DAILY LESSON PLAN
Luke Golden Class/Period: Beginning Video (grades 9-12)
Unit: Script Writing & Revision Date: 10/15/08
Agenda:
· Before class: Students will have at most 5 page scripts prepared to be read.
· Class time: 1 hour. Students will be introduced to lesson by being reminded to take out their journals and their feedback guide (see handout)
· Scripts to be read will have already gone through at least one set of revisions
· Students not presenting will be responsible for giving safe and constructive feedback (see form)
· There will be time for two student teams to present in a hour-long class
· (15 minutes) Students will have scripts read in class like a stage play using other students to play different parts.
· (5 minutes) Organize reading of script
· (5 minutes) Script reading
· (5 minutes after script reading) Students in audience will write down their feedback to hand in See handout.
· (10 minutes) Class will give feedback in a discussion format. Students will be evaluated on their feedback.
· (25 minutes) Repeat steps 3 & 4 for another students project
California Content Standards:
· Visual Arts Content Standards: Communication and Expression Through Original Works of Art 2.5 – Create an expressive composition, focusing on dominance and subordination
· Writing Applications 2.1 (genre and their characteristics) write fictional narratives that demonstrate a character going through a dramatic change
Objectives:
In this Lesson:
· The students will be able to analyze the reading of a screenplay and give supportive and objective comments concerning structure, tone, pacing and clarity.
· The students will be able to utilize feedback in their revisions.
· The students will be able to recognize that the feedback from colleagues is essential in the journey from script to screen.
· The students will be able to understand that the classroom is a safe place to share artistic work where they can get help without being belittled by classmates.
· The students will be able to evaluate the merits and weaknesses of not only their own work but the work of their fellow students.
· The students will be able to synthesize the value of craftsmanship, focusing on the improvement of their work and not just the meeting of a deadline.
Materials Needed:
Students must have pen and paper to write down two positive comments and two questions for each script read. Presenter must make copies of the script for their actors. Presenter must also recruit students to play parts in their script for a reading or they can elect to read their script on their own in front of the class.
Activities:
Time / Teacher Procedures / Student ResponsibilitiesBefore Class
5 min
5 min
5 min
10 min
25 min / · Teacher will have taken notes and given feedback on the student’s script first draft
· Formula for Constructive Criticism Handout will be handed out. Each concept explained and verified for understanding
· Assist student in picking readers and keeping the activity goal focused
· Maintain order and a respectful atmosphere for reading
· Maintain quiet and focused atmosphere so students can collect their thought
· Manage feedback by encouraging students to give their opinions and thoughtful reactions to the work presented
· Comment on student work along with the students
· Repeat first 4 steps with another student and their work / · Students will have written an at most 5 page script and already made changes based on feedback from teacher
· Students will organize the reading of their script—choosing students to be actors and/or readers.
· Hand out copies of their script for all presenters
· Perform script so other students can understand their story
· Speak clearly and loudly when presenting
· Students in audience will write down their feedback to hand in (at least 3 positive comments, 2 questions about the work and gentle suggestions if they choose).. See handout
· Give helpful and constructive feedback (no cruelty on negativity)
· Use written questions and notes for feedback
· Repeat first 4 steps with another student and their work
Homework:
Make revisions of their scripts based on class feedback due the following week. The student will be reminded that he/she is the author of the film and that not all feedback is valuable. The student must make the final decision on what feedback is valuable and make appropriate changes or what feedback does not strengthen their work and should be discarded. This evaluation of the student requires critical thinking and complex assessment of their own work.
Assessment or Evaluation:
The assessments will include a rubric for the writer/presenter of their script. Points will be given on a sliding scale basis depending how well each student performed within each requirement.
The assessment will be broken down as follows:
Presentation: 35 possible points
Clarity = 10 points
Creativity= 10 points
Content= 15 points
Prepared Material: 25 possible points
Each question= 10 points
Relevance and thoughtfulness= 5 points
Listening and responding: 10 possible points
Participation= 5 points
Citizenship= 5 points
Preparation: 15 possible points
Neatness= 5 points
On time= 5 points
Organization= 5 points
The points total 85 points. In order to get a perfect score of 100, 5 points are awarded to students for helpful and constructive feedback questions. Points will be taken away for cruel, silly or other unfocused comments. Three well thought out and helpful questions in addition to a student’s presentation grade will give them a final grade on the project.
An informal assessment will consist of the instructor monitoring the students’ feedback decorum and the instructor giving feedback of his own on their scripts.
Lesson Plan Commentary/Reflection:
My students in this lesson responded extremely well to the rigorous structure of the order and appropriateness of the feedback stages. Of course being high school students there would be the incomplete response of “it sucks” or “it’s good.” I would ask them “why?” and to “be specific” and usually they would rise to the level of the occasion. Some students could not be more specific about why a drama worked or didn’t work for them. I’m hoping the students would at least pay attention more when another student presents their work. However, most of the students who cannot give meaningful and constructive feedback did not write a script as an assignment. One student in particular often makes comments that have nothing to do with the topic of the class discussion. This feedback assignment’s structure often keeps this student more on task. However, he will often make an incomplete feedback response i.e. “I didn’t like it” and nothing more.
From my observation, what hinders students in their learning more than anything else is a dearth of motivation. My goal in the presented exercise is to give them a reason for wanting to learn about the various aspects of filmmaking by making it personal and during that time I will use the vocabulary and terms of this discipline while they are learning by doing. When the students are working toward a goal based on an idea that they invented, there is a much greater chance they will be interested in their own idea and more willing to work on it. I have employed various methods to stir their creative imagination from character sketches, to telling stories from their own lives, to adapting their favorite fairy tale in modern terms. What I have struggled with is the students who just won’t start or attempt anything; the students who spend all of their energy trying to do nothing. Grades don’t matter to them; they are simply adverse to any kind of effort. I am not sure whether they are afraid of failing or they just cannot sit down and focus with any kind of discipline (probably a little bit of both). It is difficult to gage these students’ learning development. I believe that learning is like toning a muscle. A student can get better at learning if they learn more often.
Formula for Constructive Criticism
The way to give safe and helpful feedback to Artists
Support your classmates. Everyone is learning and we are all trying to improve. Harsh comments do not help anyone. Everyone is important and we are only as strong as our weakest link. Aspire to be more than a detractor.
1. Positive Feedback
What did you like? Find something positive about the work that has been shared with you.
2. Questions for Artist
Questions about the work. Was there something you didn’t understand about the artist’s intention? This is an opportunity to learn what the artist had in mind.
3. Questions from Artist This is an opportunity for the creator to find out if the audience understood what he/she was trying to achieve.
4. Suggestions This is an opportunity to share ideas—gentle suggestions for the artist. An idea that might be helpful for the artist when doing further revisions.
The artist is never wrong because it is his/her vision. But you may be able to help the artist achieve better what they are aiming for.
YOU WILL BE GRADED ON FEEDBACK AS WELL AS YOUR WORK.
IF THE FEEDBACK YOU CONTRIBUTE IS DESTRUCTIVE OR CRUEL,
YOUR GRADE WILL SUFFER.
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