A Picture's worth

A Picture's Worth is a really wonderful site which collects together images with short essays (300 - 1000 words). It's based on the old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. The pictures and essays are sent in by site visitors.

There's a gallery section where you can browse all the images and essays which have been sent in, as well as a feature section which has some of the most popular images. There is also a link to Google Maps which will show you where the pictures have been taken.

This isn't your average Web2.0 site. If you want to submit a picture and an essay you have to send it to the editor / site owner who decides if it is good enough

These are some of my favourites.

• Nice story here about a pink VW Beetle
• As a contrast I also like this one of a ladybird, though as much for the story as the image

How to use this with students

• Get them to start their own Picture's Worth. This could be a website that you put together or just with pictures and paper around the class
• Your students could submit their entries and try to get them published on the site
• Ask your students to choose a picture, read about it and then tell the other students (summarise) what they read
• Print up a few images and essays and see if the students can read and match the correct image to each essay
• Get your students to look at some of the essays and submit their comments to the site.
• Use the site as a stimulus to have your own show and tell in class and get students to bring in some photographs to talk about

What I like about it.

• This is an excellent source of authentic materials for your students
• The essays are short and written in very plain English
• The images are really striking
• Most of the essays are very personal and emotive
• The overall quality of the site content is fantastic
• You can see how many people have viewed each image / essay
• You can leave comments about the pictures

What I wasn't so keen on

• I would like to be able to submit my own pictures and essays and have them published immediately. Though the moderation of the images by an editor does ensure the quality of the site
• Would be nice to have some embed code, so that you could embed the picture + essay in another site or blog to write about it.

Well I'll be sending in my own essay and photograph soon. Not sure if it will ever get published though.

Hope you have more success
Best
Nik