Hazlet Township Public Schools COURSE OF STUDY FOR Literature & Cinema August 2015 Mr. Michael J. Auciello COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 UNIT 1: Introduction to Film Noir as a Genre BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will be introduced to the genre of film noir. The unit will be supplemented with two corresponding texts that had ultimately been made into classic works of film noir: 1) Double Indemnity by James Cain, and 2) The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. Students will complete a series of comprehension and literary analysis questions to assess their understanding of literary terms and conventional elements of a text. Tests and quizzes will also be given to assess the students’ understanding of the material. Upon concluding the texts, students will then view both film versions of these works and have the opportunity to analyze them for the conventions of film noir through a series of discussions and constructed responses. Students will also complete a Venn Diagram illustrating similarities and differences of both films with regard to characteristics of film noir. The unit will conclude with a group presentation where students will present to the class an analysis of another film of their own choosing to illustrate their understanding of film noir. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Reading: Literature RL.1112.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. RL.1112.2 Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text. RL.1112.3 Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed). RL.1112.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. RL.1112.5 Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact. RL.1112.6 Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement). Writing 1 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 W.1112.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. W.1112.1.a Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. W.1112.1.b Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. W.1112.1.c Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. W.1112.1.d Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. W.1112.1.e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. W.1112.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. W.1112.2.a Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. W.1112.2.b Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic. W.1112.2.c Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. 2 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Speaking and Listening SL.1112.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks. SL.1112.5 Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. SL.1112.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A: STUDENTS WILL KNOW: ● how to identify the elements and themes relative to a respective genre ● why specific decisions were made in the film making process B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: ● The origin of film noir dates back to between WWI and WWII. ● The same ideas being portrayed and exhibited in film noir were being felt by the general public during these times: fear, mistrust, bleakness, loss of innocence, despair, and paranoia. ● Film noir is rarely happy or optimistic. ● The label of film noir was attributed to mainly black and white films with particular gloomy tones or moods. ● Film noir storylines are often nonlinear and twisting. ● Narratives are often complex and cloudy ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: ● ● What is film noir? What is a detective novel? GUIDING QUESTIONS: ● What do we mean by genre ? ● What are the motifs, formulas, and elements that qualify a film as an example of film noir? ● What directorial decisions must be made in order for a film to prompt the audience to feel the intended emotion? ● What kinds of characters are often found in works of film noir? ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING): DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS: ● Questionnaire designed to assess students’ current knowledge on the genres of film and characteristics of detective fiction FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Comprehension and literary analysis questions on both texts Quizzes Short answer responses Essay/Constructed response questions Critical scene response assessment Film technical critiques Classroom discussions 3 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 ● What are the typical themes and settings exhibited in works of film noir? ● What common contrasts are found amongst the characters and images comprising works of film noir? ● What crucial elements comprise a work of film noir? ● What are the elements of detective fiction? ● film noir often incorporates foreboding background music. SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: C: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: ● view a film and identify the genre with informed substantiation and evidence from the film ● isolate and analyze specific scenes from two works of film noir ● discuss the audiovisual design of two examples of film noir and the tools used to create them ● describe theme, symbolism, tone and other complex elements of fiction, and identify point of view, manipulative language and other elements of bias ● use the literary elements of a text (theme, symbolism, imagery, conflict etc.) to draw conclusions about a film ● ● Cumulative tests Film noir group presentation SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Introduction to film noir as a genre and the conventions of film noir Introduce: ● The investigating hero ● The femme fatale – and sexuality ● The perfect woman – often as an icon for family life ● Locations used ● Typical plots ● Production codes and values ● The male voiceover and the use of flashback 4 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Text 1: Double Indemnity by James Cain Students will read the text Double Indemnity by James Cain. As students read the text, they will be given periodic quizzes to check for understanding. A cumulative test on the novel will be given upon its completion. Introduce Todorev and his narrative theory – Todorev suggested that narratives consist of three things: a situation, a disruption, and a resolution. ● The fictional environment begins with a state of equilibrium – everything is normal ● A disruption takes place – disequilibrium ● A new equilibrium is established at the end. This formula can really be applied to any film. Discuss with students examples from popular well known films to illustrate Todorev’s narrative model. Take Jaws (1975) for example, the situation is that it is set in a holiday town, the disruption is the shark, and the resolution is Chief Brody killing the shark. CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE QUESTIONS FOR CLOSE READING ANALYSIS AND FILM VIEWING: How can Todorev’s narrative model be applied to Double Indemnity ? What environment does the film seem to be establishing as “normal”? What is the normal state at the start, and what is the disruption? How does the resolution occur? Historical background to film noir with reference to particular directors and their ‘escape’ from Europe, the effects of World War II on the empowerment of women and the disempowerment of men. Consider the plot of Double Indemnity (1944) in the light of this. How does this film show the effects of social change and the role of gender? What about the director, Billy Wilder? Film noir as a style. The use of lighting and atmosphere to create meaning. How the positioning and movement of the camera gives a point of view. Consider how shadow and light are used, the dislocation of the view by the use of horizontal and vertical lines, how action often takes place out of view or through other objects. Text 2: The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett 5 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Students will read the text The Maltese Falcon by James Cain. As students read the text, they will be given periodic quizzes to check for understanding. A cumulative test on the novel will be given upon its completion. COMMON CONTRASTS FOUND IN FILM NOIR: ● Innocence vs. corruption ● Male vs. female ● Good female vs. bad female ● Gullibility vs. deceit and betrayal ● Law abiding vs. law breaking Discuss with students how these contrasts were evident in The Maltese Falcon . TWELVE CRUCIAL ELEMENTS OF FILM NOIR: 1. Dark, shadowy, contrasting images filmed in black and white, often at night and usually in gritty urban settings 2. Hardboiled, cynical, disillusioned characters who, nevertheless, are usually likable 3. A male protagonist facing a moral dilemma and/or some kind of threat 4. The femme fatale (deadly woman), typically the one posing on the cover/poster in menacing fashion 5. Often a crime or detective story 6. Flashbacks—a wavering past and present, inextricably linked 7. A voiceover narration 8. Crisp, witty dialogue, sprinkled with great oneliners 9. A healthy dose of paranoia or, at the very least, a strong sense of betrayal, insecurity, or sense of being trapped 10. Angst, American style 11. No happy ending—happy ending turns a film noir into film gris or a melodrama done in noir style. 