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iPods, Flex Arms, Animation medium (clay or paper), instructional handouts, worksheets, examples, books and scripts

None.

The space will need to be well-lit, with tables or desks pushed against walls to create a scene/background for the projects.

1. I can determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone in order to understand the viewpoint of the author.

2. I can compare and contrast the structure of the text with your own artistic point of view. Analyze how the differing points of emphasis of each interpretation (the author and your own) contributes to its meaning and style.

3. I can analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.

Students will read and analyze an age appropriate movie script. They will work together to determine where the dramatic beats lie. The dramatic beats of a scene are those moments in a film in that clearly advance the narrative. They are the moments where new, important information is revealed. Learning how to identify these moments is central to understanding how a film works and in a broader sense how good storytelling unfolds. Filmmakers utilize the beats of a scene to structure the arc of a narrative and this same approach, when taught to students will help them analyze the changing meanings of dialogue or character action in a very comprehensive way. Students will have to mine every line for potential clues as to the author's point of view and his or her intended effect. Students will then have to reinterpret the meaning of each line to fit their own particular view point as the directors of a stop motion sequence.

Students will receive printouts of a scene from a popular film (that has been adapted from a book) and work together to identify the beats. They must be able to explain why they have labeled the beats in that way. Then, each group will work together to recreate the scene using clay and stop motion animation"”with special attention placed on how they are visually marking the beats as they happen.

Stop motion animation is a filmmaking technique that involves reproducing images sequentially to create the illusion of movement. Studying the technique promotes abstract thinking and collaborative creativity. Once they have identified where those beats lie, working as a team they will create a simple stop motion animation sequence using clay that illuminates those beats visually.

The visiting artist will guide the class through definitions of what certain terms mean and provide them with reference materials to create context. The teacher will support the instruction by working with groups as they require assistance.