2012

Educational Resources

Lesson Plans

Grades 1-3

2012 | Educational Resources | Grades 1-3

Table of Contents Introduction................................................................................................................................ 3

• 1 -3 Program Synopsis............................................................................................. 3

Before Lesson Plan

• Activity: Treasures for Teaching........................................................................... 4

During Lesson Plan

• Key Question: What is the power of friendship? ............................................. 6



• Activity: Film Critic Guide ..................................................................................... 7

After Lesson Plan

• Key Question: What is the power of friendship?............................................... 8



• Discussion Questions.............................................................................................. 8



• Summary of Activities and Storytelling Prompts............................................. 8



Activities Appendix:



• Drama............................................................................................................. 9



• Easy-to-do Shadow Puppets....................................................................10



• Stop Motion Animation............................................................................. 12

Resources.................................................................................................................................. 13

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2012 | Educational Resources | Grades 1-3

Introduction Welcome to the Regent Park Film Festival’s school program. This resource accompanies the films presented as part of the festival’s program for grades 1-3. . It provides you with a program synopsis, ideas and tools to help prepare you to see the films, follow up activities and useful references. We hope that you and your pupils have fun and enjoy learning with this resource! We also encourage teachers to send in images or stories of their classroom experiences with these resources. We would love to feature your class and its creativity on the festival website and perhaps, even at the next Regent Park . Film Festival!

Regent Park Film Festival School Program Grades 1 -3 films: Bottle Owl + Raven (NFB) Peaceosaurus The Whale Story How Chipmunk Got Its Stripes Grumpy Old Man

Program Synopsis: This year the Grade 1-3 program looks at the many types of friendships that exist from close school yard pals to people in different parts of the world who find understanding through the exchange of what some would call meaningful pieces of trash. The collection of films question how different people interpret what it means to be a friend as well as to need a friend. Films like Bottle and The Whale Story discuss acts of positive friendship while films like Grumpy Old Man illustrate the need for friendship and understanding.

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2012 | Educational Resources | Grades 1-3

Grades 1-3 BEFORE Viewing Lesson Treasures for Teaching Because these films deal with themes of friendship (among people, animals and the environment) several lessons that are found in the TDSB document Treasures for Teaching K-3 will prepare the students for viewing the films at the festival. Each of the lessons are based on picture books readily available in the school or public library. There are multiple lessons for each book that address a variety of drama and dance expectations. Treasures for Teaching K-3 can be found in most TDSB schools or can be downloaded from the following link: http://tinyurl.com/94pab28

Note: You will have to log in with your TDSB account. If the link does not work, login to TDSBweb; go to Teachers and follow these links on the left side of the page: • Teaching and Learning • The Arts • Elementary Drama and Dance • Treasures for Teaching K-3 (you can download a pdf version of the whole document) In particular, the following books deal with the same themes as the festival films:

Don’t Need Friends by Carolyn Crimi Rat and his best friend, Possum, live in a junkyard. When Possum moves away, Rat feels lonely and hurt and decides that he no longer needs friends. One day, a grouchy dog moves into the junkyard, and makes it very clear to Rat that he doesn’t need friends either. Later, after some very cold weather, Dog becomes ill and the two animals realize that they do need each other after all.

Jen and the Great One by Peter Eyvindson This story is about a girl who loves a great big tree near her home. The tree tells Jen the story of long ago when there were many trees in the forest, and how they were lost. Eventually, Jen’s tree is threatened by a road expansion. Jen takes action by trying to save her tree and by enlisting her friends to help plant more trees to ensure that there will always be a forest. The book explores the impact of urbanization on the natural environment. 4

2012 | Educational Resources | Grades 1-3

Cloudland by John Burningham Cloudland tells the story of a young boy named Albert, who accidentally falls from a mountain and is rescued by the children of the clouds. Albert has wonderful adventures up in the clouds, but over time, he begins to miss his home. Through role-playing, the students explore Albert’s dilemma and find ways to help him. This lesson is intended for primary students.

