Topic: Pinhole Cameras

Term: 4

Year 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8

Level  1  2  3  4

Technological Areas:

q  Biotechnology                                                  

q  Food Technology        

q  Materials Technology

q  Information & Communication

q  Production and Process

q  Structures and Mechanisms

q  Electronics and Control

Contexts:

q  Home

q  Personal

q  School

q  Environment

q  Recreational

q  Community

q  Energy

q  Business

q  Industrial

Links with other Curriculum areas:

q  English

q  Maths

q  Science

q  Social Studies

q  Health & Physical Education

q  The Arts

Resources:

§   Making better sense of the Physical World Levels  1-4 Activity 9.

§   ‘Photos, Photos’ by AnnMarie Hefferman.

§   Creative Photography by Russ Malkin.

§   Click! Fun with Photography by Susanna Price & Tim Stephens

§   Inspiration activities ‘Using lenses to make pictures’ ‘Pinhole cameras’

§   BAR activity sheet

§   Pinhole camera websites

Light tight boxes, black electrical tape, foil,  scissors, sewing needles in various sizes, red light, dark room, photographic paper and solution

Situation/Setting the Scene: There are many varieties of cameras available but how do they actually take pictures?

Design Brief:
Investigate how a pinhole camera works and write a manual for others to follow.

Specification:
Students create their own specifications

Technological Knowledge and Understanding

1    2a    2b   

3    4

Assess

Learning Experiences: (examine, identify, discuss, collect, observe, compare, read, describe)

• Find pictures of different types of cameras and identify what the similarities and differences are
• Look at some camera manuals and list the type of information it contains, identify how this information will help the reader
• Experiment with using lenses to make pictures (see Activity 9 in Making better sense of the physical world), record your findings on Inspiration ‘Using lenses to make pictures’)
• Investigate how to make a dark room
• Try some of the different methods of making pinhole cameras used in the websites listed below
• Compare and contrast at least 3 different pinhole cameras, identify what features were the best in the cameras, record this on the Inspiration ‘Pinholes Camera’

Technological Capability

5    6a    6b

6c    6d

Assess

Learning Experiences: (generate, select, develop, adapt, present, test & evaluate, draw, model, plan)

• Using the information you have learnt about cameras use the BAR worksheet to modify the pinhole cameras you have already made to fit your Design Brief and specifications
• Record how this camera is going to take photos. Itemise each step as a manual for others to follow
• Test your manual and camera out on other people, observe and evaluate the successes and the difficulties they may have had

Technology and

Society

7    8 

Assess

Learning Experiences: (impacts, cultural values, attitudes, behaviour, preferences, beliefs & values)

• Survey parents and teachers as to how they use cameras, questions will need to ask how, why, when, what, which
• Timeline cameras from the first date to now, identify the changes and impact on society as they see it