Real and Imagined Worlds

Unit Outline / Unit duration
Objective: Students will learn about the ways texts manipulate the responder. They will learn to think critically about images presented for specific purposes in a variety of media, which will teach them to be discerning viewers, and enable them to make informed decisions and choices. / 8 Weeks (24 Lessons)
Big ideas/key concepts / Why does this learning matter?
The key concepts I want students to learn about are:
·  What are the characteristics of the ‘real world’ depicted in film?
·  In what ways are imagined world depicted in film?
·  What role does the imagined world play in the real world? / The learning matters because:
·  it is important to be visually literate.
·  a development of appreciation and understanding of a broad range of text types can be achieved through studying film.
·  We live in a highly visual world, and are constantly being bombarded by images from the media. Critical literacy is highly important as students need to know how they are being manipulated by the images and the media they are exposed to everyday, so they can make up their own minds.
Place in scope & sequence/Building the field / Target outcomes
This unit follows a unit on drama, in which students were taught about performance, elements of script writing, and some elements of storyboarding. With this class, the unit also links into their project, which is making a film, so it build on knowledge which students already have. / 2 – A student uses a range of processes for responding to and composing texts.
3 – A student responds to and composes texts in different technologies.
6 – A student draws on experience, information and ideas to imaginatively and interpretively respond to and compose texts.
8 – A student makes connections between and among texts.
9 – A student demonstrates understanding that texts express views of their broadening world and their relationship within it.
Assessment:
c  Scene analysis – Written explanation of how specific film techniques have been used to convey the concept of real and imagined worlds.
Suggested texts:
·  Bridge to Terabithia
·  Finding Neverland
·  Miss Potter
·  Nim’s Island
·  The Labyrinth / What the students need to know/ have done at the end of this unit:
§  Students need to be familiar with the metalanguage of film.
§  Students need to have a working knowledge of how film techniques are used to depict the real world and the world of the imagination.
§  Students need to have synthesised their knowledge of how the real world and the imagined world are depicted in film, by contributing to a class newspaper.
Students learn to: / Students learn about: / Learning Experiences / Evidence of Learning / Resources / Quality Teaching / Reg/
Date /
2.4 Students learn to uses processes of planning, including selecting, recording and organising ideas and information for specific purposes in composing. / 2.10 Students learn about processes for the drafting of single drafts, multiple drafts, and collaborative texts. /   Define the terms “real world” “imagined world” (Langford strategy) –
Put the students into groups of about 4.
Each student gets 3 minutes to write a definition of what they think the real world/ imagined world is.
They then pass their definitions around the circle. Each member of the group reads the definition and underlines what they think are the key words. This continues until everyone has read everyone else’s definition.
Students then call out the words underlined on their piece of paper, and one group member writes the words onto a piece of butcher’s paper for everyone to see.
They then eliminate the superfluous words (double ups, synonyms etc).
[If needed, have the group multi-vote to figure out the words they think are most important, red dot = 2 point blue dot = 1 point]
As a group they use the words they have voted on to write a group definition which everyone is happy with.
Students complete a consensogram indicated the percentage they are happy with the definition. They complete another consensogram indicating how happy they are with how well they worked as a group. / Students work in a group
Students come up with a definition of the real world and the imagined world. / Butcher’s paper
Textas
[Red and blue dot stickers – for a multi vote]
Post it notes / Intellectual Quality Significance
¨  Deep knowledge
¨  Understanding
¨  Problematic knowledge
¨  Higher-order thinking
¨  Metalanguage
¨  Substantive communication
Quality Learning Environment
¨  Explicit quality criteria
¨  Engagement
¨  High expectations
¨  Social support S1 Background knowledge S4 Inclusivity
¨  Students’ self-regulation
¨  Student direction
Significance
¨  Background knowledge
¨  Cultural knowledge
¨  Knowledge integration
¨  Inclusivity
¨  Connectedness
¨  Narrative
¨  Connectedness
¨  Narrative / 1/8/08
9.11 film and media techniques used in representing people, places and events. /   Board notes: Film Techniques
The Director
The way a film is shot and edited is very important. A great story can become dull and boring if it is poorly shot and edited. It’s the director’s job to make sure this doesn’t happen.
