nsolved arsons in her town, and her changing emotions about her long-time friend, Nick.
Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Rain Is Not My Indian Name. 2001. 144p. HarperCollins, $15.95
Gr. 5–7. Fourteen-year-old Cassidy has isolated herself since the death of her best friend. When controversy arises over her aunt Georgia’s Indian Camp, she is asked to take photographs for the town newspaper. Eventually she has to decide just how involved to get with her intertribal community.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, how might those words be different if spoken by a woman narrator? Were early women photographers restricted in their ability to experiment with the new invention of the camera? Students can read about photographic pioneers Julia Cameron and Imogen Cunningham to draw their conclusions.
Photography has always been valued for its ability to show the truth. Whose truth is being depicted? Does the truth come from the subject of the photo or the person who makes the choice of what to photograph and what to leave out?
What kind of impact do current technological advances (such as laser photography, digital computer imaging, and holograms) have on the science and art of photography?
How do photographs of social or historical events affect us differently than paintings of the same events? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Students may refer to the photographic work of Margaret Bourke-White and Dorothea Lange to make comparisons with pictures of paintings from books or magazines.
What is the difference between a snapshot of a person and a photographic portrait? To help explore the distinction, students may observe the photographic work of Elsa Dorfman in En famille (Granary, 1999), a book that features many family portraits. The entire contents may be found online at http://www.granarybooks.com/books/dorfman/dorfman1.html.
How are we to define the work of modern photographers who use a combination of media? For example, Sandy Skoglund constructs scenes for her camera rather than looking for something to photograph. Carrie Mae Weems combines her love of folklore, storytelling, and photography by writing beneath her images to expand our understanding of the moment.
Sponsor a women’s photography exhibition with a reception, gallery talks, and a catalog made by students. Invite visitors to take the gender challenge posed by author Cathy Newman by displaying a dozen photographs, six taken by women and six taken by men. Have gallery visitors record their guesses as to the gender of each photographer.
Using magazines and newspapers as sources, ask students to collect portraits, representing many cultures, that depict a theme such as “Family.” In an accompanying chart, list the cultures or countries the images represent.In three additional columns answer the following questions: How do you feel when looking at the photograph? What do you see that makes you feel that way? What else do you see? These three questions will elicit specific and detailed observations with the photograph always the primary reference point.
Have students collect snapshots and/or photo images to assemble a photomontage depicting the theme “Generations.” The black-and-white photography of Lola Alvarez Bravo can be used to model the technique. As they choose images to depict the theme, ask students what age ranges and genders they need to represent. Encourage students to arrange and rearrange the various elements until they are satisfied, paying particular attention to balance and composition. The addition of sketching, painting, and words can be optional. Display photomontages so groups can observe how others represented the theme, and encourage discussion.
Teachers can help students create personal photomontages. Begin by having students take photographs of themselves in school; then have them add photos and artwork representative of other areas in their lives to create a biographical collage. Use Lowry’s Looking Back as a starting point for this activity.
Link historical literature with photographs from the same era. The home front and war front p