Guide to Writing Good Photo- essays Don’t lose this! We’ll write 1 essay every 6 weeks

What is a photo-essay A photo-essay is a short paragraph that you will write about a photograph or cartoon. In the essay you will identify and define scientific concepts you see in the photo. A photo-essay is made of three parts: An introduction, the body, and a conclusion These notes will guide you through writing a rough draft

Brainstorming 1. List 5 observations (qualitative & quantitative) you see in the photo 2. Select 3 of these observations and identify a “scientific concept” they relate to 3. Write a definition for your scientific concept 4. Find other things in your photo that relate to the concept

Example What observations do you see in this photo?

Example What observations do you see in this photo? Water 7 Penguins Iceburgs Polar bear with penguin beak Cloudless sky

Example Select 3 observations and define science concepts (science vocab, big ideas in science) WaterStates of matter 7 Penguins Iceburgs Polar bear with penguin beakPredator-Prey Cloudless sky condensation

Example Define Science Concepts -States of matter: All matter exists in 1 of three states: solid (hard, structured), liquid (flows, cannot be compressed), or gas (can be compressed) -Predator-Prey: This is a relationship between 2 organisms where one, the predator, hunts the other, the prey, for food. -Condensation: This is step in the water cycle where clouds are formed from evaporated water

Example Are there other things in the picture that relate to the science concepts? –States of matter: Ice= solid, Air = gas –Predator-Prey: Nope –Condensation: Nope

Writing a Rough Draft 1.Write in pencil on lined paper, double- spaced. 2.Your essay needs a unique title 3.Three parts: Introduction, Body, Conclusion 4.Don’t forget to include your name and a proper heading on the rough draft

Introduction Select one of the following: –What is interesting in this picture is _________________. –What is funny in this cartoon is _______________. –At first I didn’t get the picture, but after _______________ I understand why it is funny.

Body Pick the best two of the concepts you identified in brainstorming and turn them into complete sentences. The body must identify what you see in the picture that relates to the science concept. The body must also include a definition of your concept. “One science concept in this picture is _______________. “

Conclusion Select one of the following: –All in all, this cartoon was interesting. I learned a lot of science concepts. –This assignment was really fun because__________________. –This cartoon was really funny because __________________. –To summarize, this picture showed the following 2 science concepts: ___________ and______________.

Back to the example Introduction What is funny in this cartoon is that the polar bear is disguised as a penguin.

Example Body One science concept in this picture is the states of matter. The three states of matter are solid, liquid, and gas. The ice in this picture is a solid, the water is a liquid, and the air is a gas. Another concept is the predator-prey relationship or when one animal hunts another for food. In this picture, the polar bear is hunting the penguins.

Example Conclusion All in all, this cartoon was interesting. I learned a lot of science concepts.

Hunter in Disguise What is funny in this cartoon is that the polar bear is disguised as a penguin. One science concept in this picture is the states of matter. The three states of matter are solid, liquid, and gas. The ice in this picture is a solid, the water is a liquid, and the air is a gas. Another concept is the predator-prey relationship or when one animal hunts another for food. In this picture, the polar bear is hunting the penguins. All in all, this cartoon was interesting. I learned a lot of science concepts.