12. Disorienting camera angles, expressionist, distorted closeups, and lighting that fills the frame with shafts of light and shadow to create a world of claustrophobia and fear 6 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Discuss with students how these element were evident in both Double Indemnity and The Maltese Falcon Students will have the opportunity to complete a Venn Diagram as a graphic organizer to share their ideas. CULMINATING TASK FOR STUDENTS Students will be assigned to groups and given the opportunity to select another example of film noir to research and prepare a presentation. Many film noirs have detailed plot summaries on the Internet and original posters can be downloaded. Students will prepare a PowerPoint presentation to deliver to the class. Several popular films of this genre are also available on YouTube, and clips will be selected to share with the class to illustrate their points. 7 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Unit 2: The Autobiography and Crime Drama as a Film BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will be introduced to the genre of the crime drama. The unit will be supplemented with the autobiographical text Catch Me if You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake , which was later made into the 2002 crime drama film Catch Me if You Can. Students will complete a series of comprehension and literary analysis questions to assess their understanding of literary terms and conventional elements of an autobiography. A cumulative test and quizzes will also be issued to assess students’ understanding of the material. Upon completing the text, students will then view the film version and have the opportunity to complete a corresponding performance assessment in preparation for an analytical essay they will prepare explaining how the film fits into the genre of crime drama. Closing discussions will focus on the director’s choice to employ creative liberty by consolidating real life characters from the text into a single fictional character for the film along with how some viewers may preferably view the film as a comedy. The unit will conclude with a culminating activity in which students will work in groups to prepare their own episode of a crime drama. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Reading: Literature RL.1112.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. RL.1112.2 Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text. RL.1112.3 Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed). RL.1112.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. RL.1112.5 Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact. RL.1112.6 8 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement). Writing W.1112.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. W.1112.1.a Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. W.1112.1.b Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. W.1112.1.c Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. W.1112.1.d Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. W.1112.1.e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. W.1112.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, wellchosen details, and wellstructured event sequences. W.1112.3.a Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation and its significance, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events. W.1112.3.b Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. W.1112.3.c 9 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution). W.1112.3.d Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. W.1112.3.e Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. Speaking and Listening SL.1112.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks. SL.1112.5 Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. SL.1112.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A: STUDENTS WILL KNOW: ● different types of texts are called genres ● how to identify crime drama from flicking through television channels (through typical characters, settings, plots, etc.) ● examples of crime drama from television or film ● in crime dramas, audiences typically root for the law (“good guys”) to win and the villains (“bad guys”) to lose ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: ● ● ● ● ● What is a crime drama? What is media text? What is media language? What is an autobiography? What is comedy? GUIDING QUESTIONS: ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING): DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS: ● ● Questionnaire assessing students’ knowledge about crime drama as a genre Examples provided by students of current crime dramas they are aware of on TV or through books they’ve read FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: 10 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 ● What are the conventions of a crime drama? ● How does media language impact or effectively convey the message behind media text? ● What are the typical story lines of crime dramas? ● What typical characters are found in a crime drama? ● What are the elements of an autobiography? ● How do all of a film’s elements come together to work as a whole? ● ● ● that characters drive the story forward, making us love or hate them what an autobiographical work is what comedy consists of B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: ● the law represents the forces of good in crime drama ● crime drama consists of 5 primary conventions: character types, setting, narrative, style, and themes ● television programs are a type of media text ● media text uses its own “language” to speak to an audience ● media language incorporates various conventions of crime drama (character types, setting, narrative, style, and themes) to tell audiences a story C: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: ● understand the conventions of a crime drama ● identify various character types in a crime drama with detailed explanations from the text or film ● understand how a work can be serve as an example of crime drama yet also be viewed as a comedy ● ● ● ● ● Comprehension and literary analysis questions on the text Quizzes Analytical essay Twopart performance assessment while viewing the film Closing discussions SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: ● ● Cumulative test on the text Culminating activity: create your own crime drama episode SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Text: Catch Me if You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake by Frank Abagnale, Jr. Students will read Catch Me if You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake by Frank Abagnale, Jr. As students read the text, they will be given a series of comprehension questions and quizzes to check for understanding. A cumulative test will be given upon the completion of the text. 11 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Introduce to Students the ELEMENTS of an AUTOBIOGRAPHY ● Characters ● Setting ● Details ● Chronological Order ● Point of View ● Author’s Purpose As students read the text, invite them to share how each of these elements are present. Introduce to Students the various CHARACTER TYPES of a CRIME DRAMA Officers of the Law ● Hero cop ● Heroine cop ● Antihero ● Quirky detectives ● Badtempered but brilliant detectives ● Rookie ● Buddy partners ● Grumpy, worldweary superior officer ● Forensic scientists/pathologists/other medical professionals ● Psychology experts/consultants/helpers ● FBI agents ● Lawyers ● Informants The central figure of the detective is so crucial to some crime dramas, that the show is named after them: we call this the eponymous hero (the film, Alex Cross ). It may even be a duo we are rooting for ( Thelma & Louise ). Other programmes have wider focus, with many characters shown as equally important and we like to watch them interact with each other: these are called ensemble dramas ( Law & Order ). Victims & Criminals ● Victims ● Criminals ● Suspects Introduce theorist Vladimir Propp’s character types for crime dramas: ● Hero who goes on a quest ● Villain who is against the hero 12 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 ● ● ● Dispatcher who sets the hero off on their quest Donor helps the hero Princess the prize for the hero Introduce to Students the possible SETTINGS of a CRIME DRAMA ● Interview room ● Court room ● Autopsy room ● Squad room in police station ● City (which can be viewed symbolically as a place of crime and threat) ● Rural settings Introduce to Students the various NARRATIVES of a CRIME DRAMA Invite students to conceive the narrative (story) of a crime drama as parts of a jigsaw puzzle. They are: ● opening teaser ● quest ● set pieces ● suspense ● cliffhangers ● enigma ● clues ● conflict ● dramatic irony ● resolution Introduce to Students the common THEMES of a CRIME DRAMA ● resolution to a mystery ● questions of morality ● debates about innocence and guilt ● verisimilitude audiences can recognize the representations of “ordinary” people in everyday environments ● power struggles (between divisions of police, government and the police, and the judiciary system and the police) ● teamwork and pleasure taken in success ● conflict between different modes of policing ● father/son relationship dynamic ( between experienced detectives and sidekicks/rookies or police and the criminal) ● struggles with bureaucracy ● sacrifices in private lives made be dedicated police ● different characteristics of villainy ● corruption and betrayal 13 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 ANALYTICAL ESSAY Students will prepare a 5 paragraph essay analyzing the film as a crime drama using the terms learned and specific examples to support their arguments. The following performance assessment may be used as a point of reference in preparing the essay. PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT WHILE VIEWING THE FILM “Catch Me if You Can” is inspired by the true story of the F.B.I.’s hunt for a ‘brilliant master of deception: Frank Abagnale, Jr.’ who posed as a pilot, lawyer, and doctor. The key players in the movie are Frank Abagnale, Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio), Carl HanrattyF.B.I. agent (Tom Hanks) & Frank Abagnale, Sr. (Christopher Walken). This Performance Assessment includes two parts: Part I: Movie Worksheet (during watching the movie) = 50 Points Part II: Reflection Paper (after watching the movie) = 50 Points Part I: Movie Worksheet 1. In bullet form, outline the financial troubles that Frank Abagnale, Sr. and his family have at the beginning of the movie. 