Today's inexpensive digital cameras have changed all that. They're lightweight, easy to use, and perfect for many school projects. Plus, there's no film to buy or costly development fees, and the camera comes with a cable and software that allows you to easily download the pictures into your classroom computer. Take the class around the neighborhood to snap pictures of houses and buildings with interesting architectural details, such as gingerbread trim or Doric columns. Back in the classroom, students can paste the pictures into reports, or even into a class Web site.
Kids can also photograph town landmarks for a local history project.
Find shapes in everyday things. Have young photographers draw different shapes. Then, take a walk around school or the block to snap pictures of the shapes they see, such as triangular roofs, rectangular fences, and oval-shaped windows. Have them match the pictures with the shapes they drew. Then, add text to create a class book on shapes.