Telling Stories With Photo Essays

Susan Conklin Thompson is a professor at the University of Northern Colorado, where she coordinates the early childhood program and teaches early childhood and elementary education courses. Thompson has authored numerous articles, two multicultural books for children, and eight books for teachers, including Children as Illustrators: Making Meaning through Art and Language (National Association for the Education of Young Children). She has been the recipient of several university awards for teaching excellence and outstanding research and scholarship and in 2001 was awarded the Early Childhood Professional of the Year Award by the Wyoming Early Childhood Association. Kayenta Williams holds an MFA in creative writing and has worked extensively with English language learners as an elementary ELL teacher. She has authored both fiction and nonfiction work, including an article in Social Studies and the Young Learner entitled "Photo Essays: Using Photography to Tell a Story", which she co-authored with Susan Conklin Thompson.

Acknowledgments About the Authors Introduction 1. Photo Essays and Children Photography and Expression Children as Photographers 2. Developing a Photo Essay Photo Essays Captions and Photographs Working Together for Voice Thinking In-Depth About Captions Timelines Teachers and Photo Essays Presentation Formats for Photo Essays Children Presenting Photo Essays 3. Photographs Tell a Story in History Creating a Historical Photo Essay: The Freedom Trail Ideas for Historical Photo Essays 4. Personal History Photo Essays Sample Personal History Photo Essay Ideas for Personal History Photo Essays 5. Nature Experience Photo Essays Sample Nature Photo Essay Ideas for Nature Photo Essays 6. Field Trip Photo Essays Sample Field Trip Photo Essay Ideas for Field Trip Photo Essays 7. Overcoming Traumatic Events Sample Photo Essay of a Tornado Ideas for Photo Essays Helping Children Deal With Traumatic Events 8. Career Photo Essays Sample Career Photo Essay Ideas for Career Photo Essays 9. Integrating Curriculum Photo Essays Sample Photo Essay of an Integrated Math Activity Ideas for Integrated Photo Essays 10. Advocacy Photo Essays Sample Advocacy Photo Essay on Endangered Animals Ideas for Advocacy Photo Essays 11. Using Photographs to Interpret the Past; Contributing Author Dr. Gary Fertig Using Photographs to Evaluate the Historical Significance of Change Using Photographs to Identify Causes and Effects Using Photographs to Evoke Empathy Using Photographs to Initiate Historical Inquiry Summary and Conclusions 12. Assessment and Rubrics Resource: Standards Alignment Bibliography of Suggested Children's Photo Essay Books References Index

"A beneficial reference to working with photo essays with young children." -- Karen Thomes, Teacher "This book demonstrates the power of the photo essay to help children grow intellectually and emotionally. It includes ideas for a wide array of projects along with plenty of examples of projects students have done in different schools and community settings. The fantastic thing about the book is the commitment to teaching that serves every child-a commitment that arises from a vision of democratic learning." -- David W. Romtvedt, Professor "Thompson shows as much as tells what photo essays are and how to use them to enhance and extend children's understanding of their world. Educators will want this book because of the curricular integration, differentiation, and instruction centered on helping children use all components of literacy, including visual representation." -- Michael Opitz, Professor of Reading "I really like this book, and I'm eager to use it as a supplement for various methods courses in elementary education and early childhood. I would also use it in a special workshop or seminar class." -- Rebecca S. Compton, Professor of Elementary Education "Countless students will be forever changed by this fascinating text and its message that the immense power of images enables anyone to say, 'This is where I am, this is what I see. Look at my world through my eyes.'" -- Suzanne Strempek Shea, Author of Sundays in America "The authors offer a wealth of ways to engage children in expressing meaning and documenting experiences through photographs. They provide all the practical help teachers need to use this exciting medium to expand children's ways of perceiving, representing, and thinking about their world." -- Carol Copple, Director of Publications and Initiatives in Educational Practice