This introduction to the course models the process of analyzing photographs with teachers and students. Photography historian Makeda Best discusses the Focus In method with teachers, and educator Julie Keefe employs the method with students at a photography exhibit on "light and dark." Photography curator at the Portland Art Museum, Julia Dolan discusses how she carefully selects a set of photographs to tell a larger story. About the series: A multidisciplinary professional development course for middle and high school teachers in English language arts, social studies, mathematics and science; 5 video programs; 11 curated photo collections with background text, classroom activities, and additional resources. A multidisciplinary resource for middle and high school teachers, Essential Lens: Analyzing Photographs Across the Curriculum seeks to inspire teachers to use photographs and photographic ephemera with their teaching, and provides practical methods to facilitate the use of these materials in classroom settings across disciplines. Essential Lens introduces teachers to the richness of photographs as curricular tools. The course resources include five videos that introduce the ways photographic images impact our lives and what we know about the world and its history. On the course website, 11 curated photo collections with more than 250 rights-cleared photographs for classroom use include background information and detailed thematic classroom activity plans. Essential Lens provides everything a teacher needs to begin using photographs to engage students in deeper understanding and learning of a range of subjects from history to biology. Produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting. © 2015.