Nicole da Silva and Jailton Nunes make a self-portrait with a pinhole camera during the Mão na Lata workshop. Photo by Fagner França, courtesy of Tatiana Altberg. Science projects that utilize the field of optics – from pinhole cameras to build-your-own telescopes – are an accessible way for educators worldwide to engage students in science by teaching them basic concepts about light. The New York Times Lens Blog recently highlighted one such project in Rio De Janeiro, called Mão na Lata (Hand in the Can), where photographer Tatiana Altberg has held pinhole photography workshops with local NGO Redes de Desenvolvimento da Maré for the past 10 years to teach children the fundamentals of optics. Mão na Lata melds classes on photography with literature, self-exploration and local narratives for young people in Maré, a Rio De Janiero favela. Ruan Torquato, left, uses a pinhole camera to take a photo in Lapa. Yasmin...