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Overview:
Our perceptions of the world are formed not only by what we see, but also by our previous experiences. When someone observes an unfamiliar place in the world, they bring with them their understanding and interpretation of their own culture, which helps to shade their perception of what they are observing or the place they are visiting.
Photographers are regarded as recorders of places, cultures, and events, but how much of what they are recording is inspired, driven or affected by their own experiences? In this lesson, students will begin to explore how culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions.
Connections to the Curriculum:
Geography, social studies, art
Connections to the National Geography Standards:
Standard 6: "How culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions"
Time:
One to two hours
Materials Required:
- Computer with Internet access
Objectives:
Students will
- read about the life and work of Jimmy Chin;
- describe adventure sports;
- describe how Jimmy Chin brings his experiences into his work; and
- describe how their own experiences affect their understanding of the world.
Geographic Skills:
Acquiring Geographic Information
Answering Geographic Questions
Analyzing Geographic Information
S u g g e s t e d P r o c e d u r e
Opening:
Jimmy Chin has been named a National Geographic Emerging Explorer. He is an accomplished climber, skier and photographer who has found a way to incorporate each of his passions into his life's work. His photographs of landscapes and people have been highlighted in magazines and advertisements throughout the world. In the next several activities, students will explore ways in which Jimmy Chin's photography reflects the world's landscapes, people and cultures, as well as his own experiences.
Development:
Tell students that they will be learning about how our experiences affect our perceptions of the world and of other cultures by learning more about a National Geographic Emerging Explorer, Jimmy Chin. Explain that Jimmy Chin is a professional climber, skier and photographer, and that he uses each of these talents to learn more about the world and share it through his photographs.
Have students watch the brief profile of Jimmy Chin.
Tell students to pay particular attention to what Chin says about his life prior to becoming an adventurer and photographer, and have them list any ways in which they feel he brings that life experience to his work. After students have watched the profile, ask them how Jimmy Chin became interested in photography.
Have students visit the Jimmy Chin website. Tell them that they will be looking for examples of how Jimmy Chin's personal experiences are reflected in his photographs taken while visiting different cultures in the world. Have students find three photographs that show Jimmy Chin's personal interests.
Explain that Jimmy Chin enjoys adventurous sports such as skiing and climbing. Ask them how his love of these sports might influence the way he sees the world (e.g., when he sees a mountain, he’s focused on climbing it or skiing down it, not just looking at it).
Divide the students into pairs. Have students list some activities they like to do, with a particular focus on adventurous activities (e.g., biking, rock climbing, rollerblading, etc.). Tell students to consider their favorite places for doing these activities, or places they’d like to do them.
Then have student fill out an interactive chart to determine how adventure seekers and an average tourist might perceive a series of destinations differently.
Have students record their ideas on the interactive chart. Tell students to print their chart when they are done.
Closing:
Have students describe their hobbies and interests and describe the perfect "adventure trip" that they would like to take. Have them draw a picture of the location.
Suggested Student Assessment:
Have students create an adventure travel brochure for an imaginary place. Using the print press, have students describe the geography of the location in such a way that it would attract adventure seekers. Additionally, have students use descriptive adjectives to create an impact on the reader. You can have students explore some of the sites listed in related links to gather ideas.
Finally, have students present their brochures to the class while explaining why this location would look different to an adventurer than to an average tourist.
Extending the Lesson:
Have students explore other photographers' websites to see if their photography reflects their personal experiences. Some suggested online galleries are:
Related Links:
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