Lights, Camera, Fiction: from Books to Hollywood

Unit One: INTRO
Length of Unit / Core Content/POS / Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions / Activities/Assessments/
Resources
Two Weeks / Program of Studies
Core Content / Terms: Elements of Fiction, Elements of Drama, Elements of Film – Freytag’s Pyramid, Types of Conflict, Characterization, Universal Themes, Drama, Tragedy, Comedy, Plot, Setting, Stage Directions, Aside, Soliloquy, Acts, Scenes, Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution, Denouement, Protagonist, Antagonist, Foil, Dialogue, Monologue, Atmosphere (Mood), Cinematography (Camera Placement and Movement, Lighting, Color, Focus, Frame Composition), Décor/Clothing, Pace, Suspense, Sound, Music, Editing, Acting, Narrative Structure, Conflict, Point of View, Genre, Symbol, Opening Credit Sequence, Analysis, Thesis, Support
Students will:
  1. Students will know and understand all terminology and be able to use it confidently in class discussion, analysis, and writing.
  2. Students will be able to use terminology to make decisions regarding choices for adapting a written story to the genre of film.
Guiding Questions /
  1. Terminology Project – Students will be assigned to research and teach the class about terms we will be using in class, so that all students are familiar with terminology needed for discussion.
  2. Novel One Assignment: Due at Midterm. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton.
  3. Terminology Project Presentations
  4. “It Had to be Murder” by Cornell Woolrich
  5. Use of terminology to make personal decisions regarding elements of film in class movie project.
  6. Viewing of Rear Window and Disturbia, movie adaptations of above short story.
  7. Analysis.
  8. Reviewing models of critical analysis.

Unit Two Science Fiction
Length of Unit / Core Content/POS / Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions / Activities/Assessments/
Resources
Two Weeks / Program of Studies
Core Content / Terms: See Unit One
Students will
  1. Be able to formulate an argument and support that argument through class debate.
Guiding Questions /
  1. Debate Assignments
  2. Analytical comparison of “The Sentinel” by Arthur C. Clark and 2001: A Space Odyssey
  3. Analytical comparison of “Supertoys Last All Summer Long” by Brian Adliss and A.I. Artificial Intelligence
  4. Analytical comparison of “Minority Report” by Philip K. Dick and Minority Report
  5. Analytical comparison of “Shoeless Joe Jackson Comes to Iowa” and Field of Dreams
  6. Class Debates
  7. Class Analytical Essays

Unit Three Novel One
Length of Unit / Core Content/POS / Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions / Activities/Assessments/
Resources
One Week / Program of Studies
Core Content / Terms: See Unit One
Students will
  1. Transfer knowledge of terminology into a written analysis comparing the novel to its film adaptation.
Guiding Questions /
  1. Instruction on best practice in the writing of an analytical essay.
  2. Class discussion and analysis of Novel One, Jurassic Park
  3. Viewing of Jurassic Park
  4. Critical analysis paper comparing literary and film forms.

Unit Four Children’s Literature
Length of Unit / Core Content/POS / Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions / Activities/Assessments/
Resources
One Week / Program of Studies
Core Content / Terms: See Unit One
Students will
  1. Be able to use terminology and determine differences in genres to create a internet game.
  2. Understand how written literature is adapted into film.
Guiding Questions /
  1. Novel Two Assignment: The Firm by John Grisham
  2. Entertainment Surveys
  3. Entertainment Projects – Research the process in which a book or story becomes a film.
  4. Comparative analysis of “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak and Where the Wild Things Are
  5. Comparative analysis of “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss and How the Grinch Stole Christmas
  6. Prepare persuasive presentation for the reading of the book and viewing of the movie to be delivered at local elementary school.
  7. Class Analytical Essays

Unit Five: Stephen King
Length of Unit / Core Content/POS / Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions / Activities/Assessments/
Resources
Two Weeks / Program of Studies
Core Content / Terms: See Unit One
Students will
  1. Be able to use terminology and critical analysis to persuade others to agree with their opinion.
Guiding Questions /
  1. Read published book reviews, movie reviews, and advertisements.
  2. Comparative analysis of “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption” by Stephen King and The Shawshank Redemption
  3. Comparative analysis of “Fall from Innocence: The Body” by Stephen King and Stand by Me
  4. Creation of creative materials to persuade readers and viewers: Movie and/or Book Reviews and Print and TV advertisements to be displayed within the school.
  5. Class Analytical Essays

Unit Six Suspense
Length of Unit / Core Content/POS / Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions / Activities/Assessments/
Resources
One Week / Program of Studies
Core Content / Terms: See Unit One
Students will
  1. Be able to recognize the differences between two pieces and discuss the effect of the differences.
  2. Be able to evaluate the reasons why authors and filmmakers make the choices they do.
Guiding Questions /
  1. Use charts and/or venn diagrams to compare and contrast. Exploration of various ways to record differences and likenesses.
  2. Comparative analysis of “Momento Mori” by Jonathan Nolan and Momento.
  3. Comparative analysis of “The Birds” by Daphne DuMaurier and The Birds
  4. Class Debates
  5. Class Analytical Essays

Unit Seven The Classics
Length of Unit / Core Content/POS / Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions / Activities/Assessments/
Resources
Week One / Program of Studies
Core Content / Terms: See Unit One
Students will
  1. Formulate decisions about the film version of a piece of literature using the elements of film, prior to viewing film adaptation.
Guiding Questions /
  1. Film Choices Assignment- Imagine that you are the author of the book you have just read. Suddenly the book becomes a best seller. Write a letter to a movie producer trying to get that person interested in making your book into a movie. Explain why the story, characters, conflicts, etc., would make a good film. Suggest a filming location and the actors to play the various roles.
  2. Comparative analysis of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving and Sleepy Hollow.
  3. Comparative analysis of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” by F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
  4. Class Analytical Essays

Unit Eight Novel Two
Length of Unit / Core Content/POS / Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions / Activities/Assessments/
Resources
Four Weeks
(August – September) / Program of Studies
Core Content / Terms: See Unit One
Students will
  1. Transfer knowledge of terminology into a written analysis comparing the novel to its film adaptation.
Guiding Questions /
  1. Instruction on best practice in the writing of an analytical essay.
  2. Class discussion and analysis of Novel Two, The Firm
  3. Viewing of The Firm
  4. Critical analysis paper comparing literary and film forms.

Unit Nine It’s Christmas
Length of Unit / Core Content/POS / Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions / Activities/Assessments/
Resources
One Week / Program of Studies
Core Content / Terms: See Unit One
Students will
  1. Choose final creative project to cover material.
Guiding Questions /
  1. Students will complete the creative project over their choice over this week’s material.
  2. Comparative analysis of “Red Ryder Nails the Hammond Kid” by Jean Shepherd and A Christmas Story.
  3. Comparative analysis of “The Polar Express” by Chris Van Allsburg and The Polar Express.

Rowan County Senior High School 2010-2011Page 1