This curriculum unit which is intended for middle grade students (grades 6th-8th) revolves around an overarching question, "Who Am I?" This essential question allows students to conduct research to better understand culture. In this unit students explore Chinese culture and film. The intention is that by exploring Chinese culture through research and films students may come to better understand their selves. The first part of the unit involves researching and analyzing Chinese history and culture in general and selected Chinese films in particular. Next the unit will analyze and compare cultures and gender issues facing young people in China with those of typical American students. Then students will design multi-media presentations on their findings about Chinese Culture, while concurrently producing an I-search, first person point of view narrative report. It should be noted that the visual art teacher at my school, who recently devised her own curriculum unit at the Teacher's Institute of Philadelphia, will concurrently teach a unit on Chinese immigration while I teach this curriculum unit using Chinese film. The unit will culminate with digital and media presentations exploring the theme Who Am I and How am I More Alike than Different from people from China?

Rationale

A Flat World — Global Understanding

To improve students' understanding of their place and identity on this globe, students need to be exposed to common issues facing youth around the world. In the 21st century it has become increasingly more important that students bridge the cultural divide caused by misconceptions and ignorance. Movies offer a chance to explore global issues; it has been said that "globalization describes the movement of finance, information, commodities and people across international lines, which is characterized by the interdependent world culture and the aesthetics and economic emergence of a range of new national and regional cinemas" (Corrigan & White, 376). In his book, The World is Flat, Thomas Friedman, describes the unplanned cascade of technological and social shifts as significant because it has increased the need for global understanding and virtually made Beijing, Bangalore and Bethesda next-door neighbors. This shift has taken place during the early life time of my students and thus demands that my students have an appreciation of global cultures outside their normal framework. During this shift China's economy and culture has materialized as a significant global force. Viewing film from and about China may offer my students an opportunity to connect to this new found Flat world: "a global, web-enabled platform for multiple forms of sharing knowledge and work, irrespective of time, distance, geography and increasingly, language" (Friedman, 9).

Chinese Culture through Research and Film — The Splendor of China

China represents a major world power and cultural group to which most of my students generally have little exposure. Therefore, researching, viewing and analyzing film and Chinese culture offers a significant means by which my students may come to better know themselves and their place in the world. Corrigan notes, that Chinese cinema poses its own challenges, because it includes the "three Chinas" — mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan- each of which developed under a different social, and political regime and differs greatly in terms of it commercial structure, the role of government oversight, audience expectations and even language (Corrigan & White, 378). This unit will not directly focus on the differences of the "three Chinese cinemas" but it will provide students with an opportunity to view varying styles and content of films reflecting on social and cultural dynamics in Mainland China, know as the People Republic of China (PRC).

Using films from and about China to teach social studies content, reading and critical thinking skills will be a challenge. During the 2005-2006 academic year my students and I were involved with a Philadelphia public and private initiative called the "Splendor of China." With private and public support the Philadelphia School District provided teachers resources to expose students to Chinese and Chinese American culture. Furthermore, my students and I used the internet, reference books and stories to explore how Chinese culture was both similar and different to American culture. When I started this learning unit about China, I was met with lots of resistance. This included students' apathy towards learning about Chinese culture. I recall one student's protest when she said "Chinese people have nothing to do with my life". Fortunately during the process of learning and discovering new things about Chinese culture most of the protest disappeared. Once my students saw that Chinese culture was fascinating and that they and Chinese children face similar issues they generally appreciated the learning outcome and the hard work of their research. This particular unit concluded with students presenting their research findings and bringing in special Chinese dishes for a closing celebration. I was generally pleased with the outcome of "The Splendor of China" program, but I wondered how deeply did my students connect to their research? Did students just do the project for grade or did they come away really being transformed? One student's presentation still haunts me; in his talks he said "the main thing I learned from my research using the internet is that Chinese people eat dogs". When I asked about what sources he used, and what other information he learned, he could offer no clear response. At that time, I didn't think about using film to expose students to Chinese cultures but I knew I needed to do something different.

Film Aesthetics and Identity Construction

When exploring identity construction it is important to analyze and interpret media objects and literary arts. Appreciating the aesthetics of film may provide a mirror for students to reflect on who they are. According to Michael Simkins et al, in Increasing Students Learning Through Multimedia Projects, there are five basic media objects; images, text, sound, motion and interactivity (Simkins, et al, 13-29). Some of the most exciting elements of this unit are that it provides students new experiences in viewing and connecting film to literature, as well as composing multi-media objects as a communication tool.