The Tunnel by Anthony Browne The Tunnel is a story about fear and courage, and the bond between a brother and sister. A young girl enters a dark, frightening tunnel to find her brother and emerges at the other end of the tunnel in a strange forest. She must solve the mystery of the stone statues in order to get her brother back.

The Rat and The Tiger by Kieko Kasza This story describes the relationship between Rat and Tiger. Rat tells the story, describing how they play together. It soon becomes clear, however, that Tiger does not treat Rat fairly. One day, Rat decides that he has had enough. Through drama and dance, students explore friendship, conflict, and conflict resolution.

Stone Soup/La soupe aux cailloux retold and illustrated by Jon J. Muth Three monks enter a village in which the villagers are suspicious and embittered from war. They begin their visit by making a soup from stones, but end up creating a delicious feast and rekindling a spirit of collaboration and friendship among the villagers.

Crickwing by Janell Cannon This story describes the relationship between a South American Cockroach and Leafcutter Ants. Crickwing, a sculptor, finds himself in trouble when he angers the ant queen because he picks on her army of leafcutter ants. This story allows students to explore themes of friendship and conflict resolution.

Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Dr.Paula Kahumbu (Note: This is a suggested read aloud, no lesson plan is provided)

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2012 | Educational Resources | Grades 1-3

Cross-curricular Connections: The Arts: (all): Overall Expectation #2 - after being a Film Critic, students can go . on to reflect, respond and analyze other art forms, including their own productions

Grades 1-3 DURING Viewing Lesson Key/ Essential Question: What is the power of friendship? Activities teachers can do to help student engage with the key/essential question:

Materials: Film Critic Guide (one for each student), clipboards, pencils 1. BEFORE going to the Film Festival, introduce the concept of film critic to students and let them know that they are going to be film critics as they watch the films at the Regent Park Film Festival. (e.g. A film critic is someone who watches a film and shares her/ his opinion with others.) Read the programmer’s synopsis to them and go through each film so that they are familiar with the titles.

2. Go over the Film Critic guide. Explain to the students that after each film that they watch they need to colour in their response to the film. 5 stars means that they really liked the film and would recommend it to other people. 1 star means that they don’t think others will like it or should watch it.

3. Model using one or two examples with the class, personally rating a recent book or video all have listened to/watched, perhaps from the Before Viewing recommended books. (If needed, have students do an example sharing their opinion with a partner.) Have students discuss how different students have different opinions and why that might be so.

4. Just prior to going to the Film Festival, if possible, re-read the programmer’s synopsis to them and go through the titles of each film so that they are familiar with . the titles.

5. At the Film Festival, if students did not carry their own materials, distribute and go over the films again, reminding students that the films will be shown one right after the other so they won’t have time for detailed work, just quick notes. Note: some may colour in 5 stars for each film, this is a common response as they learn to discriminate and evaluate their thoughts, feelings and opinions. This can be debriefed back at school.

6. At the end of the Film Festival, the host may call on students to give their thoughts, feelings and opinions about the films. Alert your students to this possibility and encourage them to not only say which one they rated high but also why and perhaps who they would recommend the film to. Continue this discussion back at school, using the Grades 1-3 After Viewing Lesson. 6

2012 | Educational Resources | Grades 1-3

Be a Film Critic Bottle

Owl and the Raven

Peaseosaurus

How Chipmink Got Its Stripes

The Whale Story

GRUMPY OLD MAN

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2012 | Educational Resources | Grades 1-3

Grades 1-3 AFTER Viewing Lesson Key/ Essential Question: What is the power of friendship? Activities teachers can do to help student engage with the key/essential question: Discussion questions:

What are different ways that stories can be told? (wordless, legend, music, narrative, keeping it simple)