2. Keep a running list of each scam that Frank Abagnale, Jr. accomplishes and a brief explanation. 3. Explain how Frank Abagnale, Jr. tries to bring happiness to his father again. Does it work? 4. On the surface level, it appears that Frank Abagnale, Jr. is bad, and Carl Hanratty, (Tom Hanks) is good. However, describe what underlying problems they both deal with. 5. Frank Abagnale, Jr. calls Carl Hanratty on Christmas Eve. Why does he do this? 6. By defrauding literally hundreds of people, Frank Abagnale, Jr. had anything he wanted, or almost anything. What was missing in his life and how did it affect him? 7. Give an example from the movie for each situation where Frank’s fraudulent activities: a. only affected the finances of a large business b. directly affected the lives of people around him c. negatively affected his own personal life 8. Why did the airlines have such a difficult time catching and prosecuting Frank for impersonating a pilot and forging payroll checks? 9. How did Frank get money throughout the movie without depositing checks into a bank account? 10. Even though Frank posed as an adult throughout the film, how was his actual age demonstrated through his actions? Give two examples and explain why. Part II: Reflection Paper The paper should include: ● Introduction ● Paragraph on the true story of Frank Abagnale, Jr. including: ○ Two pieces of information that were not clearly explained in the movie ○ Consequences Abagnale served for his fraudulent lifestyle ○ What he is doing now 14 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 ● ● ● Paragraph on your reaction to the movie ○ Did you like/dislike it? ○ Your favorite part of the movie Paragraph on the connections of the movie to the class ○ Give specific examples Conclusion CLOSING DISCUSSIONS 1. 2. Why do you believe the director of Catch Me if You Can , Steven Spielberg, chose to consolidate numerous FBI agents involved in tracking and arresting Frank Abagnale, Jr. into the fictional character of Carl Hanratty played by Tom Hanks? In what ways can some viewers also view Catch Me if You Can as a comedy? What elements of the film were comedic to you? CULMINATING TASK FOR STUDENTS: Create Your Own Episode for a Crime Drama Students will work in groups to create their own episodes for a crime drama. They may use an existing crime drama or create their own. Discuss the characters, scenes, plotline, and outline an episode. 15 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Unit 3: The Science Fiction Novel and Film BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: The novel Jurassic Park challenges the presumption that man can control nature, and that man can play God with enough power and money. This offers students an entry into complex national culture issues, as it deals with the idea of cloning for profit. The unit also focuses students to continue to analyze mankind’s ability to control things specifically the natural world in this text. By analyzing a mathematical theory called Chaos Theory, and Crichton creation The Malcolm Effect, students will grow an understanding of how chaos (sometimes referred to as fate in the text) can control our (mankind’s) systems and rebalance them in the patterns of the natural order of the world. Further, students will grapple with the idea that there is no such thing as a controlled system in the natural world; but that the natural world is constantly breaking down and reforming itself based on new balance points each time. Students will begin to understand the differences between mechanical, and therefore controllable, systems and nonmechanical, or living, “unbalanced” systems. Also, this unit will encourage student centered learning in the classroom, with multiple projects to encourage collaborative learning among students, while also providing the individual with rewarding challenges and proper acknowledgment of accomplishments. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Reading: Literature RL.1112.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. RL.1112.2 Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text. RL.1112.3 Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed). RL.1112.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. RL.1112.7 Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.) 16 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Writing W.1112.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. W.1112.1.a Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. W.1112.1.b Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. W.1112.1.c Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. W.1112.1.d Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. W.1112.1.e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. W.1112.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. W.1112.2.a Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. W.1112.2.b Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic. W.1112.2.c Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. 17 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Speaking and Listening SL.1112.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks. SL.1112.5 Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. SL.1112.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: ● What is science fiction? ● What is fate? ● What does it mean to “play God”? GUIDING QUESTIONS: ● What are the elements of a science fiction text/film? ● What does it mean to “have control”? ● How does fate effect human actions? ● How do humans try to control their lives? ● Can natural (nonmechanical) systems be controlled? ● How does Chaos Theory effect human actions? ● Should man try to control nature? ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A. STUDENTS WILL KNOW: ● how Jurassic Park failed, and more importantly, why it had to fail ● the role Dennis Nedry and John Hammond played in escalating the “Malcolm Effect” in the novel vs. the film ● the role of Dr. Alan Grant, Dr. Wu, Muldoon, and Dr. Ellie Sattler as reluctant heroes in the novel vs. the film ● the role of Dr. Ian Malcolm as prophet/philosopher in the novel vs. the film B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: ● Chaos Theory relates to fate ● concepts can be challenged by different interpretations of the text through the ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING): DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS: ● Questionnaire assessing students’ understanding and knowledge of dinosaurs ● Survey assessing how much students know about “The Butterfly Effect” ● Class and group discussions on the existence of fate and the role, if any, it plays in life along with personal examples or examples from literary works students have previously read FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: ● Dinosaur research project ● Chaos Theory activity ● Writer’s Notebook entries ● “Journey Through the Park” game board 18 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 viewing of a film adaptation while simultaneously reading the source novel C. STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: ● understand the complexities of Chaos Theory and how it relates to fate ● understand the role of choice in relation to power, control, fate, and Chaosgoverned, natural systems and be able to analyze character actions and motivations ● explain Chaos Theory and the “Malcolm Effect” ● look at a text through two different means in order to gain meaning and further understanding of critical ideas within the text ● create “retellings” of a text to further understanding and gain new insight into key events in the text ● perform Internet searches to come up with viable, valuable information for informal and formal research projects SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: ● 58 page thesis paper related to one of the essential questions of the unit ● 5slide “Ignite” Powerpoint presentation sharing these thesis and research goals with the class ● Venn Diagram illustrating how Chaos Theory played a role in the disasters at both Jurassic Park and the recent film Jurassic World SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Text: Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton Students will complete a novel and film analysis of Jurassic Park . A prime focus of the unit will be examining the characters’ attempts to control a manmade prehistoric ecosystem on the island of Isla Nublar and the role fate played in exemplifying this failure. INTRODUCTORY LESSON: Students will familiarize themselves with the the world of Jurassic Park and be shown the opening of the film, in which a worker is killed by a Velociraptor. While viewing the film clip, they will complete a “Considerations and Observations” worksheet in which they will note anything they find confusing, interesting, or