Strategies
Film Festival Handbook
To facilitate the teaching of the unit, a handbook will be created for students. Instructions for keeping a viewer response log, guidelines for conducting small group discussions, a graphic organizer for listing the cultural traits viewed in each film, and a glossary for film terms and literary analysis terms will be included. In addition the booklet will contain maps, fact sheets, and film information pages for each film and country represented.
Sequence of Teaching Plan
I am fortunate to teach in a school where each afternoon there is a two hour block devoted to the arts. This unit will be used during that time period. Ideally, two or three two hour blocks will be devoted to each film. On the first day, both previewing and viewing activities will take place. Previewing activities will consist of assessing knowledge, studying maps and fact sheets about the countries, and reviewing background information sheets for the film. The knowledge assessment will consist of a whole class discussion. A list on the board can be generated. This activity alerts the teacher right away concerning misconceptions that students might have about the country and its people.
While students watch the film, they will be taking notes in several ways. First of all they will keep a viewer response long. This concept is discussed in its own section below. They will also be asked to choose one character for each film and jot down character traits as well as behaviors and incidents that support the articulated traits. A third task they will be charged with is attempting to identify and record qualities of childhood that they observe. Although the hope is that universal qualities will be noted, this charge will force students to think about themselves in relation to the children in the film.
Post viewing tasks include a quick writing of a short synopsis that includes theme, a directed lesson of one film technique, small group discussion using viewing response logs, reporting back to the large group, and a writing assignment. Students will write a short synopsis immediately following the viewing, and hopefully this can be done on the first day or as homework. On the second day, the first activity will be a directed lesson of a particular film concept or technique, using clips from the film. These directed lessons will cover character and plot, mise-en-scene, the shot, editing, and sound. A graphic organizer to be used with the teaching about the shot is included in the appendix. After this lesson, students will break into small groups to discuss the film using their film response logs, notes on characters and character traits, and notes on qualities of childhood they observed. Discussion groups will report back to the large group when clarification can occur. Finally, there will be a writing assignment of the teacher's choosing. Ideas for writing assignments are listed in a section below.
Viewer Response Guide
Students will be provided with suggestions for note taking while they watch the film. A viewer response guide is available in the appendix. Some types of observations that students will be encouraged to make are questions about the movie, observations about cultural aspects viewed, observations about urban or rural life, questions for the director and screenwriter, questions for the characters, emerging themes, emotional responses, and connections to other movies, books, or their own lives.
Writing Assignments
Possibilities for writing assignments connected with this unit are infinite. Possibilities for creative writing include the suggestions for modeling a literary style corresponding with each country. These are discussed with each film. Other ideas include retelling a particular scene in a movie from one character's point of view, writing a narrative of what happens after the movie ends, and creating a literary portrait of one of the characters.
Nonfiction assignments can include compare/contrast essays of two or more cultures, characters, or points of view. Students can also compare their own lives with particular characters or conditions presented in the films. Some students will want to practice reviewing films and specific guidelines can be provided for that.
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