Exploring images in Chinese films will provide means to make connections with China's history and culture. Films that lend themselves to analyzing cultural and topical issues in China are a good way to deconstruct some of the negative stereotypes students have. These stereotypes include poverty, child abuse, and the subjugation of women (Chacko, 29). Corrigan notes that stereotypes are usually offensive even when not overtly negative, because they tend to be applied to marginalized social groups who are not represented by a range of character types.( Corrigan & White, 228) Therefore, teachers must be cautious when using World Cinema, not to reinforce stereotypes by misrepresenting the evils of: child marriage, patriarchal families and female devaluation. Everett, in her article "Reinforcing or Dismantling Stereotypes" notes that her students were taking away from their encounter with Asian literature with thoughts such as "thank God I'm an American" (Everett, 40). If we consider that in many schools students of color and poor students are positioned in ways that undermine who they are, and are often assigned particular identities based upon their race and class (Gee, 2003) then it becomes critical that students find ways to explore and deconstruct issues around stereotypes, gender and ethnicity. By analyzing the complexities of culture and gender issues via films, students should be able to make relevant connections with both positive and negative images portrayed in film and the media. This unit will not remove stereotypes that students often rely upon, but it will offer a means for students to better understand the complexities of identity.

Using Culture and Literature to Read Films

Since my students have varying levels of knowledge about culture and Chinese culture in particular we can view films as a means of enhancing our understanding of how culture helps define who we are. Further we will use our lens for analyzing and describing literature to appreciate Chinese films. For many students this unit may represent the first time they have been asked to critically look at world cinema. Therefore, using literature concepts and terminology to read films may help students see the connections between what they read in books with what they see on the screen. Furthermore, because visual images and the media influence how young people view themselves and understand certain roles, this unit should engage my students in learning more about who they are by understanding more about Chinese culture and gender issues. Lastly, by using film students should improve their viewing and literacy skills.

School Demographics

I teach at Beeber Middle School, located in the West Academic Area of the School District of Philadelphia. Pupil population is close to 900. More than 70% of the student body qualifies for free/ subsidized lunch. The student body is 95% African American or of African descent and less than 1% percent is Caucasian. The balance of students is bi-racially mixed or from other ethnic backgrounds. Additionally, we have a growing immigrant population of African and Caribbean students. Furthermore, most of my students come from working class families. In recent years, my school has been developing an art magnet program while striving to meet mandates of School District of Philadelphia's Core Curricula Standards which are align to the Pennsylvania Department of Education Standards.

Objectives

This unit will allow me to develop relevant literacy skills that connect reading, writing, social studies, art, and technology. Students will conduct an I-Search project that will allow them to learn about Chinese culture and how Chinese children are different but have much in common with typical American students. This unit has several objectives that can be categorized into 4 categories: objectives related to researching and analyzing Chinese culture; objectives related to interpreting and analyzing Chinese Film; objectives related to creating original digital and multimedia presentations about Chinese Culture and Film; objectives related to performing and showcasing students' work.

Objectives Related to Researching and Analyzing Chinese Culture.

• Students will research and analyze Chinese culture and gender issues by: reading non fiction text about China, internet sites and book resources.
• Students will take notes, use graphic organizers and explore stereotypes and gender roles in China and America.
• Students will describe Chinese society and make personal connections by reflecting on their individual culture and gender roles.
• Students will complete an I-Search paper that presents a first person narrative report about their own journey of discovering Chinese culture and gender roles.
• Objectives Related to Interpreting and Analyzing Chinese Film and literature
• For this unit students will view the Disney film Mulan to understand how culture and gender perceptions influence expectations.
• Students will interpret and analyze film to place Chinese culture in its proper context. Through the interpretation and analysis of film students will be able to identify issues related to culture and gender in the films the King of Mask, and Not One Less.
• Students will view excerpts of the films Red Fire Cracker, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Beijing Bicycle to appreciate Chinese film aesthetics along with visual cues about culture and gender issues.
• Students will learn to read films like works of literature and make connections to themes, characters, settings, plots, etc.
• Objectives Related to Creating Original Media and Literary Art
• Students will present their finding from their inquiry about Chinese Culture and use their I-Search paper to compile a multi-media presentation.
• Students will create images, text, sounds, animation, motion, and interactivity elements for a multi-media presentation about Chinese culture and gender issues.
• Objectives Related to Performing and Showcasing Students' Works
• Students will incorporate their findings in the form of skits, short video clips, poetry or other expressive forms for a student show case.
• In the culminating showcase students will use multi-media technology to present variations of their I-search and celebrate the production of their literary and media arts production.