would like to discuss more in class. They will then read the “aftermath” of this attack in the novel through the chapters “Prologue” and “The Bite of the Raptor,” and subsequent events on nearby islands, forming prediction statements in groups. Silent reading time will then be given to read the 19 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 section “First Iteration.” CLONING ACTIVITY Students will do research on cloning and/or gene manipulation and stemcell research, filling out a corresponding worksheet provided. The students will be responsible for answering the following questions: ● What was the first resource you found when you typed in one of the terms in Google? ● Do you trust this source? Why or why not? ● When was the first animal successfully cloned? ● Is stemcell research currently allowed in the United States? ● What opinion pieces can you find on cloning? What do they say? (list the website name and write a brief summary of your findings) ● Where would you go next to look for more information? DINOSAUR RESEARCH PROJECT Students will be placed into groups. Groups will be assigned a particular dinosaur to investigate and report out on to the rest of the class. At the end of the presentations, all students will have a collection of fact sheets for each major dinosaur that will aide them in further study and reflection upon the text. In groups, students will be assigned one of the dinosaurs from Jurassic Park and complete a series of miniresearch projects relating to that dinosaur in order to create a visual and text presentation for the rest of the class. The visual is at students’ discretion, but each group must create a onepage take away for each member of the class, and one for the teacher. Students will answer the following questions about their dinosaur: 1. What is its Latin name, and what does it translate to? 2. Find several artistic representations of this dinosaur, from the past to the present day 3. A picture of a (complete if possible) skeleton 4. A paleontological description of the animal, including height, weight, likely behaviors, timeline of existence, etc. 5. Any other pertinent information that may be found The visual element can be a poster, a Powerpoint or Prezi, a photoessay, a model, a collection of drawings in a portfolio, etc. CHAOS THEORY AND YOU ACTIVITY Students will be shown the film clip of Dr. Malcolm explaining Chaos Theory to Dr. Ellie Sattler in the Jurassic Park jeep. They will then be asked to share what they know about “The Butterfly Effect.” All responses will be written on the board. A brief lecture will then be given on the basics of Chaos Theory. Students will then work in pairs to complete a short activity applying Chaos Theory to any aspects of life or plots of novels and/or films they have prior familiarity with. Students will then share their responses in a class discussion. CHARACTER ANALYSIS Students will participate in class discussions regarding various topics present within the text, and interact more deeply with core characters like Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. John Hammond and analyze their roles within the film and the novel. In small groups, students will discuss multiple characters and the representations of those characters in both the novel and film. They will form initial predictions about those characters’ and their role in the novel, and they will continue to analyze the plot structure. Students will continue to work through the idea of fate altering mankind’s ability to control the natural world through the reading of the novel and class activities. 1. Students will view the film clip depicting the introduction to Drs. Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler, and their recruitment by Dr. John Hammond. 20 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Students will discuss, in small groups, Grant as a characterwho does he represent to the audience of the novel, and why? Students will discuss, in small groups, how Hammond is portrayed as a character: can they make any inferences about him based on the film? Can they make inferences about him from the interaction we have had with him in the text? Is he benevolent, or antagonistic? Students will record their initial impressions of Hammond in their writer’s notebooks. Students will then view the film clip of Dennis Nedry’s recruitment to steal the embryos from the island. Students will discuss their initial impressions of Nedry, and answer the same questions about him as they did about Hammond. Students will view the film clip of the visitors arriving at the park. Students will discuss the impact visuals have on their reading of the storywhat stood out in the novel? In the film? Students will begin reading the section “Third Iteration.” DISCUSSION OF THE IDEA OF CONTROL Students will discuss the texts so far using a fishbowl discussion technique, comparing and contrasting common themes and ideas from both texts (novel and film) as they are represented in the film. Specifically, students will discuss the idea of control in the novel, and investigate the inherent weaknesses present in the novel thus far (usually spotted and explained by Dr. Malcolm). Students will then write in their writer’s notebooks about their discussion, the sections read thus far, and any predictions they have based on the text. TOURING THE PARK Students will read silently the tour through the park, and then watch the film clip, once again analyzing the differences between both texts. Students will be required to fill out an activity sheet on the film clips, and identify themes within both texts that create suspense and foreboding before the “action” takes place. A discussion will ensue based around the following questions: ● Analyze Malcolm and Grant’s mutual role in exposing the flaws within the system of Jurassic Park. ● Tim and Lex How does youth influence the system of the park? ● How does the Tyrannosaurus Rex’s kill influence the pace of the novel? How does it affect the other characters? ● What role do the charts and graphs have in the telling of this story? (Do they add credibility to the novel’s plot? To Ian’s observations about mathematical systems?) ● What is the significance of the baby raptors being on the supply ship headed out from Isla Nublar? ● Why is Ed Regis not present in the film? Who takes on his role, and why is this? (Think about authorial intent.) ● What is Muldoon’s role in the novel so far, and who does he represent for the audience? After the class discussion, students will view the tour clips on the film and fill out a corresponding worksheet by answering the following questions: 1. How does the first interaction with a dinosaur on the tour of the park set up the scene? 2. How does the dialogue between Hammond and Nedry reflect upon both of their characters? 3. Malcolm and Sattler very eloquently sum up a major theme of the novel so far: the consequences for mankind as it tries to become God and control nature. How does this dialogue make you feel? How does it relate back to the novel? Is there a correct answer to this “question” evident yet in either text? 4. “It [the TRex] wants to hunt, not to be fed.” How does Grant’s observation outside the Tyrannosaur paddock create an image of the TRex in the context of the film? How does it continue the discourse from the above question? 5. How does Malcolm’s explanation of Chaos work in the movie? Do you think it effects the character’s actions (as in, do all of their actions lie outside their own control?) 21 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 6. 7. What do you notice about the lighting as these scenes progress? How does weather reflect the increasing tension in the scene? INHERENT HUMAN FLAWS, THE POWER OUTAGE, AND THE ATTACK ON THE MAIN ROAD Through character analysis of character action in both texts, students will continue to expand their understanding of Chaos and Fate in relation to the texts. Students will analyze the ordering of the action in both texts. 1. Students will reread “The Main Road” chapter before viewing the film clip. 2. Students will be asked to pull out key words or phrases that relate to the inevitability of the upcoming event (examples: “the time of day didn’t matter to a tyrannosaur.” “The greatest predator the world has ever known.” “It seemed confused by what had happened to it.” “It can’t get to me, it’s too big.” “Perhaps extinct animals should be left extinct.”) 3. Students will then view the film clip, taking informal notes. 4. Students will then break into two large groups and discuss either Hammond or Nedry in the text. How does each character react to the events unfolding around them? How does Hammond deal with the fact that Nedry was his choice, or does he feel any responsibility for what is happening in the park? What specific textual examples can you pull out to defend your claim? How does Nedry’s plan fall apart? 5. Students will discuss their findings and then watch Nedry’s death in the film. 6. Students will then read the chapter “Nedry” in the section “Fourth Iteration.” 7. Students will discuss the significance to his death. What does Chaos Theory have to say about the way that Nedry died, and why he had to die? 8. What traits are “inherent” in both of these characters that makes their quest for control over the natural world and others impossible? For Hammonddo students think his plans will succeed? Why or why not? GOING THROUGH THE PARK AND BUILDING JURASSIC PARK GAME BOARDS Students will create a playable game based on the events in the novel section “Fifth Iteration” chronically, specifically Grant, Tim, and Lex’s journey through the park back to the Visitor Center. 