Activity 2A
Display a photograph that is particularly evocative and gather the students around it

i.   Ask students the following questions.  In each case, gather a few responses.  Look for similarities or differences in responses and discuss.  There are no wrong answers.  

  • What's the first word that comes into your head when you look at this photograph? 

  • What about the image made you think of that word?  

  • Would another word do or is that the best one? 

ii.  Have students study the photograph further to get beyond initial reaction.  Use         

A Guide for Looking at Photographs to encourage keen observation.

iii. Discuss the saying "A picture is worth a thousand words".  

  • What does it mean?  Is it true?  

  • What might words express here that the image does not?

Activity 2B
Have students brainstorm more "best words" according to the following instructions:

i.   Choose a photograph from Image set B and write down the first word that comes

into your head.

ii.  List as many words or phrases you can think of to describe the photograph. Brainstorm - write everything down as it comes to mind; you can think about them later.  Be descriptive, but try to avoid merely naming the objects in the picture.  Try to reach a thousand words!

iii. Brainstorm for 10 to 15 minutes.  When the time is up, students select their best five words or phrases and turn them into a poem or descriptive paragraph.  Use initial "first word" (from activity 1.a. above) as the title. 

(The teacher might dictate poem structure, such as haiku, concrete, cinquain etc, or encourage free form.  Also, emphasize choosing the best words from the list of many words.)

iv.  Students record the title of the selected photograph 

Activity 2C
After adequate writing time, students share their finished work or work-in progress with the class.  Students might share the title of the photograph or ask classmates to pick it out based on the description.

i.  Ask these questions:  

  • Did your initial response to the photograph change as you worked?  

  • If you could ask the photographer one question about this picture, what would

         that question be?

ii.  Discuss the following:  

  • Is the picture "worth a thousand words"?  

  • More than a thousand words?  Less?

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