The director has overall control overall the elements of the film, including:
J  shot type, camera angle, and camera movement
J  editing (including wipes and transitions)
J  sound
J  lighting
J  mise-en-scene (props, actor choice, make up, costume)
J  shot length
3.1 use features of ICTs to compose critical and factual texts.
3.3 use features of ICTs, including word processing, importing and manipulating graphics, formatting to compose texts for different purposes and audiences / 3.6 the ways different modes work together to shape meaning in multimedia texts.
3.8 terminology associated with responding to and composing ICT texts.
3.10 technologies, softwares and their functions appropriate for particular tasks in English. /   Group work: The class is divided into groups. Each group is given an aspect of film to research and create either a PowerPoint presentation or a poster.
·  Shot type, camera angle and camera movement
·  Editing (wipes and transitions)
·  Sound
·  Lighting
·  Shot length
·  Mise-en-scene (costume, props, casting, make up, location, lighting…)
  Oral Presentation: Each group is to present their poster or PowerPoint presentation to the class, and teach the class what they have learned about that particular aspect of film. / PowerPoint presentation/ Poster
Oral presentation / Computers/
Lap tops / Intellectual Quality Significance
¨  Deep knowledge
¨  Understanding
¨  Problematic knowledge
¨  Higher-order thinking
¨  Metalanguage
¨  Substantive communication
Quality Learning Environment
¨  Explicit quality criteria
¨  Engagement
¨  High expectations
¨  Social support S1 Background knowledge S4 Inclusivity
¨  Students’ self-regulation
¨  Student direction
Significance
¨  Background knowledge
¨  Cultural knowledge
¨  Knowledge integration
¨  Inclusivity
¨  Connectedness
¨  Narrative
¨  Connectedness
¨  Narrative
6.3 explore real and imagined worlds through close and wide engagement with texts. / 6.8 the ways the ‘real world’ is represented in the imaginary worlds of texts, including literature, film, media and multimedia texts. /   Viewing: Students are to view the first 10 minutes of the film Finding Neverland and the first 10 minutes of the movie Miss Potter.
  Comparison: As a class construct a table looking at the portrayal of the real world and the imagined world from the clips shown. In a third column, record the film techniques used to show the difference between the real and imagined worlds. / Table / SMARTBOARD, Miss Potter DVD, Finding Neverland DVD
2.3 compose single texts in a limited time.
6.3 explore real and imagined worlds through close and wide engagement with texts. / 2.15 processes of representation including visual and aural techniques.
6.8 the ways the ‘real world’ is represented in the imaginary worlds of texts, including literature, film, media and multimedia texts. /   Research: Using the internet/, find out a bit about the life of EITHER Beatrix Potter OR J.M. Barrie. When did they live? What were they famous for? Why might people have made a movie about their lives? Use the information you find to EITHER:
·  Write a biography on your chosen person OR
·  Pretend that you are that person and write a series of diary entries from the perspective of this person – Write at least 3 entries, which are 1 page long. / Biography/ Diary entries / Internet Access
6.3 explore real and imagined worlds through close and wide engagement with texts.
9.6 assess representations of people, places and events in film. / 6.8 the ways the ‘real world’ is represented in the imaginary worlds of texts, including literature, film, media and multimedia texts.
9.11 film techniques used in representing people, places and events. /   Viewing: Finding Neverland
  Analysis: As we watch the film, students are to complete a table in their books with the following headings:
·  Real World
·  Imagined World
  Discussion: What film techniques are used to show the transition between the real and imagined worlds? What do the different film techniques show us about the characters’ lives and their beliefs about real and imagined worlds? / Analysis of the film (completed tables)
Discussion / DVD Finding Neverland / Intellectual Quality Significance
¨  Deep knowledge
¨  Understanding
¨  Problematic knowledge
¨  Higher-order thinking
¨  Metalanguage
¨  Substantive communication
Quality Learning Environment
¨  Explicit quality criteria
¨  Engagement
¨  High expectations
¨  Social support S1 Background knowledge S4 Inclusivity
¨  Students’ self-regulation
¨  Student direction
Significance
¨  Background knowledge
¨  Cultural knowledge
¨  Knowledge integration
¨  Inclusivity
¨  Connectedness
¨  Narrative
¨  Connectedness
¨  Narrative
9.1 recognise, reflect on and explain the connections between their own experiences and the world of texts. / 9.8 the ways in which their experiences shape their responses to texts. /   Final Word: Students are divided into groups of 3. [There is a stopwatch timer on the SMARTBOARD]. Students are number 1, 2 or 3. The first student is allocated 2 minutes to share what stood out for them as being the most important thing in the film, and explain why. After 2 minutes is finished students 2, and 3, each get a minute to respond to this comment. This cycle rotates until everyone in the group has had a chance to share and to comment on others points. / Participation/ discussion about important aspects of the film. / SMARTBOARD stop watch
6.3 explore real and imagined worlds through close and wide engagement with texts.
