Using a Digital Camera in the Classroom
A Demonstration Lesson by
Frances Dendy and Faustina Pennock
for ETEC 561 - Learning and Instruction
November 19, 1998
About Digital Cameras
For this demonstration, Fran uses a Kodak DC50 (which looks just like the DC120 pictured here!) 
Faustina uses a Sony Mavica MVC-FD7 
Other Resources
How to Use the Digital Camera
Kodak DC50
- Take photos
- Connect camera to the computer
- Open the Kodak Photo Enhancer software (which comes with the camera)
- Select "View Slides in Camera"
Small "thumbnail" shots of each photo will appear on the screen.
- Double click on the desired photo
- Make any changes to brightness, size, cropping, color tint, etc.
- Save the photo to hard drive or disk
The photo is now ready to print or to be inserted in e-mail, webpage, word processing document, etc.!
Sony Mavica MVC-FD7
- Take photos
- Remove disk from camera and put in computer
- Open up the web page
- Go to "Insert Picture From File"
- Choose "A" drive
- Find the selected photo
- Choose and Click OK
This will insert the photo. You can now resize to fit the page.
Click here for a slideshow demonstration of how to use Faustina's type of camera!
Other Resources
Using the Digital Camera for Lesson Design
Using Photos in Classroom Lessons
Writing
Photos may be used in many different types of classroom lessons. They may be used to illustrate steps in a procedure, to aid in writing "how to" paragraphs. This lesson illustrates Fran's use of the digital camera as her ESL students wrote a group paragraph on how to carve a jack-o-lantern.
Other ideas for using the digital camera in writing include:
- use a photo as a prompt for narrative or descriptive writing
- school newspaper
- class newspaper or newsletter
- graphics for written reports and presentations
- write letters to penpals and others (such as reading buddies in another grade), inserting photos
- send photos via e-mail to electronic pen pals
- e-mail class updates to parents, with attached photos
- write a class novel with live-action photos as illustrations
- class books
- ABC alphabet book [use real objects to enhance letter-sound correspondence]
- We Spy books [go on a scavenger hunt through out the school as an extension for a completed unit]
- sequencing books [using a digital camera is especially useful to sequences which cannot be brought to school for students to experience]
- All About Us [take photos of students and let them write about themselves - this is especially good for Kindergarten!]
- big books [to make a photo large enough for a big book, resize photo for whole prage and print out - you can then run it through a poster maker (in a publishing center, such as Region X) to enlarge it even further]
- take photos on field trips, to aid in writing about them later
- publicize a class play or project
Projects/Presentations
When her 7th graders were studying Native Texan Tribes, Faustina used the digital camera to share their work with others.
Photos may also be used to create classroom games to teach various concepts. One example is the demonstration of opposites, where student photos are made into a "Concentration" game.
Other ideas for using the digital camera with projects and presentations include:
- make personalized name tags or desk plates
- recording projects and presentations for Open House
- create a digital class archive
- demonstrate vocabulary, emotions, compare/contrast
- illustrate perspectives in art
- observe weather over a period of time
- student portfolio
- illustrate process for complicated projects
- illustrate a science experiment
- document growth of classroom plant or pet
- demonstrate a P.E. exercise
- develop a student-generated, graphical web research site
- school showcase
Adding Photos to PowerPoint Presentations
In Microsoft PowerPoint, it is very easy to add photos. The only thing to worry about is how you saved the original photo. PowerPoint does not read .jpg files, so be sure to save the original photo as .tif, .bmp (bitmap), or other compatible format. While creating the slide, simply go to the "Insert" menu and choose "Picture." Locate the appropriate drive and photo and double-click on it. Once the photo is on the slide, you can reposition or resize it as needed. For tips on clarity of photos and presentations, see the Kodak tips site listed below.
Other Resources
Using the Digital Camera for WebPage Creation
Web Page as Newsletter
A school must have communication with both parents and community. Local newspapers often publish photos and stories of school events, but having a school website allows the school to have more control over what stories are publicized. A school website may be used to convey important information to parents, publish student work, and publicize school events. A digital camera allows schools to enhance their websites. Lake Highlands Elementary Third Grade published their artwork in relation to their study of the ocean. In addition, schoolwide events are also published on the site.
Online Lessons
Some lessons may be written as webpages, allowing many students to access the information in a lab setting. In this online lesson written by Fran, students at her elementary school are introduced to the concept of discerning facts online. Using a digital camera allowed her to post photos (in addition to images from the web) representing facts and non-facts about the school. Students see immediately that some photos are not what they appear to be!
Other Ideas for Using a Digital Camera
- Digital Photography Tips - From Imaging Resource.
- Canon WebSite - Click on "recipes" on this Canon webpage to see a neat demonstration of how to make a mobile, using a digital camera! Be sure to keep clicking through the demonstration to see the animated product at the end!
- 1001 Uses for a Digital Camera - From the Casio Classroom Connection. Cool stuff here!
- PhotoPoint - An online resource of digital images....and it's FREE!
About the Presenters
Frances Dendy
Fran Dendy is an elementary ESL teacher in Richardson Independent School District.
E-Mail her at fdendy@tenet.edu
Or visit her website at http://www.oocities.org/Athens/Olympus/7123
Faustina Pennock
Faustina Pennock is the Instructional Technology / Curriculum Coordinator with Waxahachie Independent Sschool District.
E-Mail her at fpennock@wisd.org
Or visit her website at http://boisdarc.tamu-commerce.edu/www/f/fpennock/