Outdoor Education Program

Lesson 1: Photovoice

Objective: Students will use photography to connect with nature. The images and ideas address what is important, concerning and of interest to the students involved. Photovoice offers students a chance to tell their stories and have their voices heard, while also spending meaningful time outdoors.

Download Worksheet

Curriculum:

This exercise has been designed to integrate with Manitoba curriculum outcomes for grades 7, 10 and 12. However, it can be adapted for all ages. Visit our curriculum connections page for specific, identified skills which can be developed using this lesson plan.

Learning Goals:

  • Students use photography to identify key concepts and ideas in nature
  • Students investigate plant and animal organisms in a local ecosystem
  • Students will be able to use scientific vocabulary to describe natural observations

Resources:

Materials:

  • Photovoice worksheets
  • Digital cameras/ tablets/ device to take photos
  • Clipboards
  • Pencils  

Time: 45 minutes

 

Activate:

  1. Introduce the boreal forest in the context of science and/or social studies curriculum; 
  2. Discuss the importance of the boreal forest for indigenous communities, biodiversity, and climate change, as well as issues facing the prosperity of the forest

Aquire:

  1. Break students into small groups and/or individually; provide students/groups with worksheets on clipboards, pencils, and devices to capture photos
  2. Walk to a local green space or plan a field trip to Assiniboine Forest (or related location)
  3. Students use the worksheet to observe their environment and take photos
  4. Students track their photos on their worksheets by writing a short description of each photo taken.

Apply:

  • In the classroom or as homework, students upload their photos to a computer and create a collage or poster with the images
  • Students write a one-page summary of their work, identifying their observations and key concepts
  • Students submit their collages and summaries or present them in small groups and/or the whole class

Conclusion:

Evaluate students on their final art installation and summary, utilize peer evaluation, or a combination of both. Evaluation should be based on how the students followed the worksheet and the effort put into taking photos, as well as the concepts covered in their summaries and presentations. For extended engagement, display students’ work somewhere in the school for other students to see.