Strategies

Because I teach two sixth grade classes in a balanced literacy and social studies learning block of at least 120 per minutes per day, I will have ample time to spread my unit over the course of the 4-6 weeks or one grading period. This unit will be taught primarily during our social studies lessons. However, the unit will stretch across the curriculum and include reading, writing and media arts. Furthermore, because the essential question, Who Am I? is the driving inquiry for our entire Sixth Grade Small Learning Community, it is easier to spread this theme of self discovery and identity throughout an extended term instead of just focusing it in a short period.

Resources

In previous years, I have collaborated with the mentally gifted support teacher and librarian to do I-Search projects. Their support provided additional resource persons for my students including those with special needs. In addition to the resources available at school, I will rely on the University of Pennsylvania's Center for East Asian Studies. The center's outreach department provides a speaker's bureau along with teacher resource materials including films, books and cultural artifacts from and about East Asian countries. Their website is www.ceas.sas.upenn.edu. I recently attended a Teachers' Institute sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania's Center for East Asian Studies and found that education and outreach coordinators were very willing to collaborate with teachers.

Films

The films that I plan to use in my unit and the order I plan to use them with my students are listed as follows:

Disney's Mulan ( &, 1998) - I will kick off the viewing on films with this Disney adaptation of the folk tale of Mulan. This animation film will provide a good way to introduce some history of China and deal with issues around gender roles and responsibilities.

The King of Mask- Bian Lian (, 1996) — I will next use this film to further explore gender issues as well try to understand aspects Chinese performing arts and culture.

Not One Less- Yi Ge Dou Bu Neng Shao(, 1999) This film will be used to explore issues involving both rural and urban PRC.

Red Firecracker — — This film will not be viewed in its entirety. Excerpts will be viewed to analyze Chinese film aesthetics along with gender and culture issues.

Beijing Bicycle- Shiqi Sui De Dan Che (, 2001). This film will not be viewed in its entirety. Excerpts will be view to analyze Chinese film aesthetics along with class and modern urban culture issues.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon — Wo Ho Can Long (Ang Lee,2000). This film will not be viewed in its entirety. Excerpts will be viewed to analyze some of the actions along with the film's aesthetics and landscape.

More details about each film are listed in the annotated filmography.

I-Search

I have previously used I-Search papers to support students' inquiry and research skills. Ken Macroie, in his publication, The I-Search Paper notes that "an I-Search is when a person conducts a search to find out something he needs to know in his life and writes a story of his adventure" (preface, par 17). I enjoy teaching and reading I-Search Papers, because my students' voices in this style of research are more authentic. Combining an I-Search project with viewing and analyzing films should provide great synergy. The inquiry of this project will allow students to uncover their own questions they have about China and their own culture.

KWL- What You Already Know, What You Want to Know, What You Learned

Using a KWL graphic organizer is a good starting point. With a KWL chart students write what they already know about a subject, what they want to learn and, after the inquiry is over they write what they have learned. Students will therefore ask questions about what they know about culture and gender issues in general and what do they know particularly about Chinese culture and gender issues. These broad questions will allow students to come up with their own specific topics which will drive their inquiry in their I-search projects. A sample KWL chart is provided in the Appendix 1.

The films we view in class will further aid or complicate students' questions. Students will come up with their own topics to research. Using the KWL model to explore topics relevant to specific films will help students with their I-Search projects. During this process of watching films and doing their individual research students will take notes, do journaling and workshop their I-search narrative report.

Using the Lens of Literature to View Films

Movies have much in common with stories and novels in literature. In this unit, films will be used in conjunction with social studies, reading, and writing standards. When reading fiction or non-fiction text my students are often asked to describe the author's purpose. Therefore, a question like who produced a particular film can be related to questions about author's purpose. Furthermore, students may be asked to think about deeper questions regarding what the film maker is trying to communicate.