1. Students can choose to work in groups or with partners. They will be using the chapters that chronicle the experience of Grant and the kids through the park. 2. Using textual evidence to describe each part of the game board, create the game and the rules. 3. Students will share their games with the rest of the class, and describe their creative processwhich parts the thought were the most important and how they incorporated them into the game. 4. Students will swap game boards and play each other’s games. 5. Students will prepare comments on one another’s games. 6. A class discussion will ensue regarding what elements were found in each game, and if any, what important events were not included. Did any group include other characters besides the children and Dr. Grant? 7. Students will continue to discuss the journey through the park in terms of obstacles that everyone must overcome trying to turn on the power/get back to the Visitor Center. EXPLORING THE FUTILITY OF CONTROL AND RAPTORS IN THE KITCHEN Students will discuss elements of suspense in the film’s finale and contrast responses about the film as a whole. The class will also write an inclass paper on: How does the film make the natural world seem uncontrollable? How does this reference the “Malcolm Effect” from the novel? 22 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 ● ● ● ● Students will view sequences of the film, starting with Dr. Sattler and Muldoon traveling to the power shed and moving through the “defeat” of the raptor in the kitchen. Students will discuss with partners any elements of suspense that they noted during the film clips and why those moments stood out for them. Students will be focusing on filming techniques and dialogue that creates suspense in the film. Students will have 30 minutes to write to the following prompt after group discussion: How does the film make the natural world seem uncontrollable? How does this reference the “Malcolm Effect” from the novel? Use textual evidence from the film to support your claims. Students will read the section “Seventh Iteration” from the novel. ● REINVESTIGATING CHAOS THEORY: DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FILM AND NOVEL’S CONCLUSION TO ISLAND CRISIS Students will explore the role of Chaos in the novel and in the film through discussion and poster creation. They will also make predictions in writing about how the novel will end in comparison to the movie. They will also be sharing orally at the end of class. ● Students will choose groups of 4 to work in and gather supplies. ● Students will be assigned one character or plot device and be asked to visually represent its personal story on poster or construction paper. Examples include a stepbystep model of one character’s actions based on motivations, and how that character will end up at the conclusion of the story. ● Character choices: Grant, Muldoon, Mr. Arnold, Hammond, Tim and Lex, Sattler, Genaro (novel version) ● Students will be asked to explain their visuals in relation to chaos theory, i.e., how did Chaos influence the events within this character’s storyline? ● Students will present their posters to the class, and posters will remain hung on the walls until the conclusion of the unit. ● Students will watch the concluding scenes of the film, filling out a reaction worksheet at the conclusion. REACTION WORKSHEET What is your reaction to the film? What did you like? What did you dislike? What (of what we have read) do you wish had been in the film? Why do you think it wasn’t in the film? How do you think the novel will end in comparison to the film? DESTROYING THE NESTING SITES IN “SEVENTH ITERATION” Students will discuss the implications of having a continued endingcontrol of the park has been reclaimed, but there is one job left to do. Students will analyze the decision to destroy the park. ● Students will discuss the bombing of the island: as a solution and as another problem. They will also discuss Hammond’s death, and the ambiguity of the epilogue, sharing their thoughts on what they think has and will happen. ● Students will illustrate a scene from “Seventh Iteration” in their writer’s notebooks in comicbook style, without using their books. DOCUMENTARY Students will watch a “Making Of” documentary and take notes to assist them on a corresponding quiz which will ask the following questions: ● How did the filmmakers come up with the idea for this movie? ● How were the dinosaurs originally going to be filmed? ● Who were the people involved with the creation of the dinosaurs on screen? ● What was the “first step” in film production in 1991? ● How were the skins made for the robotics? ● How did the film crew storyboard the film? 23 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 ● ● ● ● ● Where was the film shot? How did the filmmakers create the sounds of the dinosaurs? What was the name of the paleontologist that counseled the film makers? What line did Spielberg put in the film from Phil Tippet? What did Phil Tippet become in charge of after Spielberg cut his GoMotion scenes? EMPHASIS THROUGH SOUND Students will begin by freewriting in their writer’s notebooks about soundtracks: Have they ever bought a soundtrack before? Do they remember a soundtrack from a movie they’ve seen? Why do they remember it, if they can think of one? Why can’t they if they do not have a movie in mind? Students will also listen to the film soundtrack and fill out a worksheet answering the following questions: ● Listening to the first track, illustrate your feelings, ideas, anything that comes to mind while you listen to and think about the music. ● Listening to the second track, do the same thing from the above question. ● Listening to track 5, what dinosaur do you think this represents? Why? ● What do you think is happening in the film while track 8 is playing? Why? ● Which character does track 12 make you think of? Why? ● Draw what you remember about track 13 from the movie. If you can’t remember anything specific, improvise. ● Draw how track 14 makes you feel. ● Draw what you would like to see happen during the music of track 15. ● How does track 16 combine all the elements of the previous tracks, and where do you think it goes in the film? CLOSING ACTIVITY: Students will view the 2015 film Jurassic World , a “sister film” to the 1993 film Jurassic Park . Students will work in pairs to complete a Venn Diagram depicting how Chaos Theory played a role in the disasters of both theme parks. 24 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Unit 4: The Black Comedy and Drama Film BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will be introduced to the “black comedy” as they read One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey. They will come to understand how the purpose of black humor is often grounded in treating topics that as often regarded as taboo in an unusually humorous or satirical manner while still retaining their seriousness. Students will also be introduced to the concept of the antihero and be able to explain how the protagonist is an antihero with evidence from both the text and film. Discussions will also center around society’s perception of the mentally ill at the time the work was written along with how the treatment of mental patients has since improved. Themes of identity, conformity in society, and facing injustice will also be prime focuses of discussion. The portrayal of women as menacing figures in the work will also be analyzed by students in an essay, along with Kesey’s use of biblical allusions. Throughout their reading of the text, students will complete 4 different reading reflections, maintain 3 patient logs, and complete a series of comprehension and literary analysis questions for each chapter. Culminating activities for the unit include a 5paragraph opinion based essay and a newspaper article written from the perspective of a journalist. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Reading: Literature RL.1112.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. RL.1112.2 Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text. RL.1112.3 Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed). Writing W.1112.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. W.1112.1.a Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. 25 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 W.1112.1.b Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. W.1112.1.c Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. W.1112.1.d Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. W.1112.1.e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. W.1112.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. W.1112.2.a Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. W.1112.2.b Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic. W.1112.2.c Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. W.1112.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a selfgenerated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. W.1112.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and 26 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation. W.1112.