How was empathy shown in the films? How do you solve problems with your friends? How do people communicate across distance? With other languages? Cultures? Gender? What makes someone a friend? How have you been a good friend? Summary of Activities: Using either technology, art or drama, have students create their own story about friendship: 1. Drama: Using limited props, students act out a story. 2. Puppets: Students create shadow puppets 3. Stop motion animation or claymation: How to make an animation

Story creating prompts: What happens when two opposite things meet? (Pick two opposite objects and use animation/puppetry to create a story?) It could be two people. When was a time you really needed a friend? Have you ever fought with a friend because you are different? How did you solve it? Can humans and animals be friends? Create a legend to explain something that happens in nature. (E.g. How Chipmunk Got Its Stripes, or how raven became black.) See Appendix I 8

2012 | Educational Resources | Grades 1-3

Activities Appendix I. Drama: “How the Chipmunk got its Stripes” Objectives: 1. To have students thinking about storytelling, the different ways we tell stories, and the different stories people use to understand the world. 2. To use body movement to tell a story 3. To work together in a group.

Materials: None are necessary. Can use desired props if needed. Instructions: 1. Put students into small groups. 2. Ask them about what animals interest them. “Why are they interesting? Have you ever thought about how that animal came to be? Using your imagination, how do you think the zebra got its stripes?” 3. Provide them with story prompts, different ones for each group. Some suggested ones are: how the zebra got its stripes, how the fish got its fins, how the pig got its curly tail, how the giraffe got its spots, etc. 4. Ask them to come up with a story with their group about their particular animal. Each member of the group should play a part in their story. Tell them they are allowed to talk and use words if they want but animal sounds are preferred. Most importantly, tell them to use their imagination! 5. After they practice with their group, each will present in front of the class.

Discussion: After each presentation, it is important for the teacher/instructor to have the class applaud and debrief the presentation. Invite positive comments first and then engage in discussions. Some topics you can discuss are: • Working in a group: What was it like? What was difficult? What was easy? How did you work together? • Body movement: What was new? Difficult? Easy? Enjoyable? • Storytelling: What did you learn about storytelling? Why is it important? Why do you think different people have different stories for understanding the world?

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2012 | Educational Resources | Grades 1-3

II - Shadow Puppets Shadow puppets are a fun and simple way to tell stories in a visual way. Stories with shadow puppets can be told with or without words, to music or with live sound effects.

What you will need: 1. Shadow Puppet Screen The shadow puppet screen can be constructed . simply and will act as the ‘stage’ for the shadow play.

Materials: White or off-white broad cloth or bed sheet, wood for frame, staple gun and staples, 3” ‘L’ brackets, screws. While the shadow puppet screen can be any size, 5‘0” x 4’0” provides a good size playing area that can also be easily set up on a table top for performances, then stored in the classroom. To construct the screen, first assemble a wood frame. The frame can be made from precut canvass frames that snap together at their corners, or 1” x 2” pieces of pine lumber. The pre-cut frames are readily available at art stores such as Curry’s Art Store, De Serres and Above Ground Art Supplies. 1”x2” pine is a less expensive option, and can be bought and cut to size at a local hardware or lumber store. Once the frame is assembled, stretch the fabric across the frame and staple it to all four sides so that its surface across the frame is taut. Screw the “L” brackets to the back of the frame. They will be used to keep the frame standing when it is placed on a table or desk top. To ensure maximum stability, it is a good idea to use a small amount of duct tape on top of the “L” brackets to tape the screen in place.

2. Light Source The light source is placed behind the shadow puppet screen, with the shadow puppets manipulated between the light and the screen. The light can be a simple floor or desk lamp with the ability to be angled so that it shines directly on the vertical-standing screen. Incandescent light bulbs will give a softer, more appealing light for the puppets. 10

