This is one of our Tokyo JET Lesson PlansFeel free to use, modify, and upload your own lessons!
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Description[]
All teachers, at some point, watch a movie in class. There are many reasons for doing so (I'm looking at you post-exam holiday season). Watching films can be a great experience for not only the students, but the teachers as well, if well-prepared for. It can introduce new themes and cultures in an easy-to-digest and fun format. But to really get the most out of a film, I recommend making an activity series based on the film. The example I will use for this sample lesson (for high school) will be the 2001 classic, A Knight's Tale.
You're welcome to chose whatever film you think best suits your particular batch of students, but I decided to go with A Knight's Tale. I selected this film for several reasons: 1. It's awesome. 2. It's a very "western" movie. 3. It has some more mature themes and scenes, but not too mature. 4. The subject matter (knights, jousting, love) is interesting for my students. 5. The film's length fits perfectly within my allotted time. 7. It mixes modern music with an older setting. 6. My love for Heath Ledger extends beyond the veil of death.
I teach at a technical high school, so the English abilities of my students are admittedly not the best. That being said, each of my classes (and the teachers and VP mind you) thoroughly enjoyed A Knight's Tale. Some liked the action, some liked the setting, others the characters. The point is the film generally had something for everyone. This is an important consideration when selecting a film to watch in class. You want the students to be awake and into it, obviously. I was initially concerned about the...umm....romantic scenes, however they ended up not being such a big issue. Still though, you may want to discuss things with your JTEs before blindsiding them with blush-inducing moments. The movie provides, I think, a lot of possible topics for discussion while at the same time being fun.
After finishing the film, I presented the students with a 15-question quiz. I designed the quiz to not be too difficult while at the same time making the students think about what they saw and remembered. The students seemed to enjoy it. The quiz also featured a take-home section which featured two writing questions and a bonus trivia section. The students were supposed to hand that in by the end of the next lesson.
The next lesson featured a game I made called Janken-Joust, based on the jousting element from the film. I wanted it to be a bit creative, so the students have to create their own heraldry and knightly elements. When they finished, they played a 3-round variant of janken with at least six of their classmates, recording the win-loss-draw results. The student with the overall best record won a prize (Koala's March). Depending on your class and schedule, this activity could take one or two lessons.
For our final activity in the series, I handed back their checked take-home sections and we discussed the film. We talked about characters, themes, and many other points. Depending on your students, this can either be quite enjoyable and informative or it can be like pulling teeth. If it's the latter, you may have to do a bit more of talking about things you noticed about the film and your own personal opinions. It may allow the students to think about things they otherwise would have missed.
Materials[]
- A Knight's Tale 15-question quiz and homework:File:A Knight's Tale Quiz.docx
- Janken-joust classroom activity: File:Jankenjoust.docx
Procedure[]
- Movie: Watch the film to completion (Probably 3 full-time lessons).
- Quiz: Hand out and complete the quiz. Check and discuss. Students take home and work on the Take-Home Section (50 minutes or less)
- Classroom Activity: "Janken-Joust". Students design their own heraldry and knightly themes. Explain to them the meaning and thought behind designing. Next, have the students stand and 3-round janken with 6 other classmates (draws count). Make sure they record the results. Award the overall winner a prize. Students should also submit their completed take-home section (50 minutes)
- Discussion: Discuss the take-home section answers and the film in-general (50 minutes)
Variations[]
- For a challenge: Make the take-home questions full essays.
- For an easier time: Watch a tv-show or short-film. You could also omit the take-home section.
Sources[]
