Adapting Literature

Sample Lesson16: Day One, Viewing O

Viewing films during instructional time can be an iffy practice. I have heard of instructional supervisors that aren't keen on using the television for anything. And, this may be a valid point. Slipping in the DVD and having students watch movies with little or no purpose is a waste of time. Students need to be trained to view films as a learning activity and not simply for leisure. I don't mean that they have to only watch documentaries and educational materials. Teachers and students need to approach the film as we do a text. We should be reading the film, and this includes a before, during, and after exercise.

In addition to my philosophy about film in the classroom, I always spread the screening across two days. Even when we can finish the film in one day, I don't do it; there won't be enough time for enriching activities. In the case of O, the film is 95 minutes in length. I'll round this to 100, and plan for 50 minutes of my 90 minutes per period for viewing. I have 40 minutes left. I'll use 15 at the beginning and 25 at the end for instruction, preparation, and review.

I don't want to preface the film too much; I want students to be uninhibited while viewing. A portion of my time in the beginning is certainly dedicated to proper behavior while the film is playing. I feel the need to give particularly detailed instructions before the first film of the semester, and to return to these instructions prior to each subsequent film. Students need to be reminded about acceptable behavior. For my class, this means that students will have their heads up, mouths closed, and notebooks open. Students are not permitted to place their heads on the desks in a resting position; they're not permitted to comment or talk during the film; and they must be participating in the "during film" activity while they watch. You can't teach anything if you can't manage the classroom. This is especially important for film study; students are accustomed to watching a movie, dosing off, and using film as anything but mind stimulation.

The first 15 minutes of the period will be used to explain the film questions and to explain our rules while watching (previously described). Students will be answering three questions in paragraph form (listed below and found in the "Strategies" section of this document). I'll expect students to take notes while the movie is playing, but they'll need the questions to focus. I don't expect students to take notes during a film without some point of reference. You might ask this of a college student or graduate student, but, in my experience, high school students need something to focus their thinking. They'll get time to properly respond when the film is finished, but they'll need to take notes while watching.

1. Summarize the film in chronological order. Be sure to include characters, themes, setting, conflicts, etc. (major literary elements¹⁷).
2. What are Hugo's motives; why does he manipulate the other characters?
3. Why might Odin be vulnerable to Hugo's actions?

I'll play the film, and as long as there aren't problems, I'll let it run. I don't like to stop a film too often. It's not necessary when the students have a focus for their viewing (note taking in this case). I'll certainly monitor the room, making sure students are working and not sleeping, but I don't need to stop the film to discuss at this point.

After 50 minutes and with 25 minutes left in the period, I'll stop the film for the day. I want students to have 15 minutes to begin answering the questions. They won't have complete control of their answers, but I want them to write while the film is fresh. If I wait until the end, I'm afraid they'll have forgotten key aspects from the beginning.

With ten minutes left in the period, I'll ask students to write down a prediction for the end of the film. If they've seen the film, they'll need to keep their predictions secret. Those that haven't seen the film will get a chance to share with a partner and then aloud with the group. I like to use partners before whole group activities. I find that when students share an idea with one other person first, they're more likely to participate in front of the whole class. The next day will begin with either a recap of the predictions or one-sentence summaries of the film thus far.

Lesson Timetable¹⁸: 90 Minutes

• 15 minutes: explanation of film questions and viewing behavior
• 50 minutes: film and note taking
• 15 minutes: writing preliminary responses
• 5 minutes: making predictions
• 5 minutes: sharing predictions