8.1 identify, compare and describe the connection between texts with similar subject matter. / 6.8 the ways the ‘real world’ is represented in the imaginary worlds of texts, including literature, film, media and multimedia texts.
8.9 how information can be used to different effect in different texts. /   Compare and Contrast: Watch the following three clips:
* Drawing Peter Rabbit (Miss Potter)
* Keep your mind wide open (Bridge to Terabithia)
* Dancing Bear (Finding Neverland)
  As a class construct a 3 way Venn diagram to compare and contrast the depictions of the real and imagined worlds in the three clips. / Three way Venn Diagram / DVD of clips: Real and Imagined Worlds
SMARTBOARD
6.9 the variety of genres available to composers the imaginary texts. /   Mind Map: Next to each different type of text, students are to come up with 1-2 ideas for articles that they could write, based on stimulus from one (or more) of the three movies that we have looked at. / Intellectual Quality Significance
¨  Deep knowledge
¨  Understanding
¨  Problematic knowledge
¨  Higher-order thinking
¨  Metalanguage
¨  Substantive communication
Quality Learning Environment
¨  Explicit quality criteria
¨  Engagement
¨  High expectations
¨  Social support S1 Background knowledge S4 Inclusivity
¨  Students’ self-regulation
¨  Student direction
Significance
¨  Background knowledge
¨  Cultural knowledge
¨  Knowledge integration
¨  Inclusivity
¨  Connectedness
¨  Narrative
¨  Connectedness
¨  Narrative
2.5 edit through reading aloud and peer editing, checking accuracy, paragraphing, spelling and punctuation.
6.2 compose a range of imaginative texts including narrative texts. / 2.10 processes for the drafting of single drafts and collaborative texts.
2.11 different ways of using feedback to improve their texts.
6.10 the structures and features of imaginative texts /   Brainstorm: Students are to brainstorm for some ideas to write a story, which deals with the issue of the real world colliding with the imaginary world in some way.
  Drafting: Students are to write a draft copy of the story.
  Peer Editing: Students swap with a peer, to get them to edit the spelling, grammar and check the appropriateness of the content.
  Publishing: Students are to present a polished version of their story for marking / Editing according to a set criteria
Published copy of story
6.6 use imaginative texts as models to replicate or subvert into new texts. / 6.9 the variety of genres available to composers of imaginary texts. /   Synthesis: Students are to convert their stories from last lesson into a script, as if they were writing a screenplay for a short film. / Scripts / Stories from previous lesson
6.6 use imaginative texts as models to replicate or subvert into new texts. / 6.9 the variety of genres available to composers of imaginary texts. /   Synthesis: Students are to transform their scripts into a storyboard, as if they were going to make a film of their stories. They need to make sure they include a variety of different shot types and camera angles, and they may like to use their notes from watching Finding Neverland to assist them in blending the two worlds. / Storyboards / Scripts
6.3 explore real and imagined worlds through close and wide engagement with texts.
8.1 identify, compare and describe the connection between texts with similar subject matter. / 6.8 the ways the ‘real world’ is represented in the imaginary worlds of texts, including literature, film, media and multimedia texts. /   Viewing: Miss Potter.
  Analysis: As students watch this film, they are to make notes on the depiction of real and imagined worlds in the film.
  Discussion: How is this film similar to Finding Neverland? What is different about it? / Notes