Post - June 25th / Web Surfing / Assignment 1 & 2

Web Exploration

After browsing various media, t.v., music, and movie resources that can be used in the classroom, it is clear that the resources available to us future teachers are endless. The fact that there are a myriad of links to support and explain media integration in the classroom reveals that this IS something that teachers should consider seriously. Some of the websites I visited include:


http://www.classbrain.com/artmovies/publish/article_34.shtml, which focuses on "Time Travel in Literature." This includes looking at three movies - "The Time Machine," "Clockstoppers," and "Somewhere in Time." (watching them in their entirety is up to the teacher). These would then be connected to The Time Machine novel by H.G. wells and Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman.

Comic strips would be briefly explored prior to this unit as well.

http://www.pbs.org/inthemix/educators/lessons/selfimage2/ - This website provides a lesson plan to explore and analyze music lyrics focused on self-image. Songs included in this include: "Perfect" by Alanis Morissette, "Ana's Song" by Silverchair, and "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera.

http://www.indiana.edu/~reading/ieo/digests/d36.html - This article is titled "Using Film, video, and TV in the Classroom." Like many of the readings we have done for this course that support the integration of media in the classroom, this builds on to what we've already covered in a somewhat condensed portion.

http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/arts/brewer.htm - Titled, "Music and Learning: Integrating Music in the Classroom," this explores the benefits of playing music in the background of lessons, writing exercises, and community building. This is very different than what we've been reading, because the direct focus is not on lyrics, meaning, images, etc.. One thing the article advises is to "'Take a music bath once or twice a week for music is to the soul what water is to the body.'- Oliver Wendall Holmes."


http://www.mediaed.org.uk/posted_documents/literature.html - Titled "Media and Literature," this article also focuses on the importance of integrating media in the classroom.




My Assignment is taken from the last article; I used it as a starting point and built on it to fit "my style" of teaching. We've looked briefly at news analysis in this class, and I found an interesting project for students to complete. It is claimed to be a "fairly common activity," but I have never done anything like this before, nor have I ever heard of it.

Enjoy!


Assignment 1

**Students will have examined newspapers and identified genres found within each (sports, entertainment, local, national, etc.). This is a great way to connect literature and media.

Procedure:

Students will:

1. read a novel (which ever one we are reading for that class)

2. analyze the plot and break it down. What are the important events? Where is the climax?

3. look at character development / analysis

-after finishing the novel and analysis, students will move on to media-

4. gather a sample (maybe 3) of newspapers.

5. breakdown the sections. What is the structure of a newspaper? What is included and what is excluded?

6. create a newspaper for the novel. For example, if the students chose The Giver, students COULD include: Weather (which remains the same), Local Events (Twelve Ceremony), Breaking News!! (Euthanasia), Advertisements (Pills to prevent "the 'stirs'") and so on.

7. write an essay on focused on "What is news" or "What makes something newsworthy?" What kind of Ads are found in the newspaper? What does this suggest about the newspaper's audience?




Assignment 2

*This lesson was derived/altered from the website that provided a lesson plan on lyrics and self-image.


Class: World Literature

Examining gender roles in Shakespeare's Macbeth.



Questions to ask students during this exploration:

1. What does this play suggest about the role of women?

2. How is Lady Macbeth viewed in the beginning of the play? at the end?

3. How does she behave?

4. What do you believe Shakespeare's purpose is in giving her a "voice" in the play? Is it to show that women, when given a voice, are manipulative? Or is it suggesting that women are more powerful than men?



Materials:

• Shakespeare's Macbeth


• view clip from "Disney's Summer Magic": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UBb087qHvI


• Song/lyrics to "Independent" by Destiny's Child

Procedure:

Students will:

1. Examine the role of women (Lady Macbeth) in Macbeth.

2. What was the role of women during Shakespeare's time? What evidence suggests this? Could this be considered a feminist text? or was Shakespeare stating that when women are given voice/power, they only use it for evil?

3. What does the clip from "Summer Magic" state about female gender roles? What does it mean to be "feminine?"

4. After listening to "Independent," by Destiny's Child, how has the role of women changed today/overtime? Are women still expected to uphold a certain role/image?

5. In groups, create posters for each resource (the play and both songs). Identify women's role and evidence to support it.