Certainly, you’ve heard the old cliché A picture is worth a thousand words. I did some research on this statement and was delighted to learn that prior to photography, individuals used to say, A painting is worth a thousand words. Images, whether captured or manufactured, are powerful. I cannot remember that last Tweet I sent that was imageless. Social media is fueled by compelling images. We need to capitalize on this natural human attraction.

Here are five iconic images from American history:

1. The painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware
2. The WWI Uncle Sam recruiting poster
3. The Marines hoisting the flag on Iwo Jima
4. Lyndon Johnson taking the oath of office beside a stunned and blood-stained Jackie Kennedy
5. Associates of Dr. King standing over his body pointing towards an assassin

Do any of these descriptions conjure up mental images? Do they inspire emotions, or perhaps personal narratives? If you weren’t familiar with some of these images, did you Google the description out of curiosity?

This episode will demonstrate how to use images in 3 powerful ways:

1. To help students understand and a profound concept
2. To empower students to create and manipulate images to express themselves
3. To hook students in preparation for an impactful lesson