ALEX Learning Activity

Body Alphabet Book: Digital Photography

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Mollie Bounds
System:Madison City
School:Madison City Board Of Education
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 1862
Title:
Body Alphabet Book: Digital Photography
Digital Tool/Resource:
Device with a camera
Web Address – URL:
Not Applicable
Overview:

Students take photographs of themselves making the shapes of letters. They use the ear for the letter C, their mouth for the letter O, or use their entire body and their peer to create the letter B. Let students get creative and create the alphabet with their body. Compile all the letters into a digital alphabet book in which the students must guess which letter the students are trying to represent in the photograph. 

This activity was created as a result of the DLCS COS Resource Development Summit.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
Digital Literacy and Computer Science
DLIT (2018)
Grade: K
R1) Identify, demonstrate, and apply personal safe use of digital devices.

Digital Literacy and Computer Science
DLIT (2018)
Grade: K
R6) Produce, review, and revise authentic artifacts that include multimedia using appropriate digital tools.

Digital Literacy and Computer Science
DLIT (2018)
Grade: K
2) Demonstrate use of input devices.

Examples: Mouse, touch screen, keyboard.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science
DLIT (2018)
Grade: K
12) Use a variety of digital devices, in both independent and collaborative settings.

Examples: Interactive boards, tablets, laptops, other handheld devices.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: K
8. Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of printed materials.

a. Recognize and demonstrate that print conveys meaning.

Examples: Share a favorite book with peers. Share a list of birthday gifts received.

b. With prompting and support, explain the roles of the author and illustrator of a text.

c. Track print, moving left to right and top to bottom on the printed page, returning to the beginning of the next line.

d. Identify the beginning and end of a sentence by locating the capital letter and end punctuation.

e. Point to words using one-to-one correspondence, noting that words are separated by spaces.

f. Distinguish letters from words within sentences.

g. Compare and contrast letters based upon similarities and differences, including name, shape, sound, and approach strokes for writing.
Learning Objectives:

Students will safely and responsibly use a device to input (take) photographs taken with the camera on the device. 

Students will find and/or create the letters of the alphabet using their bodies.

Students will analyze shapes to find the letters of the alphabet
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:

 Students are grouped in sets of three. Students rotate jobs for each letter:

  1. photographer/director

  2. letter designer 1

  3. letter designer 2

Provide a clear printed representation of the letters students are to find or create.

Students work their way through the alphabet taking pictures of letters using their body. Some letters may be found up close such as the letter U in a fingernail or the letter C in the shape of an ear. Some letters may be created using their entire body or using two people. 

Students will need to analyze each picture for clarity. If it isn't clear, they will delete the picture and try again.

This may take several days or as you introduce the letters over time a photograph is added to the collection.

Once each set of students have completed all the letters. The photographs can be curated or compiled into a slideshow in which the students have to guess the letter in each photograph. Students may see other letters than the one intended. The conversation and debate that takes place is part of the learning. 
Assessment Strategies:

Teacher observation of discussions during the creation of letters. 

Teacher observation of discussions during analysis of photographs.

 
Advanced Preparation:

Procuring devices

Explicitly teaching students how to take photographs and delete unwanted photographs.

Have letter cards printed so students can see the shape they need to create.
Variation Tips (optional):

Extension: You can add the photographs to a movie-making software and have students add the sounds of the letters they have created as well.

Variation: If you use a portfolio software such as ClassDojo or SeeSaw students can immediately upload their pictures for others to analyze and guess at. They can also draw and annotate on the picture to show their thinking.
Notes or Recommendations (optional):
 
  Keywords and Search Tags  
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