Introduction:  This lesson was developed to integrate media literacy and language arts as a fun activity for students.  The lesson focuses on the importance of the effects that stage and body language have on the dialogue and, in turn, on the viewer.

Audience:  This lesson is designed for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students.  It is easily adaptable for each grade.  The students have the ability to think creatively to develop a dialogue for a given movie or television clip.  Their prior experience with television and film enhances their background knowledge and assists in the creative writing process.

Statement of Objectives:

Language Arts Curriculum-
Fifth grade
1.04- Use word reference materials (e.g., glossary, dictionary, thesaurus, on-line
         reference tools) to identify and comprehend unknown words.
2.10- Identify strategies used by a speaker or writer to inform, entertain, or influence an
         audience.
3.04- Make informed judgments about television, radio, video/film productions, and
        other electronic mediums and/or formats.
3.07- Make informed judgments about:
            · bias.
            · propaganda.
            · stereotyping.
            · media techniques.
4.01- Read aloud grade-appropriate text with fluency, comprehension, expression, and
         personal style demonstrating an awareness of volume, pace, audience, and
         purpose.
4.03- Make oral and written presentations to inform or persuade selecting vocabulary
         for impact.
4.10- Use technology as a tool to enhance and/or publish a product.

Competency Goal 5-  The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to
communicate effectively.

Information Skills-
Fifth grade
1.04- Acknowledge ownership of ideas.
2.06- Recognize the power of media to influence.
5.01- Respond to reading, listening, viewing experiences orally, artistically, dramatically, through various
         formats (eg., print, multimedia).
5.02- Produce media in various formats (print, graphical, audio, video, multimedia) appropriate to
         audience and purpose.
5.03- Collaborate with others, both in person and through technologies, to identify information problems
         and to design, develop, and evaluate information products and solutions.

Description of Activity:

1. In terms of television and movies, who can tell me what a script is?  Can anyone explain why body language is important when acting and following a script?

2. We are going to play silent clips from a movie and a television show.  Make sure to pay close attention to body language and facial expressions by the actors/actresses.  Then we will talk about what you saw.

3.  Play a clip from a movie (we chose A Bug's Life) without the sound.  Then play a silent clip from a television sitcom (we chose Friends).  Ask students:
· In the scene from the movie, what do you think they were talking about?  What evidence did you see on the tape that would make you think that?
· What do you think they were discussing in the Friends clip?  What actions and expressions justify that?
· How would you find out what they are actually saying?

4.  Play one of the clips with the actual sound/dialogue but no picture.  Ask students:
· Which of the clips do you think this dialogue goes with?  Why do you think that?  (Tell them which clip the dialogue went with.)
· How was what you thought they were saying different from what you predicted or was it the same?

5.  Everybody needs to find a partner you can work with.  We are going to play a clip from a soap opera (Days of Our Lives) and we want you to write the dialogue for it.  Again, make sure you pay attention to body language and facial expressions, writing about what you really think is happening.

6.  After the students have partnered up play the clip once keeping everyone focused on the t.v.  Then play the clip periodically, as individual students need to view it again while they are writing their scripts.

7.  Walk around and observe the students as they work, answering questions as necessary.

8.  When students are finished writing their scripts each group will get a chance to read their dialogue while the clip is playing silently.  Have the students stand out of view (behind the class) during their presentations.  This way they are able to see the screen and keep up with the timing of the clip but the other students still can not see them.
 

Extension:

Having the students write a funny script that does not go along with what is happening in the clip could extend this lesson.  This would allow the students to be creative and make for an enjoyable activity at the same time.
 

Links:

Media Literacy-  This site defines media literacy and offers support to teachers who are trying to incorporate media literacy into their curriculum.
http://interact.uoregon.edu/medialit/Homepage

Playwriting-  This web page offers a vast amount of information on playwrights, the areas of playwriting such as content, structure, working, and format, and much, much more.
http://www.vcu.edu/artweb/playwriting/

Tips and Reviews-  This site offers tips for writing in the different genres such as myth or comedy.
http://www.truby.com/

Writing for Audio-  This link was designed to help people understand special requirements for writing scripts for vocal performances such as television and movies.
http://www.communicator.com/writaud.html

Reflection:

    The children and I really enjoyed this lesson on scriptwriting.  I taught this lesson to five third grade students instead of the whole class.  I simplified the lesson somewhat since I was going to use it with a lower grade and to fit my timetable.  I began the lesson by asking them what they thought a scriptwriter was.  They came up with a wonderful definition as “the people who write the words for people to say in movies or plays”.  Then I asked them what they would have to look for during a clip to determine what the script might be if they couldn’t hear it.  They came up with a good list that I have included.  They were intrigued that they would be listening to a clip without sound.  My time was limited for this lesson, so if I could change some things I would allow for plenty of time.  I was also in the library doing this lesson and I would have liked to be somewhere less visible and distracting.  It is also very important to have a television and v.c.r. that is located in the classroom to make rewinding and pausing easier!  I picked a good clip with lots of emotion from the movie A Bug’s Life.  I would suggest using a clip that they do not know because in the beginning they had the tendency to want to retell the story to me instead of coming up with a new script based on body language.  The objectives I had for this lesson were specific to fifth grade, however we were able to meet some of them even though I was working with third graders.  By looking at the script they have created you can tell they were able to work together to create ownership over their new script.  It was a very fun activity that was definitely modified from my original version to create a fun and educational experience for my students.  (Heather Schlieder)

Anne Wilson's Reflection
    I taught this lesson to a fourth, fifth, sixth grade combination class. The students seemed to have a wonderful time taking part in this activity.  I modified some parts of this lesson to adapt it to the ability of my class.  I only used one clip and it was not any of the ones mentioned.  I used 30 seconds of a clip from the cartoon, Galavants.  The clip was of a teacher ant and a student ant working on learning the anatomy of ants.  I played the clip through once having the students watch and try to figure out  the setting of the clip.  Then I played it again and had them try to figure out what the ants were doing and talking about.  After that, I put the students in groups of two to develop a script for the ants.  Throughout this process, I played the clip over and over.  Then  the students stood up and acted out their scripts along with the clip.  Some of the students did quite well, watching the screen so their words matched up with the ants.  Other groups, however, wrote irrelevant lines and went way past the clip when acting it out.  But everyone had a good time doing this activity.
    I suggest making sure that you have plenty of time planned for this activity.  It is quite lengthy once you begin to work with the students.  You may consider making it a 2 day activity.  I did not allow time to deal with groups that did not want to do the writing ( I only had one) and groups who did not wish to work cooperatively (I only had one of these too) which is something you may want to consider.  It was something I had not thought about.  I also suggest constantly reinforcing going back to the clip and making sure that the script goes along with the clip, both in content and time.  Have fun with this lesson!  The kids seem to enjoy it!