Film Analysis

A host of questions related to film analysis may be explore with students according to their abilities. The list below was adopted from the book, Teaching Ethnic Diversity With Film (Gerster C. 45-48)

• Who is the intended audience for the film?
• Could the story or information of the film be presented in another form (e.g. print, theater, radio)?
• What are some aesthetic techniques used to communicate the film's messages? How does the film maker use camera placements, angles, lighting, movements, images, sounds, and music to tell the film's story?
• What is the film's narrative? Does it have a beginning, middle and end? Does it follow the standard dramatic arc with exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution?
• What are the characteristics of the protagonist, antagonist, supporting characters?
• What is the theme or central idea of the film? Does the theme or central idea of the film relate to other stories or events?
• Is the film maker Chinese or American and does this affect your perception of the film?
• How are Chinese represented in the film? How do they dress, act, move, and speak? How does their gender, class, ethnicity, age and body type affect your perception? How is identity communicated visually, through dress, costume, make up, posture, and movement?
• What personal connections to students' lives or literature can be made from viewing films from or about China?

The above essential questions will help reinforce literary concepts that are taught during our reading and writing of various genres including: folk tales, historical fiction, creative non fiction, myths, dramatic plays and poetry. The questions will also help shape students' personal inquiry projects about Chinese culture and gender issues. Student will keep separate film response logs similar the reading logs students keep for reading instructions. Overall this unit should help improve students' critical thinking skills as well as strengthen their literary knowledge and comprehension skills.

Multi-Media Show Case Media Show Case

After viewing films used in this unit and completing their narrative I-Search papers students will apply and synthesize their findings and produce a media showcase. This multi-media show case will include the use images, text, sound, motion and interactivity. This is a powerful way to celebrate and acknowledge students' discoveries. When students know that their work will have an audience beyond the classroom teacher they gain greater commitment to the quality of the finished product.

Categories for Strategies

Because the objectives of the unit are comprehensive, lessons can be easily staggered over a longer time period, or implemented as discrete lessons taught in a stand-alone fashion. The strategies in this unit can be similarly grouped into four categories:

Strategies Related to Researching and Analyzing Chinese Culture and History

Conducting mini lessons on researching and I- Search techniques will be central technique used to drive students' inquiry about Chinese culture and history. Students will take field trips and observe special guests to collect primary and secondary data about Chinese culture and gender issues. Within school students will visit the school library and use internet, text books, and other reference sources to explore students' inquiry about Chinese culture and gender roles. Furthermore the teacher will show students how to use graphic organizers to plan, structure, outline and draft their I-Search papers. Lastly, teacher and students will conduct writers' workshop for revising, editing and publishing I-Search papers.

Strategies Related to Interpreting and Analyzing Chinese Film

To promote students' interpretation of Chinese film the teacher will conduct mini-lessons on using literary elements for viewing and analyzing films. In particular mini-lessons will be taught on viewing and analyzing film maker's craft i.e. Mulan, King of Mask, and Not One Less. No at films will be view in their entirety for some films we will view excerpt to discuss film aesthetics and issues around culture and gender i.e. Red Fire Cracker, Beijing Bicycle and Crouching Tigers Hidden Dragon. Lastly, teacher will conduct mini-lessons on comparing, critiquing and summarizing film.

Strategies Related to Creating Original Media and Literary Art

To encourage and support students to generate their own media and literary products student will be provided time to draw art work or locate images related to students' I-search paper. Teacher should also show students how to use text from their research to create poems or other literary and media arts representations of their learning. Furthermore, mini-lessons should be conducted on how to make story boards for student's multi-media presentations. To generate multi-media presentations teacher should conduct mini-lessons on how to use PowerPoint and media software to incorporate images, text, sound, motion and interactivity.

Strategies Related to Performing and Showcasing Students' Works

To prepare for a culminating showcase teacher should conduct mini-lessons on delivering and evaluating oral presentation. Additionally, mini-lessons should be conducted on how to create skits or mini-clips related to students' film studies and research findings. Time should also be devoted to conduct mini lessons how to promote students' and media artist's collaborations. Ultimately, these strategies will lead to collaborating, showcasing and performing students' work.

