The Year in Pictures 2021

Questions for Writing and Discussion

At the photos then answer the following questions.

(Note: There are many ways to explore the collection. You might scroll through quickly and then return to look more closely at the images that stood out. Or you might work with a group to examine a single month and share highlights with the class.)

1. Reflect on the photo collection as a whole: What emotions and feelings did the images evoke for you? Taken as a whole, what story do these images tell about 2021? How is this story similar to or different from the drawing you created in the warm-up activity?

2. Respond to the power of individual images: Which images from the collection stand out to you most and why? Which ones do you think best capture the year’s noteworthy moments? Are there any events that you think are missing? If so, which ones and why?

3. Discuss a caption or quotation.

Analyze and interpret a photograph.

Choose one photograph in the collection that you found particularly informative, surprising or affecting. As you look closely, respond to questions adapted from our What’s Going On in This Picture? feature:

• What is going on in this picture?

• What do you see that makes you say that?

• What more can you find?

Then dig a little deeper:

• What do you notice about the composition, colors, objects and people in the photo?

• Why did this photo stand out to you? What do you find intriguing or moving about it?

• How does the photograph make you feel? How does it resonate with your own life and experiences?

• What challenges do you think the photographer faced in capturing the picture?