Unit Plan Narrative Essay

The purpose of my unit is to teach students multiple ways that they could
interpret portraiture through digital photography. There is not just one way to take
a portrait in photography, there are many, through this unit plan, my students will
learn a few of these different ways to take portraits using various uses of light
and context. The three types of portraits I have chosen for my students to learn
about and create their own representations of are, window light portraits,
environmental portraits, and a conceptual portrait.
I choose these three types because each emphasizes an aspect of
photography that is important to the craft as a whole. In the window light portrait
there is an emphasis on the type of light that is used within the photograph, and
the students will learn how to use that type of natural, soft light effectively.
Second is environmental portrait, where the portrait must be taken within the
situation that they work or live in on a daily basis. This type of photo is not only a
portrait, but there is a direct dialogue between the subject and the environment,
creating a focus on composition. Thirdly the students will create a conceptual
portrait, which will require the students to think critically about not just taking a
portrait, but taking a portrait that conveys a specific idea. At the end of the unit, I
will ask that the students submit their best photo from each as a summative
representation of what they have learned/created.

The standard that my unit focuses on is the second national visual arst standard
for grades 9-12, whose content standard states: using knowledge of structures
and functions. The types of functions I want the students to focus on and learn in
this unit are understanding and utilizing the functions and settings on their digital
cameras. Figuring out and being able to manipulate the settings of ISO, aperture,
and shutter speed on the digital SLR camera let you truly direct and take
purposeful photographs. These functions also are directly related to the lighting
of the scene you are photographing. The structures part of the standard relates
to understanding the structure of the composition of the image they are
capturing. I want my students to understand what poses and angles are used in
taking flattering portraits, I also want them to think of the rule of thirds, how that is
applied and different ways it can be constructed in the different types of portraits
they will be taking. How it can be set up and in the physical relationship between
the environment and the subject.
Three instructional strategies that I have incorporated into this unit plan are
lecture, discussion, and student-directed investigations. The lecture is
incorporated at the beginning of every week when I introduce the next section of
the unit. Each assignment is explained, a power point given or a video is shown
that goes in to greater detail on what type of portrait the students will be creating
that week. At the end of each week, the students will engage in a critique
discussion reflecting the work that they and their peers have done that week.
Lastly, the students are able to choose the three photographs, one from each of
the different types of portraits to submit for the summative assessment. Also the

students are free to choose what subjects they photograph for their images as
long as it fits the criteria of each assignment. Both of these reflect the
instructional strategy of student-directed investigation.
One way I have incorporated scaffolding in to it, is I have allowed students
in the last week of the unit to re-take or rework any photos from any of the three
previous sections. In my calendar I have also made note that I encourage
students to meet with me one on one before submitting their portfolio of portraits,
so that I may provide individual feedback and suggestions that they may not
gotten in critique. I have also chunked the over all unit in to 3 sections, making
the work load more manageable for students.
Possible challenges to this unit is that there will be a lot of independent
work as far as allowing the students to take the photographs and edit their
photographs in class and out of class. This unit may be a bit reliant on students
having a stronger concept of self-responsibility and self-reliance of keeping on
task. I am hoping since the over all unit is broken down in to 3 sections, and
there will be a critique after each type of portrait is to be completed, that will
provide motivation and some guidance to keep students on track and steer away
from procrastination. In my summative assessment/ performance based rubric in
which will be used to grade their portfolios I have also included a section for
participation and effort. This section is reflection on how much the student stayed
on task during independent work time and participated in class critique each
week. This will also hopefully help keep students on task during the unit.