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: ● What is black comedy? ● Who and/or what determines our identities? ● Does being a productive citizen of society require conforming and relinquishing one’s individuality? ● How doand how shouldindividuals act in the face of injustice? Might one response, “going mad,” ever be a sane one? How do this and other possible responses serve or not serve us as individuals? ● How can we achieve freedom in a world bound by laws and institutions? ● Is madness/mental illness subjective? ● Who has power and why? ● Is power, by its nature, corruptive? ● How is power perceived differently in men versus women? ● How do authors use symbols to represent social issues and conditions in the text? ● How does the text reflect historical and contemporary culture? ● What is a hero? ● What is an antihero? ● What is conformity? What does it mean to conform in society? ● What does the individual learn from ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A. STUDENTS WILL KNOW: ● biographical information about Ken Kesey that influenced his writing of this novel. ● how the treatment of mental patients has improved since the novel was written. ● how the 1960s counterculture both influenced and was influenced by Kesey’s novel. ● how to write an article, using concepts familiar to reporters (5Ws and H Who, What Where, When, Why, and How, and objective stance) B. STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: ● in the past, our society has typically looked down upon the mentally ill and subjected them to discrimination, abuse, neglect, subjugation, and rejection. ● care for individuals with mental illnesses has drastically improved since the time when the book was written (1962), although some negative attitudes toward the mentally ill persist. ● society and its institutions have an obligation to treat members fairly and humanely. ● embracing individualism may come at a price; however, it may also ultimately be ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING): DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS: ● Survey assessing students’ knowledge of mental disorders, forms of treatment, and society’s attitude toward the mentally ill FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: ● Quizzes ● 4 reading reflections ● 3 patient logs ● Argumentative essay SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: ● Opinionbased essay ● Article assignment ● Cumulative test 27 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 ● ● success and failure? How do individuals respond to adversity, and how does their response affect the greater society? What causes societies to become unjust, and how do individuals respond to injustice? the best way to change corrupt societies and institutions. C. STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: ● recognize Christian/biblical images in the novel and discuss the question of whether or not McMurphy is a Christlike character. ● analyze the way the author uses descriptions of the characters’ hands to define personality. ● define black comedy and cite examples of black comedy in the novel. ● discuss the extent to which the Chief is or is not a reliable narrator. ● point out how the following words apply to the Chief’s hallucinations (combine, fog, time control) ● show how McMurphy’s presence in the hospital demonstrates the conflicts between the individual’s needs and society’s needs. ● cite comments or incidents from the novel to prove themes. ● point out the significance of the author’s choice of character names in the story including: Ratched, Big Nurse, Chief Broom, Billy Bibbitt. ● cite incidents from the story which illustrate the abuses the patients suffer at the hands of the staff. ● use the Internet for research purposes. ● analyze and evaluate mental health care in the past to that of the present. ● recommend improvements for mental health care based upon their findings. GUIDING QUESTIONS: ● What are the conventions of black comedy? ● What examples of black comedy are found in the story? ● What is society’s responsibility toward individuals with mental illnesses? ● How do authors use the protagonist as a “hero”? What is the author’s definition of a hero? ● How does this novel contribute to our understanding of good vs. evil? What is the novel’s definition of good vs. evil? ● What is the purpose of conformity? ● What is the author implying about conformity in the novel? ● When should individuals conform, and when should they rebel? 28 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Students will read an excerpt from The Electric KoolAid Acid Test to learn more Kesey’s background and influences on his novel. Text: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey. Students will read One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey.. As students read the text, they will be given a series of comprehension questions and quizzes to check for understanding. A cumulative test will be given upon the completion of the text. Introduce to students the concept of an ANTIHERO. In fiction, an antihero or antiheroine is a protagonist whose character or goals would not be seen as being traditionally heroic. Generally, an antihero will have the following qualities: ● they have human flaws making them more accessible to readers because they are imperfect ● they are often disillusioned with society ● they often seek redemption or revenge for their own satisfaction, and sometimes for the greater good of society ● they don’t always think about what is the right, moral thing to do but what is right for them (self interested) ● they reject traditional values ● they are often called noble criminals or vigilantes ● they possess qualities normally belonging to villainssuch as amorality, greed, and violent tendenciesbut are considered more human and noble ● their noble motives are pursued by breaking the law; a.k.a. “the ends justify the means.” PREREADING GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Students will form groups to discuss and formulate onetwo paragraph responses for each of the following questions prior to beginning the reading. 1. What constitutes mental illness? For what types of behaviors, if any, should people be institutionalized? 2. What basic rights, if any, should be denied to someone exhibiting mental illness? 3. To what extent is conformity necessary to a society? When does such conformity become a danger to human rights? 4. Explain the meaning of the following quotation: “Power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely.” PATIENT LOG ASSIGNMENTS: While students are reading the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, they will be completing 3 patient log assignments. Their task will be to write a paragraph from the perspective of the head nurse Miss Ratched. They are to report on an incident involving the new patient Randall McMurphy. Patient Log # 1: For the first patient log, students will skim read pages 90116. Write a paragraph reporting on either the towel incident involving McMurphy’s lack of a uniform or the new gamesroom idea he brings up with the doctor at the group therapy meeting. Your paragraph must be a minimum of five complete sentences and include two quotes from the novel. Please include the following information: Patient Name: Randall McMurphy 29 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Administrator: Nurse Ratched Incident Reported: _______________________________ Comments: (one paragraph) Patient Log # 2: For the second patient log, students will skim read pages 192209. Write a paragraph reporting on McMurphy breaking the glass window of the Nurse’s station to get his cigarettes, and elbowing an orderly in the face during a staffpatient basketball game. You may also want to talk about McMurphy’s requests for an accompanied pass to take the patients on a fishing trip. Patient Log # 3: For the third patient log, students will skim read pages 289325. Write a paragraph reporting on the chaos McMurphy and the guys create on the night they let Candy onto the ward. You may also want to talk about Billy Bibbitt’s suicide, McMurphy’s attempted strangulation of Nurse Ratched and his subsequent lobotomy. CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE READING REFLECTIONS Part 1 Reading Reflection Write approximately one paragraph each about two of the topics below. Be sure you reference specific examples (either direct quotes or a specific example) within the text when explaining your ideas. ● Apply either feminist or psychoanalytical criticism to a specific section of the text. ● Pick one specific section of the text and explain its connection to an essential question. ● Pick one theme topic and explain how it is addressed and being developed in this section. Focus on one or two specific sections of the text. ● Pick one symbol or motif and explain how it is developed and why it is important in this section. Part 2 Reading Reflection Write approximately one paragraph each about two of the topics below. Be sure you reference specific examples (either direct quotes or a specific example) within the text when explaining your ideas. ● Apply either feminist or psychoanalytical criticism to a specific section of the text. ● Pick one theme topic and explain how it is addressed and being developed in this section. Focus on one or two specific sections of the text. ● Pick one symbol or motif and explain how it is developed and why it is important in this section. ● Explain how Chief begins to change in this section. Why is he changing? What deeper meaning could this reveal? ● Connect McMurphy’s conversation with Billy to bigger ideas/thematic development about society. Part 3 Reading Reflection Write approximately one paragraph each about two of the topics below. Be sure you reference specific examples (either direct quotes or a specific example) 