Elementary program is for fourth and fifth grade students. This portion of the program works in elementary schools reaching hundreds of students with hands-on activities and instruction. The entire student body of each school also benefits with their exposure to photographic art that is displayed at the conclusion of the program. The primary function is to expose children to photography. Most grade school students view photography simply as the snapshot taken at their birthday party. The Silver Factory presents photography in its many aspects but primarily as a fine art. This program shows them the many types and uses of photography. The children view many types of art photography and then create their own still life. The children then get to experience the magic that happens when they develop a black and white print in the darkroom. Following the completion of the unit taught in the classroom, the children's art is then hung at the school so that the entire student body, parents and teachers will be able to view the art created.

Photographic Instruction - a 4 week program in a participating elementary school taught by The Silver Factory staff and volunteers. The Silver Factory provides all photographic equipment and photographic supplies for the children's program.

Week 1 - Week one introduces basic photography concepts to students. They are taught about the types of photography and equipment. We discuss the applications of photography in science and medicine. The history of the camera is explored as the children handle cameras from the early 1900s to present day digital cameras. Polaroid and digital cameras produce photos in the classroom for immediate viewing. Children get to learn about many types of cameras. The photographic work of Albert Chong is placed on display for the duration of the program. The work will be used as a model in week 3. In conjunction with the artistic presentation, the students' teacher integrates photography into that month's academic curricula. During the program month, the teacher includes the language of photography in regular vocabulary and spelling activities, writing assignments based on the  photographs presented each week, and additional classroom projects as appropriate to the specific school's requirements.

Week 2 - Introduction to photography as fine art with a display of museum quality photography taken into the classroom. A collection of photography from many artists around the world is used along with the latest in contemporary photography that is produced from the artist-in-residence program discussed below in part two. This brings the finest photography available into the classrooms without requiring field trips to outside galleries and museums. Styles and types of photographic art are discussed.Styles and themes that run through the displayed photographic art are discussed so that the children can begin to understand the language of art.A small demonstration ends this class showing the students what they will create in the following week. This gives each child time to plan their still-life in order to create a more meaningful photograph. The teacher continues the unit around photography using spelling words, writing assignments based on a photograph, along with additional classroom projects each week.

Week 3 - Students create a still life using photography based on examples taught in the second week. The photography of Albert Chong,an African-American with a Jamaican heritage is our model for the still life. The work is made up of objects that are placed on photographs with personal meaning to the creator. AlbertChong's photography is displayed from the first week in the classroom so the kids can adjust to a new way of looking at photography and how it can be created. The students bring in special items and photographs to create their own still life in the style of Albert Chong's work. This keeps the children focused on a goal without the random photographs created when children are turned loose with disposable cameras. The artistic process stays in the forefront instead of the less thought out snapshots that so frequently are created at this age. The teacher will continue the unit around photography using spelling words, writing assignments based on a photograph, along with additional classroom projects each week.

Week 4- A temporary darkroom is built with equipment for week 4. Students learn how a black and white photograph is processed as they develop their first print of the still life created in week 3. This is a magical week as they see their photographic art appear in the developer before their own eyes. The prints are finished and dried for the photography show for the entire school following the class. Now all the students in the school get to share in viewing a different type of photography.