Making a pinhole camera

With our history of design KS2 lesson plan teaching resource, learners will make a pinhole camera inspired by the early photography of the Victorian era.

Inspired by the theme of the Victorians, this activity supports the teaching of design and technology in context by making a pinhole camera based on early Victorian photography technology.

In this classroom project learners will learn about early camera obscuras developed during the Victorian era. They will then make their own pinhole camera from a small shoebox, based on this early technology. Finally, they will test their camera and observe how it works.

This teaching resource activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners basic marking out and model making skills. It could also be used as part of a wider scheme of learning focussing on the history of design, technology and engineering, alongside other Victorian-themed IET resources.

We’ve created this teaching resource design activity to support the delivery of key topics within science, history, design & technology (D&T) and engineering.

Activity: Make a pinhole camera inspired by the early photography of the Victorian era
Learners will discuss the origins of cameras and photography in Britain and the United Kingdom including the fact that in Victorian times many women took up taking photos as a hobby. Learns will then make their own pinhole camera and test it by going into a dark room, turning on a lamp and pointing the camera towards it.

Tools/supplies needed:
Cardboard box or shoebox
Wax paper
Parcel tape
Craft knife
Scissors
Pin to make the pinhole
Pencil and ruler

Follow our step-by-step guide to make a pinhole camera

The Engineering Context
Understanding about the history of engineering and design helps engineers to learn from past successes and mistakes. For example, learning about early photography us to understand the science behind these ideas and how this can be used and developed to make better products in future.

Suggested learning outcomes
This resource combines Science, Design and Technology, Maths and Engineering with History, with the aim that the learners will know what is meant by the Victorian era and the dates it covered, be able to make and test a pinhole camera and be able to explain how the pinhole camera works.

Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources for free!
All classroom activity sheets and supporting teaching resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs.

The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

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