30 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 within the text when explaining your ideas. ● Apply the psychoanalytical lens to Chief. What effect has his relationship with his mother had on him? Use text from part 3 to support your answer. ● Why is the fishing trip so important? Consider the effect it has on the men. Also, explain any thematic connections you see, using the text to explain what you think and why. ● Consider the fact that McMurphy brought 12 men on the fishing trip with him. What could this biblical allusion imply? Explain your answer with textual evidence. ● Compare and contrast Nurse Ratched with Candy using the feminist lens. Reference on specific question from the feminist criticism questions handout and apply it to specific textual evidence in the text. Explain your conclusions. Part 4 Reading Reflection Write approximately one paragraph each about two of the topics below. Be sure you reference specific examples (either direct quotes or a specific example) within the text when explaining your ideas. ● Pick an essential question and explain how the text reveals an answer to that question. Be sure you reference specifics from part 4. ● Pick a theme topic. Write a theme statement that you could infer from the text and pick a section from part 4 to explain how and why you developed this particular theme statement. ● Pick a symbol or motif from this section and explain how it reveals a theme statement in the text. ● Why do you think Kesey chose the ending that he did? Explain why with textual evidence from other parts of part 4 to explain your ideas. ● Who wins in the end: Nurse or McMurphy? Explain your response with text from part 4. ● Were both deaths in part 4 necessary? Explain your perspective with evidence from part 4. QUOTE ANALYSIS Students will identify and analyze important quotes and their meanings from each section of the text in preparation for the final cumulative test. ANALYSIS OF SYMBOLS Authors use symbols and motifs to emphasize images and ideas that can lead to significance in thematic development. Students will discuss and attempt to decipher symbolic meanings for the following: ● laughter ● the invisible/unseen ● size ● fog machine ● the geese ● boxer shorts ● electroshock therapy table ● biblical allusions ● symbolism of names ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY Students will write a 5 paragraph essay explaining the role of women in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. 31 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 OPINION ESSAY Students will write a 5 paragraph essay on one of the following topics: 1. Although McMurphy has his faults, he is an antihero because he is courageous, selfconfident, and willing to sacrifice himself for the other patients. 2. Why are Harding, Billy Bibbitt, and Sefelt patients at the hospital? Explain how society has shamed them into psychiatric treatment because of their inability to conform to socalled “normal” behavior. 3. Find three examples where McMurphy teaches the patients that an individual’s rights to make decisions, even if he is a mental patient, is more important than the need to conform to authority (i.e. the ward’s rules). 4. Nurse Ratched is a symbol of corrupt power and authority. Find three examples in the novel of the head nurse abusing her power and authority. ARTICLE ASSIGNMENT: How has mental health care changed in America since the novel? What issues surrounding mental health care still need to be addressed? You are a journalist who has been asked by your editor to write an update to Ken Kesey’s expose of the mental health industry. You must research the history of mental health care in the U.S. and other western countries and determine what kind of progress has been made since the death of Randall P. McMurphy in the late 1950s in an Oregon mental health facility. In order to accomplish this task, you must go undercover as a mental patient, recording your thoughts and experiences in a journal. You will use this journal to write your update article. 32 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Unit 5: The Victorian Ghost Story & Horror Film BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will read Susan Hill’s novel The Woman in Black , an example of Gothic fiction and a classic Victorian ghost story. Discussions will center around identifying the most common elements of Gothic literature and Victorian ghost stories in the text, how the author builds tension and establishes suspense, and identifying textbased evidence to support the novel’s themes. Students will also watch two film versions of The Woman in Black and prepare a constructed response explaining which film version they believed best captured the elements of Gothic fiction and horror with examples to support their claim. Culminating activities for the unit will include a reaction to a film critic’s review of the film in the form of a persuasive essay and a creative writing assignment in which students will write their own Victorian ghost stories. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Reading: Literature RL.1112.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. RL.1112.2 Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text. RL.1112.3 Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed). RL.1112.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. RL.1112.7 Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text. Writing W.1112.1.b 33 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. W.1112.1.c Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. W.1112.1.d Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. W.1112.1.e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. W.1112.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. W.1112.2.a Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. W.1112.2.b Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic. W.1112.2.c Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. W.1112.2.d Use precise language, domainspecific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic. W.1112.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, wellchosen details, and wellstructured event sequences. W.1112.3.b Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. 34 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 W.1112.3.c Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution). W.1112.3.d Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. W.1112.3.e Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. W.1112.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Gradespecific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) Speaking and Listening SL.1112.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (oneonone, in groups, and teacherled) with diverse partners on grades 1112 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. SL.1112.1.a Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, wellreasoned exchange of ideas. SL.1112.1.b Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decisionmaking, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed. .SL.1112.1.c Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives. SL.1112.1.d Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING): 35 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: ● What is a Gothic novel? ● What is a Victorian ghost story? ● What is suspense? ● What are the differences between horror and terror? GUIDING QUESTIONS: ● What are the elements of Gothic literature? ● What are the conventions of Victorian ghost stories? ● What atmospheric elements or moods to Gothic writers use to convey tension and suspense? A. STUDENTS WILL KNOW: ● Examples of Gothic/horror fiction or film from their own previous readings, movies, or television ● What basic elements comprise a ghost story ● knowledge of superstitions ● symbolism associated with the “color” black B. STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: ● the author of a Gothic story may use weather to help establish atmosphere ● the ghosts in many Victorian stories haunt because of a motive ● Gothic fiction and horror share many similarities C. STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: ● identify examples of Gothic literature in a Gothic novel ● identify the elements of a Victorian ghost story in such a novel ● identify elements contributed by Susan Hill to the Victorian ghost story genre as depicted in one of her novels ● identify elements of horror in the film version ● explain how weather plays a role in establishing mood and atmosphere in a Gothic novel ● cite textual evidence to support themes in a Gothic novel DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS: ● Questionnaire/survey about previous knowledge of Gothic literature and elements of a horror film FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: ● Comprehension and literary analysis questions ● Constructed response analytical essay ● Discussion of themes with textual evidence SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: ● Cumulative test ● Persuasive essay in response to a film critic’s review ● Your Own Victorian Ghost Story creative writing assignment SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: 36 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 Text: The Woman in Black by Susan Hill Observe the cover art and movie poster for The Woman in Black . What do you think makes them Gothic? List as many different things as you can. Review with students the elements of Gothic literature: ● Gloomy, decaying setting (haunted houses or castles with secret