Activity 6: Take photos for a guessing game.

Optics / Photo

Target group: Children of 3 to 6 years in kindergarten

Aim: The children take photos independently and make use of the possibilities that the camera at hand offers (aperture, viewfinder).

Where: group area, garden

How long? Approx. 1 hour

What? Careful handling of the camera.

Preparation:

Present freshly developed photos. Camera, empty film.

Steps:

1.  Consider the following points: Why is the picture too bright, blurred or out of focus? Which pictures are particularly beautiful?

2.  The children now prepare for "improving" their photos. First they turn the scale for the aperture and observe what happens in a bright or dark environment.

3. The children consider purposefully, which items they would like to photograph for a guessing game: They cut a square frame out of black tone cardboard and look for suitable picture details.

4. In a further step the comparison with the

    camera takes place: Recognize the detail in the viewfinder!

5. Set up rules for taking photos (illustrate if necessary):

-   stay still.

-   find a good picture detail

-   do not point the camera towards the sun.

6. The children will probably want to take some close-ups: They should bring a leaf close to their eyes and then use a magnifying glass: Enlargement necessary! -

    Transfer to the camera and comparison with the camera obscura: The image must be brought into focus by changing the distance between the lens and the opening for the light. The children examine the camera.

Scientific explanation:

If the camera’s environment is rather dark, the aperture of the camera opens wider since more rays of light must be caught; if it is very bright outside, the aperture hardly opens, since only a few rays must be caught. Otherwise the picture would be overexposed. If you point the camera towards the sun, the film is also overexposed.

Possible variation: From the already existing pictures a guessing game can be made (Where is this? Which is which?...)

Note!

The best camera to use in this acitivity is one that focusses automatically, since small children cannot yet handle a manually operated camera.

References:

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