Questions to Inspire Close Observation
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to Teaching Suggestions |
As you come across photos and videos on Journey North, try
using some of the following questioning strategies. It's best to ask these
types of questions before students have read photo descriptions
or explanations from experts. You can have the class focus on just one
image at a time or observe entire photo sequences or collections.
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| Observe
Details |
The
more time and opportunities students have to carefully observe photos,
the more detailed their observations will be. Here are some questions
and instructions to engage them:
- What
do you see? (Record one thing you notice and one question about
the photo.)
- Keep
looking for another minute (or more). Now what do you see?
- Add to
your list one new thing you notice and another question you have.
- Make a
“tube” with your thumb and fingers so you can look at just
one small area or look at the photo from a different angle. What new
things do you notice when you change perspective?
- What
do you wonder about what you see? How could you find answers (e.g.,
observe more closely, conduct research)?
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| Make
Comparisons |
- How is
it the same as? Different than?
- What
does it remind you of?
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| Count
or Measure |
- How many?
How long? How often? How much?
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| Interpret
What You See |
-
What do
you think just happened? What do you think might happen next?
- What
do you know from looking at this photo?
- What
do you assume/infer from looking at it?*
- How would
you explain _______________?
- What’s
your hypothesis?
- What caption
would you write for this photo?
- What
do you think would happen if _______?
- How has
what you’ve already experienced or learned influenced your response?
- How might
someone else see or interpret this same photo? (As students share ideas
with classmates, ask, Have your ideas changed after hearing from
your classmates? Explain how.)
Help students
distinguish between observations (which are made
by the senses and can be verified by other people) and inferences
(interpretations of observations, which can vary greatly among people).
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| Consider
New Information |
| After
students have mined all they can from a photo, consider adding a new bit
of information (or show the next photo in the sequence) to spark new thoughts
and interpretations. If your young observers didn't wonder about the
batch of monarchs perched at the top of a branch, ask these questions
one at a time, as necessary:
- Do you
notice anything surprising or unusual? Describe what you see.
- How would
you explain it?
- What
if I told you...?
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| Student
Journaling and Discussion Questions |
- What
new questions did your observations spark? How might you uncover
the answers?
- If
you were teaching other kids to be good observers, what advice
would you give them?
- Do
you look at photos differently now? Explain what has changed.
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