The Picturing Plattsburgh Project: HIS 104: "History in Photos" Student Exhibit

Picturing Plattsburgh Project Details 

This project is the main way you will successfully achieve HIS 104 Student Learning Outcome #4: “Apply what you’ve learned about photographs as primary sources to document life on campus at SUNY Plattsburgh, particularly the diverse identities of our students, faculty, and staff.” Working with Feinberg Library’s Special Collections, our class is going to create a permanent online exhibit called “Picturing Plattsburgh.” The exhibit will be of photos YOU take this semester, documenting daily life on campus.  

To see the other online exhibits: go to Feinberg’s “Digital Collections and Online Exhibits” site:

https://library.plattsburgh.edu/special-collections/digital-collections-and-online-exhibits

Assignment #1. Photo Plan (Due February 23)

For your Photo Plan, please answer the following questions: 

1. What kinds of things do you think a photo exhibit of life at SUNY Plattsburgh in 2024 should include and would be of interest to people in the future who are trying to understand campus life at this time?  
2. How can we use photos in our exhibit to document the diverse identities of students, faculty, and staff at Plattsburgh? 
3. What is most important to you and your life as a member of the SUNY Plattsburgh community, and how could a photograph effectively document it? I encourage you to especially reflect on what aspects of your individual identity and your membership in different types of communities (social, religious, athletic, academic, etc.) 
4. List at least five different activities, places, events, and people on campus that you could photograph and would be a good addition to our online exhibit? 

A “Satisfactory” Photo Plan 

• Answers all parts of all four questions
• Indicates that you’ve revised your answers at least once in order to answer the questions clearly and in reasonable detail.
• Demonstrates effort to answer the questions thoughtfully and after some reflection

Assignment #2. Three Photos with Descriptions (Due March 15)

For this assignment, you will take three photographs around campus, based on your Photo Plan. Then you will upload those photos to our shared Google slides (there is a link on Brightspace or go to http://tinyurl.com/3PicPlattsburghPhotos). Together, we as a class will co-create the criteria for a “Satisfactory” assignment. I suggest that each assignment should include all identifying information such as location photo was taken, date it was taken, names of any people in the photo, possibly a title, and a brief (2-3 sentences) summary of why the photo would be a good addition to our online exhibit. 

Assignment #3. Exhibit Planning (Due April 5)

For your Exhibit Planning assignment, please answer the following questions, based on our discussions and work in class on April 3 and April 5:

1. Based on our discussions in class, what do you think are the three main categories or subjects we should use in our online exhibit to organize our photos?
2. Based on our discussions in class, list ten photos from the slides that you think we will definitely want to include for sure in our exhibit. Please include the title of the photo and the name of the student who took the photo.
3. Reflecting on our discussions and on the ten photos you chose for the last question, which of your three submitted photos do you now think you will choose to have included in our exhibit? 
4. Please explain your answer for Question #3. Why did you choose this photo and what makes it historically significant? Why will it be of interest to people in the future who are trying to understand campus life at this time?  

A “Satisfactory” Exhibit Planning Assignment  

• Answers all parts of all four questions
• Indicates that you took notes during our class discussions and listened to what others had to say
• Indicates you’ve revised your answers at least once in order to answer the questions clearly and in reasonable detail.
• Demonstrates effort to answer the questions thoughtfully and after some reflection

Assignment #4. Revised Final Photo and Descriptions (Due April 19)

For this assignment, look back on the three photos you originally submitted, my feedback on those photos, and your notes from our class discussions. Then make your final choice for which one photo you took that you know you want to include. Describe the photo you chose and revise the description and all necessary information, making any changes you need to make based on my previous feedback. 

Together, we as a class will co-create the criteria for a “Satisfactory” assignment. This criteria should include you completing the changes and revisions suggested in my previous feedback on your “Three Photos” assignment. 

Assignment #5. Photo Presentation (Due May 6-10) 

We will meet as a class via Zoom in order to record each of your Photo Presentations. Each presentation will consist of a short introduction, the title and description of your photo contributions to the Picturing Plattsburgh exhibit and an explanation of why your photo documents a historically significant aspect of campus life in 2023. This recording will be added to our online exhibit. 

Your presence and encouragement is vital for the success of other students’ presentations. So at the end of each Zoom session, you will add at least one shoutout to a student for some specific aspect of their presentation to a shared Google Doc. This is an essential part of your Presentation and you need to contribute at least three specific, positive, and encouraging shoutouts to earn a “Satisfactory” for your own presentation. 

Together, we as a class will co-create the criteria for a “Satisfactory” presentation. This criteria must include students adding at least three shoutouts/compliments to other students about their presentations to a shared Google doc.