Photo Essay Rationale

Context:  As a science project for 4401, I created a PowerPoint presentation to create questions about science in everyday life.  I used a digital camera to take my pictures and downloaded my photos on Microsoft PowerPoint.  This particular project could be created for any grade level, but mine in general was created with the older elementary grades in mind.  On each slide of the PowerPoint there is a single photo with two corresponding questions that relate to that photo and to science in general.  The purpose is to create interest in science, see what they already know, and for the students to form thoughtful ideas about answering the science questions.

Impact:  The impact of this assignment is to spark interest in everyday life and to show that science is everywhere around us.  With each proposed question the learner, on their own, is asked to use what they already know to formulate new ideas about occurences that they may not understand.

Alignment: This assignment was created in order to create an interest in science where the learner will use their own ideas and guesses to answer scientific questions. They will then test their own assumptions. The purpose is for the tests to be open ended where the instructor does not regulate the tests but guides the students to answer their own assumptions. The Photo Essay is designed to give the students a chance to engage in the schooling process where their ideas are the basis for instruction.