Lesson Ideas / Worksheet

The images on exhibition are useful in many school contexts. Photos are great for introducing new topics. As with any medium, the students will need to learn how to 'read' photos for information.

The exhibition photos can be seen here.

This document gives teachers some ideas on how to make the most out of the photos on display:

1. There are different housing/shelter construction methods documented in the pictures. Can you describe three different construction materials and methods used in the photos? What are the benefits of each construction method?
2. What are some of the traditional activities taking place in the photos?
3. What is the difference between how a rural and urban environment access water?
4. List different eating/drinking utensils that are being used in the photos?
5. Find the meaning of these Zulu words: izingadi, zethemba, ilawu, impepho, emsamu, gogo, muncanyana, mukhulu, umqombothi, Sangoma, ubuhlalo, ucansi, ihawu, isibusiso, imbiza, ukhamba, umancishana, udondolo, Hamba Kahle (definitions found in photo descriptions).
6. Which picture do you respond to (interests you) the most and the least, explain why?
7. Photos have the ability to capture emotion, which photos express a strong emotion happy, sad, in deep concentration?

Other activities that can be continued back in the classroom or at home:

1. Put pictures in some sort of context. Make a list of all the information the picture gives: Example: the picture was taken in a village, it is a sunny day, the house is round, people are smiling…
2. Students can compare their own lives with that of the people in the pictures, asking 'what is the same/different?, and what makes it different?' This can be classified under various headings, such as, 'People, Buildings, and Environment.'
3. Use the photos as a descriptive writing task. Get as much information about each picture from the exhibition and ask students to write about a person in the picture.
4. Students can be asked to discuss possible fictional accounts of what is in the picture, offering different interpretations from their own deductions. Facts and opinions can be discussed here. Images
5. Alternatively, students could be asked to take their own photos of things in their own lives, or similar situations as the pictures. They could even reconstruct the photos in a fun way within their own context. Example: Pictures of their bedroom, kitchen, family, neighbors… Comparisons could be made and discussed.

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