Close Up and Far Away
BIG HISTORY PROJECT / LESSON 1.2OPENERCLOSE UP AND FAR AWAY1PurposeIn Big History, you’re asked to look at history from close up and far away—something we call scale switching. Experiment with scale switching by analyzing images.ProcessPart 1: Image analysisEach of the images below is a snippet from the same painting. Answer the questions that follow each image. If you can, discuss your answers with a partner or friend.Image 1:1.What do you see in Image 1? Be as specific as you can.2.What do you think is happening in the rest of this painting?Unless otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Credit: “Close Up and Far Away”, OER Project, www.oerproject.com/
BIG HISTORY PROJECT / LESSON 1.2OPENERCLOSE UP AND FAR AWAY2Image 2:3.In Image 2, we’ve zoomed out a bit. What do you seein this image?Be as specific as you can.4.Now that you have a slightly expanded view of the painting, what do you think is happening?
BIG HISTORY PROJECT / LESSON 1.2OPENERCLOSE UP AND FAR AWAY3Image 3:5.Image 3 shows the whole painting. What do you think this painting is about?
BIG HISTORY PROJECT / LESSON 1.2OPENERCLOSE UP AND FAR AWAY4Part 2: Reflection questionsAfter you’ve viewed all three images, answer the reflection questionsbelow.1.How did your thoughts about the painting change as you zoomed out?2.Why is it important to look at the most zoomed-in image?3.Why is it important to look at the most zoomed-out image?Source:Pieter Bruegel the Elder, “The Dutch Proverbs,”1559. National Museums of Berlin, Picture Gallery / Christoph Schmidt, Public Domain Mark 1.0.