Standards and Core Curricula

This unit will meet standards required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Academic Standards in Social Studies, Reading, Writing, and Speaking and Listening along with Standards for Arts and Humanities. This unit employs mini-lessons which easily tie into the Philadelphia School District's Core Curricula standards. The specific standards which are aligned with the Pennsylvania Department of Education Academic Standards are:

• 1.2. Reading, Analyzing and Interpreting Literature
• 1.4. Variety Types of Writing
• 1.5. Quality of Writing
• 1.6. Speaking and Listening
• 1.8. Research,
• 9.1. Production, Performance and Exhibition of Visual Arts
• 9.2. Historical and Cultural Contexts
• 9.3. Critical Response
• 9.4. Aesthetic Response

These standards are detailed fully in Appendix #2.

Project Assessment

Each student will be responsible for completing an I-Search paper on their inquiry about Chinese culture or gender issues. The I-Search paper will be assessed based on the completeness of the research; proficient writing standards (focus, content, organization, style and conventions); as well as validity of students' research sources. Students therefore, should be able to effectively use internet sources, personal interviews, direct quotes and shots from films. Students will not only demonstrate what they discovered about their topics related to Chinese culture and gender issues, but what they learned about themselves.

Students' film viewing logs will also be assessed for completeness. Their journals should contain aesthetic responses, research notes and finding as well as notes on the concepts and techniques explored during mini-lessons. Students' notes should reflect the mini-lessons which will progress from concrete and accessible concepts to more difficult and abstract ideas.

The production of the students' multi-media show case should be the culminating project assessed. Students may be assessed in following areas:

• Does the presentation match with the story board design?
• Does the presentation provide enough details to demonstrate students' new discoveries?
• Does the presentation use relevant images or pictures related to culture and gender issues?
• Does the presentation incorporate any aspect from Chinese films viewed?
• Does the presentation incorporate other elements of sound, animation and interactivity?
• Does the presentation have no or few spelling and mechanical errors?

Students will become very adept at multi-tasking and may work on two or more duties. The mini-lessons and hands-on tasks will allow for both individual and cooperative team work. During this time, the class will be structured according to the principles of constructivism and autonomous learning. I will place students in groups of four-to-six to practice skills or concepts taught after the mini-lessons are conducted. These groups might be functional-based teams, where student team members perform tasks based on their predominant skills and intelligences.

Classroom Activities / Lesson Plans In Progress

Presented here are 3 sample lesson plans to be used in this unit. Teachers can use the ideas for a single a single lesson or plan an entire integrated unit based upon the objectives and strategies aforementioned.

Sample Lesson Plan 1

Title: Traditional Fu Mu Lan versus Disney Mulan?

Grade Range: 6th — 8th Grade

Subjects: Social Studies and Literacy (Reading and Writing):

Standard(s): Pennsylvania

Reading, Speaking # 1 & 2, Writing # 1, # 2 & 3: Asks relevant questions, and respond to questions; write in a variety forms; write for variety of purposes; and speak using effective communication skills. Social Studies Standard(s): culture, time continuity & change, people, places and environment.

Specific Standards

Demonstrate the understanding of ancient history, as well as cohesion, within and across groups.

Describe the ways family, religion, gender, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, and other group and cultural influences contribute to the development of a sense of self.

Examine the interactions of ethnic, national, or cultural influences in specific situations or events.

Identify the many forms of diversity found in societies, e.g. racial, religious, gender, and ethnicity.

Describe conflicts that have arisen from changing woman roles in society.

Duration of Lesson: 2-4 Class Periods of at Least 45 Minutes.

Description:

Students will learn about ancient Chinese history and compare the traditional version of the Fu Mu Lan myth with the Disney's animation version of Mulan.

Essential Question:

Does Disney's version of Mulan fairly represent the traditional Chinese version of the tale of the Lady Warrior?

Warm Up Activity — Text Rendering — Ode of Mulan

Students will read an "Ode of Mulan" from the book The Flowering Plum and the Palace Lady: Interpretations of Chinese Poetry. After reading students will write down one line, one phrase and one word that stands out in the ode. As a whole class students will each recite their selected lines, phrases and words.

