Name of Activity:. PHOTOGRAPHER and FILM DEVELOPER (By Jennifer MacBrair)

Category:. : Art Smart

Props: camera with film, clay (multicolored), 12x8 white paper, crayons, markers, examples of film negatives, pipe cleaners, tape recorder/ tapes, newspaper

Your Role: Travel guide and coach

Directions: First explain and make sure the child knows what a camera, photographer, and the concept of film developing is. Ask them if they have every seen or heard of these things. Your role as tour guide comes in when you lead the child around the room and have s/he take one picture at a time. Next, lead the child back into the "developing studio" and have the child "develop" the film (mental picture). It will be helpful to use the film negatives to explain what is going on. The developing process will use different mediums each time (not a combination), in order of dimensions. For example, the first time your child can color with markers and crayons on paper to create a one dimensional image that was taken in. Have your child repeat the role of photographer and have them take another "picture". Now, they may use clay and pipe cleaners to create a three dimensional image. Finally, have your child describe to you about what they saw (use tape recorder & save in folder) The sound of the camera, "click" is very important because it may make it easier on the child to formulate the picture with the auditory aid. The clay will enable the child to give their image the texture they "see" and "feel" in their head.

Goals for You: You may need to explain what film developing is thoroughly, most children may not be familiar with the concept of where pictures come from. Your task is to get the child excited about the pictures that can form "in your head". You may need to model this with a few connections. For example, "Can you remember what your room looks like at home?" "What color is your house?". Try to hide the materials that the child will be working with until after the picture is taken, then only take out what the child will be using to develop the picture slhe just took. (They will be distracted by the three dimensional materials and want to play with them before hand, you will want to use the clay after coloring)

Goals for Children: To form a mental picture of a controlled "chunk" of their environment around them and then recreate these mental pictures with diverse mediums. The mediums enable the children to recreate their mental pictures in one dimensional and three dimensional, and experiment with how they think their mental picture "feels", using the clay, crayons, and various supplies. Some may be enjoy giving a verbal description of what they saw, and may relate it to an internal aspect of their lives.

Possible Strategy:

What to say : "Today we are going to take pictures with our minds and develop them using different materials. First we are going to walk around look for something you want to take a picture of, then we will go back to our film developing lab and develop our picture."`

What to do: : : Here is where you may become a "travel guide" and lead the child, pointing out interesting things, like lighting, color, and textures. You will be trying to get them involved and avoid feeling silly. Show the child how to use the camera, and turn the flash on for them.

Possible Shaping:

What to say "When you hear the click, the picture will be taken in your mind. Try to remember the colors and shapes of the objects you see through the hole."

What to do: : Help your child to take the picture taking seriously and focus on the creation of the mental image and block out any distractions that would interfere (ex. Children walking by: focus on your child and bring them back to the task at hand by asking them the strategy questions again.)

Possible Ending:

What to say: "You did great! You have very clear and interesting pictures in your head!" Make a connection between the mental images taken today with the images they have already in their head (ie. ' Do you remember the first picture we took?')

What to do: