Unit Title: Portrait Photography

Grade level: 10-12

Length of unit:4 Weeks
Stage 1 Desired Results
Meaning
Enduring Understandings/Generalizations:
1. Through the study of art, people learn to
make informed critical judgments, gain
knowledge about visual communication, and
learn to respect ones own expression and
those of others.

Essential Questions:

1. How can you tell a story through photographs?

2. How can we use lightening to change the mood of an
image?
3. How can one use body language to convey an
expression or an emotion?

2.

Art is a universal language that encompasses

all forms of communication to express a
variety of viewpoints, ideas and feelings.

4. How do aperture, shutter speed, and ISO affect each

other and how do the effect an image?

Knowledge & Skills Acquisition

Learning Goals: (e.g., Iowa/Common Core standards.)

Grade 9-12 Visual Arts Standard 2

Content Standard: Using knowledge of structures and functions.

Achievement Standard
Proficient:
Students demonstrate the ability to form and defend judgments about the characteristics and structures
to accomplish
commercial, personal, communal, or other purposes of art
Students evaluate the effectiveness of artworks in terms of organizational structures and functions
Students create artworks that use organizational principles and functions to solve specific visual arts
problems

Students will know

Key Vocabulary Terms:

Aperature/ fstop
Depth of Field
Shutter Speed
ISO
Rule of Thirds
Exposure Meter
Flash
RAW
Jpeg.

The difference between hard light and soft

Students will be able to

Know how to manually change the

exposure of an image to compensate for
too much or too little lighting.
Use light to create mood
Know the relationship between ISO,
aperture, and shutter speed.
How to shoot using Manual Mode
Use basic photo editing software to
enhance their images
Change the format of their image digitally
from RAW in to Jpeg

lighting
How you can use the settings on their
cameras to get a purposeful effect.

How to take three different types of

portraits

Resources/Materials:
Digital SLR cameras
Handouts/ expectations for each (3) portrait project
Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO cheat sheet
Computers with photo-editing software
Tripods

Stage 2 Evidence (Assessment)

Types of assessment: Selected-Response (tests, quizzes); Personal Communication
(interview, oral exam, discussion); Written Response (short constructed response questions,
entrance/exit slips, essays); Performance Assessment (role-play, Simulation, labs,
dramatization)
Pre-assessment:
The goal of my pre-assessment will to be to determine how much the students already understand the
relationship between Aperature, Shutter Speed, and ISO. Also how to use other basic settings on their cameras,
such as the different modes as well (Av, M, and Tv). This will take place in the form of class discussion.

Formative Assessment:
The Unit will be broken down in to 3 different portrait photography projects, each given and will be expected to
be done within a week. These are:

Window Light Portrait

Environmental Portrait
Conceptual Portrait

Each assignment the students will be required to submit 3 of their best photos (edited) for each project.
Formative assessment will take place in the form a class critique. Also submitting their 3 images to the
instructor for verbal/written feedback or what is good or needs to be improved.

Summative Assessment:
My summative assessment would to pick their best portrait from each of the three projects and submit them as
their final graded work.
The students will also be allowed to re-take or submit new (presumably improved) photos if need be. The
portfolio will be graded and scored using a performance-based rubric that I have constructed.
Students will also fill out a reflective exit slip with this question:
What are three things I have learned from this photography unit and how did I incorporate each in to my final
photogrpahs?

Stage 3 Learning Plan

Use these questions to help guide the creation of your pacing calendar (learning plan).

How many days will your unit last?

How will you sequence/organize learning your unit in an iterative/incremental way?

What opening activity will you use to hook or engage student learning in this unit?

How will you ensure students know where the learning is headed in this unit?

How will you introduce students to your Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions? At what
points will you have your students re-consider these understandings/questions?

How will you sequence/organize your assessments in an iterative/incremental way?

How will you foster critical thinking and problem solving in this unit? Self-reflection? Curiosity and
imagination? Collaboration? Innovation/Creativity? Adaptive thinking? Accessing and analyzing
information? Oral and written communication?

What active instructional strategies/learning activities might you use to engage students in learning (You
need to use at least 3 different types of instructional strategies)?

How will you differentiate for individual student needs in this unit? What differentiated instructional
strategies will you use (e.g., student choice, flexible grouping, jigsaw, choice boards/menus, tiered
assignments, anchor activities, etc.)?

How will you use technology to support and facilitate student learning in this unit?