Students will share aloud one word that summarizes their feelings after reading the Ode to Mulan. After students share their text rendering, the teacher will provide some background about the Han Dynasty and the Wall of China which dates backs over 4000 years ago.

Mini Lesson Read Aloud Picture Book of Fu Mulan —

Teacher will read aloud San Souci picture book version of Fu Mu Lan illustrated by Jean & Mou Sien-Tseng. Students will recall what they remember or know about Disney's version of Mulan and make a venn diagram to compare and contrast the traditional tale with that of Disney. To assist with the Venn diagram, the teacher will not read aloud, but show Disney's Mulan picture book compiled by Lisa A Marsoli and illustrated by Clarke Judith H. Ford B. et al. Students should be able to point out the differences in images used in the traditional picture book with those used from the Disney's Mouse Work Book.

Activities —

Response to Disney's Animated Film:

Students will do a close viewing of the entire Disney animation film. Students will pay close attention to how the Disney's version departs from the original Chinese Myth. Discussion questions relating to gender issues students can address include:

• Mulan was not what the Chinese society thought a girl should be. What did this have to do with her decision to substitute for her father? -Why was it a crime for a woman to enlist in the army?
• At the beginning of the film Mulan was reciting a litany of what a good daughter should be: "quiet, demure, graceful, polite, delicate, refined, poised and punctual" Are those goals that girls aspire to today? Should they?

(www.Teachwithmovies.com, July 26, 2006)

After completing the discussion questions students will form debate teams to persuade an audience that the Disney animation film does or does not matches the reality of the traditional Fu Mu Lan Chinese myth. Finally, students will write persuasive letters to a Disney executive asking in the future that Disney try harder to maintain the traditional reality of Chinese myths.

Wrap up or Extension — View Classic Hua Mu Lan — Lady General — Venn Diagram Illustrations.

As an extension and follow up students and teachers may view Feng Yuek's 1964 version of Lady General Hua Mu Lan. This film may be more difficult to procure, but if it is available, it would offer an excellent opportunity to compare and contrast how Chinese film directors of that time period tell their own Chinese stories as compared to how Americans (Disney) retold a Chinese story. Students could create venn diagrams comparing the 1964 version with the Disney version. Students could also be introduced to Chinese calligraphy, which they could include on their Venn diagram illustrations. For mini lessons on introducing students to Chinese calligraphy teachers may use the following web site: http://www.chinapage.com/mulan.html

Sample Lesson Plan 2

Title: Interpreting Boys and Girls Roles in Society?

Grade Range: 6th — 8th Grade

Subjects: Social Studies and Literacy (Reading and Writing):

Standard(s): Pennsylvania

Reading, Speaking # 1 & 2, Writing # 1, # 2 & 3: Asks relevant questions, and respond to questions; write in a variety forms; write for variety of purposes; and speak using effective communication skills. Social Studies Standard(s): culture, time continuity & change, people, places and environment.

Specific Standards

Demonstrate the value of cultural diversity, as well as cohesion, within and across groups.

Describe the ways family, religion, gender, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, and other group and cultural influences contribute to the development of a sense of self. Examine the interactions of ethnic, national, or cultural influences in specific situations or events.

Identify the many forms of diversity found in societies, e.g. racial, religious, gender, ethnic.

Describe conflicts that have arisen from changing woman roles in society.

Duration of Lesson: 1-2 Class Periods of at Least 45 Minutes.

Description:

Students will learn the impact that gender roles have on society.

Essential Question:

Does gender influence inheritance customs and traditions in China?

Warm Up Activity — KWL- What do you know about the role gender plays in education, jobs and sports in the USA? What do you know about gender in China?

Students will describe what they know about gender roles in China. Students will describe what new things they would like to learn about Chinese culture and gender roles. After completing the lesson students will complete the chart describing what they really learned about gender roles in China.

Students will share in small groups what they know and what they want to learn about know about Chinese culture gender roles. After students share their KWL charts, teacher will provide some base line information about US and China population statistics.

Mini Lesson Projective Picture —

Teacher will facilitate interpreting a projective picture. Teacher will use an ambiguous picture or sketch of an unspecified group of people doing an unspecified activity (Pederson 58-59). Students will share aloud and teacher will record students' response to questions such as who are the people? What is the sex of each person and what is each person doing? What clues did you use to come to your conclusion?

