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Lesson: Structural Comparisons

Description

The purpose of this lesson is to teach students to scan images visually to look for structural elements within the picture's composition, such as foreground and background, symmetry and asymmetry, motion and tone. The lesson, like "Scanning for Visual Details," focuses on looking more closely at an image's structure rather than its content.

Learning Outcomes   I   Suggested Procedure   I   Assessment    for this Lesson

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to identify several structural elements within a picture's composition.
Students will be able to scan two images and compare structural elements.

Set-up

Write the following "Glossary" of terms on a transparency, whiteboard, or a handout:

1. Foreground - the part of the picture that is nearest to the viewer
2. Background - the scenery behind something (usually whatever is in the foreground)
3. Symmetry - an exact correspondence of form on two sides of a plane resulting in balance
4. Asymmetry - lack of balance or symmetry
5. Tone - the intensity of light and dark
6. Shape - the basic geometric shapes, such as triangles, squares, and circles, that are apparent in a visual image's composition
7. Motion - the illusion of motion within a visual image

Suggested Procedure

Looking for Structural Similarities (Large group brainstorm - 10 - 15 minutes)

Ask students to first describe what they see in the paired images. Concentrate on the content - two mothers holding their children; the women have a similar facial expression. The mothers, however, are dressed differently, are most likely of different ethnicities, etc.

After discussing the similarities and differences in terms of the content, ask the students to look at the structure of the visual image. How are the pictures composed? What is similar about their compositions?

Provide the students with some strategies for scanning the images for visual similarities. Tell them that they can look from top to bottom or from left to right.

Introducing the Glossary (Large discussion - 10 minutes)

Explain that how the picture is composed is called its composition.

Introduce the terms from the glossary, explaining that these are some terms that might help the students to discuss the visual image's composition.

Ask the students to discuss the two pictures of the mothers using the glossary terms.

Ask questions, such as: What do you see in the foreground? What's in the background? Is this a symmetrical or asymmetrical composition? Is motion implied in the image? What is the tone of the image? Can you identify any shape within the composition?

Assessment - Comparing Composition (Individual or paired practice - 20 minutes)

Give students the Structural Comparison worksheets 1, 2 & 3. Instruct them to complete them individually or in pairs by looking at the two images and comparing their compositions.

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This page was last updated April 25, 2002 This lesson was created to support the AT&T/UCLA Initiatives for 21st Century Literacies. Structural Comparisons was created by Cricket Heinze and Cornelia Brunner.