Transport Accident Commission

CONNECTING THE DOTS

Lesson 1: Introduction to the genre of documentary film-making.

Students explore the genre of documentary film-making and gain an understanding of the key features of this genre.

Teaching strategies

  • Distribute BLM 1 ‘The genre of documentary film-making’. Students should read and take notes on important points.
  • Use the following focus questions to direct a class discussion.

Focus questions

  1. Name three feature films that could be classified as documentary genre. In what ways do they fit the criteria for this type of film-making?
  2. Name three programs on television that could be classified as documentary genre. What are the features of these programs that fit the category?

Activity - Can you always believe what you see on the news? (This can be set as a homework task or can be completed in class time.)

  • Show vision from a news report and a newspaper article about the same event. Show the ways in which the facts are presented differently and how this could lead to shaping opinions.
  • Ask students to focus on a news event and how it has been reported by at least two different sources of news media. They should identify three ways in which each reporter has attempted to shape the opinions of viewers/readers. Students could prepare a short presentation for the class to report their findings. This would require extra class time.

Lesson 2: Viewing.

Students view the documentary Connecting the Dots and have an opportunity to explore together the social, moral and ethical positions represented by the various participants.

Teachers should consider the needs of the student group and the specific challenges faced by them in their early driving experiences.

Teaching strategies

To remind students of the connections between those appearing, list the following on the board:

  • Jaeram Richards, Brenton Chaplin’s friend
  • Terry Davies, Former Police Officer
  • Andrea McLean, Brenton Chaplin’s aunt
  • Trevor Chaplin, Brenton Chaplin’s father
  • Cameron Chaplin, Brenton Chaplin’s brother
  • Paul Chaplin, Brenton Chaplin’s cousin
  • Brendan Wilkinson, Brenton Chaplin’s lawyer
  • Sheila Robins, Brenton Chaplin’s girlfriend

Students view Connecting the Dots.

Students share their feelings / thoughts immediately after viewing.

Students engage in a discussion - focus / foci already chosen by the teacher from the following suggestions:

  • What is different about learning to drive in the country compared to the experience of city kids?
  • Why the title Connecting the Dots? What dots could have been connected that might have prevented the tragedy? Expand this discussion from the immediate connections (driving after consuming alcohol, travelling without seatbelts etc) to the deeper issues in Brenton Chaplin’s early experiences with risk-taking, driving and alcohol.
  • How does the term ‘ripple effect’ apply to this story? Is it possible that consequences such as these could be foreseen in making one poor decision - in this case, a decision to drive?
  • If one of the boys had ‘connected the dots’, what could he have done to prevent what happened? Have you been in situations where you have wanted to suggest that someone stopped risk-taking behaviour? Have you managed this, or been unsure of how to do it?
  • How do you plan to make sure you get home safely after a night out? What issues do you think you might face when you get your driving licence? How will you overcome these issues? How is the ‘city experience’ different to the ‘country experience’ in this kind of planning?

The suggestions above can also be used for group work. Students could work in groups to formulate a joint response and share these with the class as a whole.

Lesson 3: Analysing filmic devices.

Teaching strategies

Preparation for viewing

Distribute BLM 2 Filmic Devices. This could be used as an individual pre-reading task, or as a preparation for discussion between pairs. The information in the handout will assist students in filling out the worksheet.

Viewing

Show Connecting the Dots

  • During viewing, students should use the provided worksheet (BLM 3) to record examples of filmic devices that they notice.
  • It is suggested that the teacher should also take notes.

After viewing

  • Use a whole class discussion to identify students’ immediate emotional responses to the documentary. Record these on the board and leave them up during the following activity. Record your response as well – particularly important if crucial teaching points have not been suggested by the students.
  • Pair students to share their recordings in the example column on the worksheet included in this resource.
  • Pairs can then fill out the second column on the worksheet, discussing each example as they work.
  • Join pairs together to share their worksheets.

Optional additional activity

Leigh Charter Snr’s widow Vicki did not participate in the making of the documentary. She provided the ABC with a letter detailing her thoughts about the tragic events. This letter provides a different perspective on the events. The letter is available through this link:

  • Display the list of initial emotional responses after viewing the documentary.
  • Distribute copies of Vicki Charter’s letter and ask the students to read it. Have them jot down their initial emotional responses immediately after they read the letter.
  • Discuss as a class.
  • Do you feel differently about the documentary after reading the letter?
  • Can you identify any bias in the presentation of the documentary?
  • What filmic devices contributed most to your emotional response to the documentary?

Lesson 4: Creative/imaginative writing task.

See BLM 4

Lesson 5: Establishing an online blog.

Schools are encouraged to liaise with other schools to open the blog to students across diverse but targeted communities of students. Creating contact between city and country schools to share pre-driver experiences and challenges faced by young drivers would be particularly valuable.

Teaching strategies

  • Divide the class into three groups. Assign one of the set blog topics to each of the groups for a preliminary discussion. Choose a group leader to facilitate the discussion.
  • Ask each of the leaders to report to the class. This will encourage the students to reflect on each of the topics and consider the opinions of others.
  • Set the expectations for contributions to the blog and how these will be assessed.
  • Allow class time for contributions.

Blog topics

  1. Life is very different in a country town compared to the city.
  2. Sometimes friendship and loyalty can be deadly.
  3. A key aspect of sustainability involves minimising harm in public spaces and promoting community wellbeing. Road trauma is one of the most significant issues facing society in the 21st Century.

Lesson 6: Expository mode writing task.

See BLM 5

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