2012 | Educational Resources | Grades 1-3

3. Shadow Puppets Materials: Bristol board or any thin cardboard (ie. cereal boxes), popsicle sticks and BBQ skewers, glue, brass clips, tape. The shadow puppets can be made from bristol board or recycled cardboard, such as cereal boxes. Students can draw their shapes (such as people, animals, scenery, buildings, etc.) directly on the bristol board and then cut out the shapes with scissors. Remember, the shadow puppets will be behind the screen, so there is not need to worry about seeing pencil marks or ‘mistakes’ on the puppet, so encourage students to be creative! The bristol board shapes are then glued to popsicle sticks or BBQ skewers and are ready to be used behind the shadow puppet screen. For moving parts, for example a waving arm, students can cut these parts out separately and then attach to the body of the puppet with brass clips, allowing these parts to move. Each moving part should have its own popsicle stick/BBQ skewer. Students may also get creative with colour if there is coloured gel or acetate sheets available. Any transparent materials such as these will show through the shadow screen when lit.

The Shadow Play There is no limit to the possibilities for the shadow play! Before building the puppets, teachers can decide if the students are going to make up their own characters and stories, or tell a familiar tale. Once this is established, students can create their shadow characters and scenery. Have some time for students to experiment with their puppets and light on the screen, allowing for new discoveries and ways of visually communicating an idea or story.

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2012 | Educational Resources | Grades 1-3

III - Stop-Motion Animation Stop-motion animation can be a fun and simple way to tell stories combining hand-made art and digital technology.

1. Creating a Story and Storyboarding Everything begins with a good story! Once students have created a simple story, create a storyboard to guide the filming process. A storyboard is a series of simple drawings that show what each shot will look like in the sequence of the story. It is this storyboard that will guide the animation process.

2. Making Characters and Scenery Characters and scenery can be completely handmade, or by using pre-existing objects (e.g. Lego characters and scenery). Handmade characters made from Playdough, or similar products, can be easily manipulated. Scenery can be made from cardboard, construction paper, paint, printed photos, and any number of creative ideas from students’ imaginations.

3. Filming Using a classroom iPad and an app such as the NFB’s PixStop, the stop-motion animation process can be very collaborative and creative for both students and teachers. The filming area can be as simple as a tabletop where the scenery and characters are set up in front of the iPad. Remember to be sure that the iPad is secured and does not get bumped during filming. When animating, remember that it is a step-by-step and frame-byframe process. Encourage students to think about actions in small steps to create smooth movements. Each time a movement is made, a picture is taken on the iPad. When played back in the app, these individual pictures create moving images. Encourage collaboration, experimentation, and discoveries that come from “mistakes.” There is always a chance to reshoot in animation! The nfb.ca website is a great resource for using animation in the classroom. The PixStop app can be found on this site, blog posts by teachers who have used stop-motion animation in their classrooms as well as other resources. 12

2012 | Educational Resources | Grades 1-3

Resources NFB Resources http://blog.nfb.ca/blog/2012/01/11/want-to-create-stop-motion-films-we-made-an-app-for-that/ The NFB stop-motion app PixStop. Originally created for the NFB education initiative, this app is user friendly enough for use in the classroom. Free in Canada! http://www.nfb.ca/ Hours and hours of free movies can be streamed through the NFB site or their free moving watching app. http://www.nfb.ca/education/ Tons of resources for teachers including education playlists, curriculum-based resources and study guides, including lesson plan ideas for using PixStop app. All free in Canada.

Animate it! http://www.animateit.org.uk/home/ Collaboration from several studios, including Aardman Animations, this is an online and soon to be phone/tablet animation app specifically designed for children.

Special Delivery http://tiff.net/tiffkids/festival/specialdelivery Special Delivery is a TIFF programme that reaches out to youth in under-served local communities who may not otherwise have access to the film festival experience. Special Delivery brings film screenings, director discussions and film-craft workshops to schools and community groups free of charge. Over the past ten years, Special Delivery has reached almost 12,000 children and youth across the Greater Toronto Area. Special Delivery presentations and workshops are available for daytime, evening or weekend sessions. There is also flexibility in the selection of films and type of workshop. To discuss the particular needs and interests of your group and for further information, please email us ([email protected]).

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