Creation Stories

Creation myths are an essential part of every culture's folklore. Many of them started as an explanation of natural phenomena, and through the creativity of the storyteller, they evolved into the purest form of a story -- with a beginning, a middle, and an end, with conflict and resolution, with Gods who suffer the same kinds of jealousy and rage, and in the end, are all-too-human.

Photographs communicate ideas and themes visually. The skill of the photographer lies in being able to see these themes, and by deciding what to include and exclude in the frame in order to bring these themes out.

This is an activity in two parts. The first part involves looking at photographs taken by other people, to gain some experience in seeing various natural formations, and imagining the stories they might have told to people with no knowledge of science or technology.

The second part of this activity engages students in taking photographs and writing their own creation myths to explain the stories their photographs tell. Students investigate and explore the following questions:

• What kinds of stories can be told from natural phenomena?
• What is the difference between a story and an explanation?
• How can photographs tell a story visually?

Through this activity, students gain an appreciation of the wonder of creative storytelling, as well as a better understanding of the many ways that stories can be told visually as well as orally through the use of digital media.