Activities —

Response to Film Clips of King of Masks

Students will do a close viewing of selected scenes from the film King of Masks. Students will describe what methods the film makers used to lead the viewer to think the little girl (Doggie) is a boy. What changes does the film maker make the girl's character undergo once it was discovered she was a girl? What film techniques in particular were used, i.e. lighting, customs, camera angles, movements, actions, etc. Students will than write a short 2-3 paragraph response, stating how they feel about gender issues addressed in the film the King of Masks. Students should also address how they feel about gender influencing inheritance customs in China.

Wrap up or Extension — Revisit KWL Char — Brainstorm for I Search Project

Students will form teams of revisit their KWL chart. Student will add any new things they learned about Chinese culture or gender issues by reviewing the film the King of Mask. In groups Students will share brainstorm ideas for their individual I Search projects.

Sample Lesson Plan 3

Title: Not One Less - Using the Education and the Media to Solve Social Problems.

Grade Range: 6th — 8th Grade

Subjects: Social Studies and Literacy (Reading and Writing):

Standard(s): Pennsylvania

Reading, Speaking # 1 & 2, Writing # 1, # 2 & 3: Asks relevant questions, and respond to questions; write in a variety forms; write for variety of purposes; and speak using effective communication skills. Social Studies Standard(s): culture, time continuity & change, people, places and environment.

Specific Standards

Demonstrate the role education and the media play within and across groups.

Describe the ways family, religion, gender, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, and other group and cultural influences contribute to the development of a sense of self. Examine the interactions of ethnic, national, or cultural influences in specific situations or events.

Identify the many forms of diversity found in societies, e.g. racial, religious, gender and ethnicity.

Describe the role media plays in rural and urban China.

Duration of Lesson: 2-4 Class Periods of at Least 45 Minutes.

Description:

Students will learn the impact that education and the media has on society.

Essential Question:

Does education and the media influence the way rural and urban communities see themselves?

Warm Up Activity — Vocabulary Squares Media Warm Up.

Students will use definition and context clues to create vocabulary squares for various key film and media vocabulary terms. Students will be provided a short definition chart of the following key terms: story, plot, frame, shot, sound track, pan, zoom in, zoom out, camera angle, diegesis, actor, actress, audio, cast, climax, crane shot, dialogue, exposition, fade, close up, frame, genre, long take, mise-en-scene, monologue, dialogue, motif, point of view, scan, producer, director, props, scene, musical score, set, stereotyping, story board, treatment, voice over, costume, wardrobe, and wide angle shot. Students will be familiar with some of the terms from a literature and drama context. Seeing some the words in a film and media context will help reinforce their understanding of many of the terms.

Students will select 8 interesting or difficult words from the list to vocabulary squares. Next students will create vocabulary graphic organizers to demonstrate their comprehension of key words selected from the film and media vocabulary terms list. A vocabulary square is graphic organizer divided into four quadrants that provides the origin or part of speech or a word, synonym or antonym for the word, a logo or icon of the word, and a formal brief definition of the word (Burke, 178). Students will exchange their vocabulary squares with a partner to assess for completeness and comprehension of difficult or interesting words. A layout of a vocabulary square can be found on the following link: http://englishseven.com/toolsforthought/VocabSquares.pdf .

Mini Lesson Storyboard / Power Point —

Teacher will provide a mini lesson on the use of storyboard by presenting a brief story board layout of the movie Not One Less using Power Point Slides. Teacher will highlight major events (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution) from the film using captions, images and animations that will be seen in the movie. Students and teacher will discuss the benefits of using a story boards.

Activities —

Change the Ending of the Movie:

Students will do a close viewing of selected scenes from the film No One Less. Students will describe what methods the film makers used to depict rural and urban life in China. Students will describe what the film maker was trying to tell us about the role education and the media plays in society. What useful props did the film maker use? What did the chalk in the film represent? What did the news station in the film represent? Students working in groups of fours will than change and write their own ending the film. Students make depict their new ending using a storyboard or script format.

Wrap up or Extension — Brain Storm — Story Board For I- Search Presentation about Chinese Culture and Gender Issues.

Students will form teams of brainstorm ideas for their own story boards for the I-Search presentations about their discoveries about Chinese culture and Gender Issues.