- Definition
A viewfinder is like a small window on a camera, or a cardboard frame you hold up, that helps you see exactly what will be in your picture and what parts will be cut out.
An artist holds up a cardboard viewfinder to decide which part of a landscape to include in their painting.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A viewfinder is like making a frame with your hands to decide which part of a scene you want to focus on.
Ask your child: Use your hands to frame a picture outside. What did you decide to leave out?
Common mix-up: Students may think a viewfinder is just for looking. It's an active tool for making choices about what to include and what to exclude from a composition.
Examples
- Looking through the viewfinder on a camera to compose a photo of a friend.
- Making a frame with your hands to isolate one interesting object on a cluttered desk.
viewfinder is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