passages, trapdoors, and other mysterious architecture) ● Supernatural beings or monsters ● Curses or prophecies ● Damsels in distress ● Heroes ● Romance ● Intense emotions Introduction: Share the following quote from Susan Hill with students: “ I really wrote it as an exercise almost. I love traditional English, classic, ghost stories, particularly Victorian ghost stories which are virtually always dependent upon atmosphere...I wanted to see if I could take the ingredients of those classic ghost stories and rework them. The first thing was to make a list of what the ingredients of the classic English ghost story are.” Susan Hill In pairs, students will draw up a list of what they consider to be the important elements of a classic ghost story. They should have at least 5. Provide students a synopsis of Henry James’s novella The Turn of the Screw , the same ghost story which inspired Susan Hill to write The Woman in Black . Invite students to read through the synopsis and determine what elements of a classic ghost story are apparent. Students should read through their notes on Gothic literature, and highlight any elements of this tradition that are used in The Woman in Black . They should have noticed the following: ● The isolated location ● 1st person narrator ● The growing unease of the protagonist ● The use of women and children ● The sightings and the physical appearance of the ghost ● A haunted house ● Madness ● A curse ● Revenge ● Superstition ● Darkness ● Death 37 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 What do these elements add to the story? On Setting ● Overall, the isolated locations of the stories help to make them eerie, because it means that the protagonists are cut off from any help. They can’t call the police, run to a neighbor, or to a crowded public place of safety. On Narrator ● In all of the stories, the narrator makes it eerie because he (invariably a male narrator) builds up the tension, we expect it to be scary. He signposts the reader when something bad is about to happen. On Ghosts ● All of the ghosts in the stories are only glimpsed; shadowy spectres in the fog (and it’s always foggy), which makes it eerie, because you are not sure if the mind is playing tricks on you or if it is real. Students will work in pairs to discuss the intended effects of TWO of the following devices (how they help to make the story eerie): 1. The isolated location 2. The 1st person narrator 3. The growing unease of the protagonist 4. The use of women and children Students need to know a little more about why Susan Hill chose to set her story 100 years earlier. Students will work in groups to research the time period that Susan Hill set her novel in. There are many reasons she chose this period that have a direct bearing on the plot. Students will find out at least 5 reasons that she chose to set her book in this time period. (Some examples: technology, women, Clean Air Act 1956, etc.) Share an excerpt with students from Shakespeare’s Hamlet in which the ghost of Hamlet’s father appears. Have students then conduct a close reading of the first appearance of the woman in black. Invite students to draw comparisons and contrasts between the depictions and overall mood/atmosphere with the appearances of both ghosts in a Venn diagram. Distribute to students the outline of a ghost story as written by The Woman in Black author, Susan Hill, herself: SUSAN HILL’S OUTLINE OF A GHOST STORY: The ghost story is having a new lease of life. It was at its most popular in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, before being overtaken by the horror story, which began to thrive with the horror film. But think of coffin lids opened slowly by a skeleton hand and mummified corpses – and laugh. In piling it on so thick, horror quickly became comic. A good ghost story is never funny . It is too near to us. Perhaps in order to find it convincing we must believe that it could possibly happen. I do not know of any “true” horror stories, but there are thousands of true ghost stories, beginning with those told by the flickering firelight in the caves of prehistoric man. Every region of the British Isles has its local ghost stories, and every country and culture has its repeated tales. 38 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 To be any good, a ghost story needs a structure , characters , a narrative line (dialogue is optional). Above all, the ghost must have a purpose . It may be revenge for harm suffered. It may be to explain some past incident. It may be to protest, to offer information – the whereabouts or contents of a will, a murdered body or the identity of a killer. I have never written a ghost story merely to evoke a shudder. I cannot see the point in simply making people afraid. I want to do more. I want the reader to ask questions, to ponder, to be intrigued and to create an atmosphere from which the story will emerge. Atmosphere is essential to a ghost story. How does it come about? By evocative description and a sense of place – perhaps the traditional empty, haunted house at night. Buildings are important. But a deserted office block at night in an empty city centre could be a place full of ghosts. One of the finest ghost stories ever written, M R James’s “Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad”, is set in a small Suffolk seaside town – supposed to be Aldeburgh – to which a university scholar has gone for a holiday. His hotel is old and half empty but he is asked to take a room with twin beds. He walks along the shingle beach at twilight. There have been archeological excavations during which graves have been uncovered and ancient bones disturbed. And so it begins. After reading it you may never be able to sleep alone in a room with twin beds again. The other James – Henry – was also a master of the ghost story. He wrote several short ones and one long masterpiece, The Turn of the Screw . The title indicates what the form needs to do – ratchet up the tension almost unbearably slowly. Weather is the writer’s best friend. The sudden chill breeze whistling down the chimney or a howling storm are wonderful tools to help one establish atmosphere. Time of day is important too – twilight is as good as midnight. Yet a ghost story can take place on a brilliantly sunny day, or a calm evening. Kipling’s great story about ghostly children in a garden is set at the end of a summer’s day; several of Edith Wharton’s magnificent short ghost stories take place in fine English summer weather. One of the best modern ghost stories I know breaks every rule, in that it is not, and is not intended to be, frightening: A. S. Byatt’s “The July Ghost” is profoundly moving and sad, and it raises many questions. The ghost story is alive and in better shape than it has been for a long time. I hope many of our finest writers may be challenged to take it up. There is plenty of room. written by Susan Hill on October 29, 2010 for the Telegraph Ghost Story Writing Competition. Taken from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/8093081/Telegraphghoststorywritingcompetition2010.html Brainstorm everything that you associate with stereotypical descriptions of ghosts. Be prepared to eventually compare/contrast your ideas with the way Susan Hill portrays and describes the woman in black in her novel and the way the woman in black is presented in the film. You will be asked to note any similarities or differences you discover and to provide an explanation for which version you found to be more successful in presenting a feeling of fear or dread and why. Susan Hill uses weather to represent her main character’s emotions. How does she use foreshadowing in this way throughout the novel The Woman in Black ? How has Susan Hill created tension in her novel The Woman in Black ? What techniques has she used? Susan Hill also believed that “Fictional ghosts have to have a motive.” What was the woman in black’s motive in the novel and film? Introduce to students the THEMES of Susan Hill’s novel The Woman in Black : ● Fear ● Supernatural ● Revenge 39 COURSE TITLE : Literature & Cinema G RADE(S): 11 – 12 ● Isolation and the Conspiracy of Silence Invite students to revisit these themes in the text and cite textual evidence of the presence for each. Why does Hill build a conspiracy of silence in The Woman in Black ? Write a list, of as many words as you can, that could explain why so many characters remain silent about what they know about the woman in black. CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE ANALYSIS OF FILM VERSIONS ( The Woman in Black 1989 film and The Woman in Black 2012 film) Students will prepare a 5paragraph analytical essay describing which film version they believed best incorporated the elements of horror, Gothic, and Victorian ghost literature with relevant examples and dialogue from the film. PERSUASIVE ESSAY Students will locate film reviews written by critics who have seen The Woman in Black . They will select one film review they enjoyed reading and prepare a 5 paragraph persuasive essay with a thesis statement and 3 examples explaining why they agreed or disagreed with the review after watching the film themselves. Several reviews may be found on the website www.rottentomatoes.com . YOUR OWN VICTORIAN GHOST STORY Students will refer to their notes on Gothic literature and Victorian ghost stories to write their own 23 page ghost story to share with the class. The ghost stories will be displayed on the bulletin board in the classroom. 40
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