Reading Photos and Drawings

by Roy Winkelman

At first glance, individual ClipPix ETC galleries of historic drawings or recent photographs of old buildings might not seem to have much application to school subjects. However, matching up architectural drawings and photos of the same location provides some very interesting possibilities:

English Language Arts. Gathering these visual resources around significant historic locations gives students the opportunity to integrate information expressed visually with their written text—a skill referenced repeatedly throughout the ELA Common Core Standards. What information is best expressed verbally? What information is best expressed in a photo or drawing?

History. Each of the photo/drawing pairs of galleries represents a location with an important history that can be enriched by an examination and comparison of the contemporary photos and the older drawings. What can we learn from the drawings that we can’t from the photos? And vice versa.

Map Skills. Many students have a difficult time making sense of abstract maps and plans. For these students, the drawings will make much more sense since they are paired with a gallery of photos of the same location. Can you match a specific photo with one of the drawings? Where would the photographer have been standing to take this photo?

Math. The dimensions and scales represented in the drawings provide opportunities to apply math skills to real-world situations. How much material was required for the construction? What is the volume of the spaces?

In any subject area where the ability to read and make sense of a drawing or schematic is important, these galleries provide a range of opportunities to study floor plans, elevation drawings, and cross-section drawings. It’s also an opportunity to become familiar with the various conventions used in such drawings. At some point in our lives we pretty much all need to be able to read floor plans of a house or apartment, find our way to a particular office in a large building, or locate a store in a shopping mall. When a fire alarm sounds in a hotel, it’s a little late to learn how to read the posted exit plan. These galleries include both simple and more complex drawings that can be appropriate for use in different grade levels.

Following are five historic locations that are represented by both a gallery of photographs and a gallery of floor plans and elevation drawings. Consider the possibilities!

Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine, Florida

The Castillo de San Marcos (Spanish for “St. Mark’s Castle”) is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. It is located on the western shore of Matanzas Bay in the city of St. Augustine, Florida. Background information is available in the free NPS iBook, The Castillo de San Marcos.

Mission San Juan Capistrano, San Antonio, Texas

Mission San Juan Capistrano is one of four Spanish missions comprising the San Antonia Missions National Park. Background information is available in the free NPS iBook, San Antonio Missions: Spanish Influence in Texas.

Gran Quivira, Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, New Mexico

Gran Quivira is one of three pueblo missions comprising the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument in New Mexico. Background information is available available in the free NPS ibook, Gran Quivira: A Blending of Cultures in a Pueblo Indian Village.

Fort Matanzas National Monument, Florida

Fort Matanzas National Monument preserves the fortified coquina watchtower, completed in 1742, which defended the southern approach to the Spanish military settlement of St. Augustine. Background information is available in the free NPS iBook, The Castillo de San Marcos.

The Old City Gates, St. Augustine, Florida

The Old City Gates in St. Augustine were built in 1808 as a line of defense for the city. Background information is available in the free NPS iBook, The Castillo de San Marcos.