Using a Digital Camera
in the Classroom
In the classroom
• Set pictures as screen savers or
slide shows on computers
• Put on video, cd or dvd for parents
• Print and post pictures of students
• Post pictures of kids working in
classroom centers to show what they
are supposed to do in them
Class Projects
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Photo journal of field trips
Class newsletter illustrations
Photos for greeting cards
Valentine-grams
Photos of vocabulary items
Bulletin board photo journal of
classroom activities
More class projects
• Create personal or classroom alphabet
• Create a scrapbook of the student’s year – art, handwriting,
portrait photos, etc.
• Use pictures for concept illustrations (art, math, science)
• Make an art catalogue of student work for Open House
• Use still shots on video w/ music background for classroom
presentations, open house, video penpals, etc.
• Create a virtual tour of your classroom
• Make trading cards of students with pictures on one side
and information on the back (name, birthday, favorite
things)
Elementary
• Identify shapes of different objects
• Learn colors
• Find pictures that represent letters
of the alphabet
• Show classroom procedures in
pictures
• Display students of the week
Social Studies/History
• Illustrate family units, family
traditions/heirlooms
• Take pictures of micro communities you can see
from classroom window or school yard
• Create historical documents or website about the
community
• Have kids present reports on famous people
dressing like them and record the pictures along
with biographical information
• Create a community brochure
English/Language Arts
• Create an “About the Author” section of student
writing books
• Create “A day in the life” report on teachers,
students, or mentor
• Similes or Metaphors – Create a list of words
then take pictures around school that show how
the object is or is not like your word. (School is
like – picture of ant hill)
• Create their own stories with digital picture
illustrations
English/Language Arts
• Use photo as a writing prompt
• Write letters to pen pals and insert
photos
Math
• Take pictures of angles in the
classroom or school yard (ex: take 5
pictures of acute angles, a collection
of odd-numbered things, objects
that are parallel/perpendicular, etc.)
Science
• Create sequence stories (Ex: Acorn, sprout, sapling, mature
oak, decayed log) (Ex. Food chain)
• Show relationships (between two types of living things) in
the world. Determine whether they are parasites
(mosquitos/humans) or commensal (robins/trees)
• Decomposers in action – leave food out to mold and take
daily pictures
• Tracks or Traces – take pictures that show indirect
evidence of a population of something (bird nest, footprints,
cans etc.)
• Create an online field guide. Take pictures of live insects,
research & find out about their habitat, eating habits etc.
Publish guide on the internet
Art
• Find examples of color, line, texture,
shape, form etc.
• Learn perspective by taking pictures
of an object from many different
points of view
Miscellaneous Ideas
• Take pictures of new students and post on
bulletin board or put on channel one
• Create “how to” videos for using technology
equipment
• Become an advertiser – create a commercial for
some aspect of the environment. Use camera to
create a series of slides to support your position
(anti-litter, against drugs, etc.)
• Compare environments – capture different
environments (media center, office, teachers
lounge, playground, locker room, classrooms.
Compare & discuss factors that make places
different.
More Miscellaneous Ideas
• Cause and effect – Take two pictures & tell which
one is responsible for the other (people/garbage)
• Comfortable & Uncomfortable – Take pictures of
places where you are uncomfortable. Then change
your perspective (cat, bird, ant, etc.)
• Document growth of a classroom plant or pet
• Demonstrate a P.E. activity
• Give students a portion of a picture and have
them guess what the picture is of
• Make a photo seating chart for your substitutes
Fundraising Ideas
• Valentine pictures – take and sell
them to “sweethearts”, friends, etc.
• Create a video yearbook to sell to
students & parents