Carrollton-A Study Skills Pictorial Activity Book

Subject: Social Studies
Grade: 5

"The school faculty and staff rapidly became involved in all areas of the project. Many volunteered to spend extra time training students in photography and layout, transporting students to and from interviews, doing research, and creating games."

Purpose and Description of Project

In the process, the students learned the techniques of photography and film processing, sharpened their research and organizational skills, and gained a new appreciation for their socio-cultural heritage. They have also produced a 168-page study guide that not only discusses and shows local crafts but provides educational exercises that will help those who use the guide to absorb its content while solving everything from word problems to math equations.

Teams of students involved in the project selected various areas of local craftwork they wanted to research in depth, were trained in photography and interviewing techniques, researched the historical and current status of the craft, and interviewed and photographed local people who retained these skills. As the interviewers wrote up what they had learned, other students developed games, puzzles, and suggested activities highlighting the information. Then facts were double-checked, and students and teachers worked together on editing and organizing the final product. The guide includes a brief history of the county, covers 20 craft areas, and provides study questions, suggestions for activities, and puzzles and games, along with answers.

While the students gained much of their information and took many photos on field trips, some craft resource people visited the school, and their presentations were videotaped for the Social Studies Department Library. Cox and Parker note that these craftspeople were as eager to share their knowledge as the students were fascinated to learn about embalming or whittling.

Students and teachers also made a slide/tape presentation describing their project and including highlights of the crafts covered in their guide. During the project, they kept the school up to date on their activities with a display case, and they also made a special presentation to the school board.

Activities

When interviews were completed, the students wrote, rewrote, and edited the information into articles, selected photographs to be used, and began laying out their book. They also made drawings to supplement their photos and to enliven the games and activities. The activities were designed to produce learning outcomes described in Bloom's Taxonomy -- knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Materials, Resources, and Expenses

Equipment and materials included 35 mm and other cameras, various lenses, flash attachments, a slide projector, film , tripod, video cassette recorder and camera, video cassette players, film processing chemicals, and tape recorders.

Outcomes and Adaptability

The teachers also believe that other schools can replicate the project to investigate local history and crafts, or adapt the project to other topics that students would investigate, photograph, write about, and develop skill activities around.

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