Exploring Different Perspectives Through Fairytales: Claymation Lesson

1. Grade 2 READING & MEDIAFairytale Unit Point of View and Perspective Lesson Plan

2. Reading Expectations: Point of View • 1.9 identify, initially with support and direction, the speaker and the point of view presented in a text and suggest one or two possible alternative perspectives (e.g., develop a narrative or role play topresent a story from the point of view of one or two minor characters) Teacher prompts: “What do you think the author wants the reader to think?”“How might a different character tell this story?”

3. Media Literacy Expectations: Point of View • 1.5 begin to identify, with support and direction, whose point of view is presented in a simple media text and suggest a possible alternative perspective (e.g., a cartoon told from the point ofview of a mouse might be told from a cat’sviewpoint).

4. background • The following is the SECOND lesson in a 2 part unit about Fairy Tales • Part 1 focuses on media theory and sets students up for success in part 2 by reviewing the concepts of ‘point of view and perspective’ • Media Part 2\Gr2_Retell_Fairytale Unit Media Lit Lesson 1.doc

5. Lets get motivated! • The following is an interactive and dynamic lesson that uses a high interest topic (fairy tales!) and a fun hands-on activity (making a claymation movie) to teach students about the construction of point of view and perspective in BOTH reading and media literacy. • Great resource for creating digital stories: http://www.leadingedgelearning.ca/moodle2010/course/view.php?id=12

6. Key Media Concepts: • All media are constructions. • The media construct versions of reality.

7. Lesson 2 Focus • create a short film using Frames – Animation and Digital Storytelling software to retell a familiar fairytale through a different perspective • http://www.tech4learning.com/frames • Explore how understanding and changing perspective contributes to the message of a story.

8. Technology Resources • Video clip about how to make Claymation charactershttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmGO2Ekh6EU • Digital video camera • Frames software (you can get a FREE trial) http://www.tech4learning.com/frames

9. Materials • Worksheet with a blank Venn Diagram for each student • First, Then, Next, Finally 4 square graphic organizer • Alternative versions of the Three Little Pigs story: -The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Skieska -The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Travizas - • Previously created clay characters from lesson 1 The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell

10. Lesson Overview • Review the traditional The Three Little Pigs story and then read the book The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Skieszka • Students will make any changes to their figurines (that they made in lesson 1) to represent how they might represent the characters differently now that the perspective has changed. Show them the instructional Youtube video about how to make Claymation figures. • Discuss and compare the 2 versions of the 3 Little Pigs. • After the students make their characters, let them get into their small groups and practice acting out their story. They can make a background or props for their story out of construction paper and other materials. Bring the class together, and let each group perform their performance to the class. Create a video of the presentation using Frames.

11. activities • After students have completed their plays, bring students back together and introduce the story The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. Explain to students that this is a different version of the same story they listened to before. Ask students what they know about point of view. • You may want to stop here and generate some discussion on it. This is a good time to stop and ask students if they have ever experienced a time when they saw a situation differently than someone else. They can talk about recent experience in the schoolyard and classroom. • Ask students how the pigs felt about the wolf in the first story. Explain that yesterday’s story was about the pigs’ point of view. Explain to students that today they are going to read about the wolf’s point of view. • Share with the students the story for today. Let them look at the front cover and let them predict what they think the wolf will say about the situation. Turn to the inside first page and have students also predict why he might be in jail (the picture is of the wolf behind bars).

12. Activities cont’d • As you read the story, take time to ask how the wolf’s view of what happened is different from what the pigs’ point of view was. • Introduce a Venn diagram to students. Draw a large example of a Venn diagram on the board. Pass out a copy of the Venn diagram worksheet to each student. Show students how each circle represents the two different stories. Label the left circle The Three Little Pigs and label the right circle The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. Explain to the students that the circles overlap because these stories may have some things in common. • Ask students to tell what was alike and different about the two stories. As students share their ideas and have them choose where their answer would correctly go. Students will copy ideas onto their paper as the teacher writes the ideas on the classroom Venn diagram.

13. Concluding activity: Making a Claymation video of the Three Little Pigs story told from the perspective of the Wolf. • Using the characters they have already made, students will get back in to their groups and perform a re-tell the story. • Using a First, Then, Next graphic organizer, they will write down and draw 3 important scenes from their story. • Present a brief lesson about how to make a Claymation video (I like how simple this type of Claymation is, it’s easier for Grade 1’s - but is presents it with a different software (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H4FeqXZnD0). • Using the Frames program and working with their Tech buddies, they will use their clay figures to produce a short video of their performance. • Let students share their projects with the class. Present their films in a ‘Film Screening’ on the Smartboard.

14. Other considerations • Instead of all students re-telling the same story, each group can be given a different fairy tale and present the story from another characters perspective

15. assessment • Create an individual requirements checklist or rubric to assess students' ability to retell text and through the eyes of the wolf using the Frames program. • Final video presentation and Q&A– did it follow the first, then, next, finally structure? How did telling the story through the eyes of the wolf change the story? • Collect Venn diagrams • Record anecdotal notes as students complete four-square chart

16. Accommodations: Accommodations: • English Language Learners/ESL: -Include a visual cue for each block - Allow students to share their ideas orally before writing them down - Have students draw their pictures first then scribe their ideas • LD/Reading & Writing Difficulties: - Allow paragraph to be written using a typing program or speech-to-text software program - Scribe written paragraph for student so that the student's ideas are the focus • Cultural Appropriateness & Diversity: - Choose a text with which students are familiar • Differentiated Instruction: - Provide alternative sentence starters as examples from which students can choose - Include mixed-ability groupings during small group instruction