photos of Autumn
scenes....
Children could teach their
peers how to use cameras

3. ...these were used as a motivation for writing poems.
Adjectives could be explored...
“lonely branches”
“crunchy, brittle, transparent leaves.”
and Similies
“leaves crunching like my morning cereal”
“....multi coloured leaves like a rainbow”
“....like walking on a carpet of leaves”

4. Autumn Poems
In Autumn I feel leaves slither under my feet.
In Autumn I hear leaves flying away like a bird.
In Autumn I see my toes crunching leaves.
By Elly
In Autumn I see leaves changing colour
like green, yellow, red, orange and brown.
I hear leaves crunching like my morning
cereal.
I feel leaves munching under my feet.
By Kate

5. Using Trips to Consolidate
Learning
Our Zoo Trip
A slide show of the photos taken on the
trip was shown just before 3pm.
Children enjoyed sharing the zoo trip
and some of the photos they took with
their parents.

6. Our signs unit
was integrated
into our zoo
trip...
... we took
photos of
signs...
...and made them
into a slide show.
We used this as a
motivation for a
class discussion.

7. Using these ideas the children
made their own signs to use
around our school.

8. Using Photo Books

9. Experiences can be made
into electronic books.
Children can help take
photos, write or dictate
the text. They enjoy
reading and sharing these
books on the computer.

10. A Form of Communication.
When Anna left our class and went to Florida to live, she took photos of her class
and made a book to share with her new class in Florida.
The children have
been taking photos
and we have been
emailing these to
Anna.
Photos of Room 2
by Anna

11. Anna has been emailing us photos too!!
We are using these
photos in
discussions and
learning to make
comparisons
between the two
schools

12. Creating a Vision Map of
of the Junior Playground

13. We identified areas for improvement in
the playground.

14. We also took photos
of these areas and
discussed what we
wanted to change.
The children put
on their green
‘Thinking Hats’ and
thought of some
new ideas. They
drew these
over the photos...

15. ...the children
designed a vibrant
playground full of
colour!

17. Students with learning
difficulties respond well
to visual stimuli, and lots
of positive reinforcement.

18. The students’ individual sticker charts have their photo’s
displayed beside their names. This helps the illiterate
students to identify which chart belongs to whom.

19. We have a photo wall!
Photo’s are taken of
events / activities /
achievements.

20. Our photo wall
keeps parents
up to date with
“the goings on”
in Room 4
... and the students
delight in having their
photo’s displayed!

21. A couple of
examples of
events /
experiences ...
Last
Peseti, who
year’s
belongs to the
ORRS
SNS Garden Club
teacher
brought some
popped in
vegetables to show
for a visit.
us.

22. Some
examples
showing
students Future
architects /
achieving ... builders!
Caught in action ... movement to music

23. This student was able to
understand the concept
Relevant photo’s of “I” and was finally able
with a word/ to read the word “I”
after 20 such pages. He is
sentence
now in Year 3, and this is
underneath have the first time he has
proven to be an been able to read a word
excellent resource unassisted.
for those students
who battle to
relate to texts,
and/or have a
limited reading
vocabulary.

24. Photo’s are also
used as a record of
work done, and
subsequently as a This photo is a record of a practical lesson, showing
how objects can be sorted and placed in patterns.
reference.
This student was tested on
the skill of sorting and
pattern making. A photo
was taken, showing his
achievement. This photo
was displayed in his Skills
Book. Both his Portfolio and
Skills Book were shared
Another record of a
with his parents during
practical lesson showing
Parent/Teacher conferences.
same / different

25. Photo’s are also used to communicate/reinforce
good social skills.
Room 4 and Room 13 students (Buddy Class) working cooperatively on
a colour, cut and stick activity.
A group of Room 4 students
working cooperatively on a
painting activity.

26. We’ve also used photo’s
in our art work.