Beginning a unit by presenting students an image of two people or groups of people whose differences and known disagreements are likely to trigger historical or cultural assumptions (such as Native Americans and early Great Plains settlers, British and German soldiers from World War I, or police officers near a picket line of striking workers). Motivate students to evaluate and express with words or writing what emotions the picture evokes, what event they think is represented, and who the “good” and “bad” people are.
As the unit progresses, encourage them to write a journal or describe any changes in their feelings about the picture and their original prediction of the events they think preceded or followed the scene depicted. As the unit culminates, have them to give their opinions as to who might have made the image and if art or photography can be a representation of fact or deceptive advertising. In this way, you have connected the beginning and end of the unit by consistently asking students to cognitively engage with the content and their own thinking.