Literature In FilmMina Avery, PhD

2020-2021

Alpine Academy Mission Statement:

Alpine Academy’s mission is to ensure students receive a quality education and obtain

the necessary skills needed to progress in life.

Course Description:

Literature through film is an elective course but may also be taken to fulfill an English

credit. This course is designed to deepen film and literary knowledge. The course is

based on the Nevada State Standards for English/Language Arts. The course will

develop skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening necessary for college and

career readiness. The course will focus on meaningful student discussion. Students

will develop skills in identifying literary elements (figurative language, dialogue,

subject specific vocabulary, , symbolism, etc.); identify and respond to overt and

subliminal messages; and analyze character, plot, and theme development. Analysis

will also include looking at how the story lines portray the human condition and the

roles of men and women and the various ethnic or cultural minorities in the past and

present. The course covers a broad range of genres including but not limited to

classics, mysteries, action, nonfiction, memoires, and children’s movies.

Students will read background information and hints about the literary devices most

prevalent in the film. They will watch the film at designated stopping points to allow

students to take notes, discuss events, and make predictions. . They will look at the

discussion questions, and watch sections of the movie again, to answer the questions

and review highlighted portions. Selected scenes will be compared and contrasted with

written excerpts of the written literary works.

Credits: 1 credit per semester

Fulfills an English/Language Arts requirement

SEL Competencies

Social and Emotional Learning Core Competencies: These competencies are identified as five

interrelated sets of cognitive, affective, and behavioral capabilities

Self-awareness: The ability to accurately recognize one’s emotions and thoughts and their influence on

behavior. This includes accurately assessing one’s strengths and limitations and possessing a

well-grounded sense of confidence and optimism.

Presented in class as: Evidence based support for opinions.

Self-management: The ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different

situations. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses, motivating oneself, and setting and

working toward achieving personal and academic goals.

Presented in class as: Submitting work on time with few prompts

Social awareness: The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse

backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize

family, school, and community resources and supports.

Presented in class as: Listening and responding to the opinions of others during pair-share and

discussion activities.

Relationship skills: The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with

diverse individuals and groups. This includes communicating clearly, listening actively, cooperating,

resisting inappropriate social pressure, negotiating conflict constructively, and seeking and offering

help when needed.

Presented in class as: Openness to the beliefs of others. Inclusiveness in discussions.

Responsible decision making: The ability to make constructive and respectful choices about personal

behavior and social interactions based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, social

norms, the realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and the well-being of self and

others.

Presented in class as: Staying home when ill, sanitizing hands and work areas when appropriate,

following school safety drills and supporting a safe and alert community.

Academic Overview

Element 10-year-take-away Components Assessments

Reading Read for meaning

Read to clarify thought

Read for analysis,compare and contrast,and fact finding.

Reading excerpts ofliterature

Reading Film reviews

Reading film analysistext

Film Analysisworksheet

Text excerpts

Full Text

Writing Writing to clarifythought

Writing for concisecommunication

Fill in the blank

Short Answer

Essay

Film Analysisworksheet

Note taking

Vocabulary Vocabulary allows youto join the discoursecommunity

Lifetime growth

Vocabulary specific tothe film

Vocabulary specific tofilm analysis

Vocabulary specific toLiterary elementanalysis

Use of words indiscussion

Use of vocabularywords on film analysisworksheet, notes andreviews

Speaking Speaking for concisecommunication

Discussions both smallgroup and full class

Participation inpair-share

Participation indiscussions

Instructor Resources

Literature into Film: Theory and Practical Approachesby Linda costanzo Cahir

Read Novels Like a Professor: A Jaunty Exploration of the World’s Favorite LiteraryForm by Thomas C. Foster

Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster

How to Read Nonfiction Like a Professor: A Smart, Irreverent Guide to Biography,History, Journalism, Blogs, and Everything in Between by Thomas C. Foster

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: For Kids by Thomas C. Foster

Nevada State Standards

RL 2: Determine two or more themes or central ideas and analyze their development.Provide an objective summary.

RL 6: Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what isdirectly stated in a text and from what is really meant.

RL 7: Analyze multiple interpretations of a story and evaluate how each versioninterprets the source text.

RI 3: Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specificindividuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

RI 6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric isparticularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power,persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.

RI 10: read and comprehend nonfiction.

W-1: Write arguments to support claims using valid reasoning and relevant andsufficient evidence.

SL-1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (oneon-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners

topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their ownclearly and persuasively.

a. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched materialunder study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring toevidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue tostimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.

b. Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions anddecision-making, set clear goals and deadlines, and establishindividual roles as needed.

c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions thatprobe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range ofpositions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas andconclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives.

d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments,claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolvecontradictions when possible; and determine what additionalinformation or research is required to deepen the investigation orcomplete the task.

SL 2: Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats andmedia (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions andsolve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting anydiscrepancies among the data

SL3: Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric,assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis,and tone used.

SL4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear anddistinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative oropposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance,and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informaltasks.

Assessments

Film Analysis Worksheets

Plot Maps for books/Storyboards for movies

Create an annotated timelineAfter reviewing a Siskel and Ebert movie review and then create your own review witha partner.

Note taking during the movies

Note taking during discussions.

Analysis of portrayal of social standards and issues in film and books.

Units of Study

Shakespeare

Film: Hamlet PG- 13

Resources:

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet A Kenneth Branagh Film 1996 (Avery Collection)

Hamlet by William Shakespeare excerpts. Alpine Library

Film: Romeo and Juliet PG-13 and PG

Resources:

William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet 1996

Romeo and Juliet 1968

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare excerpts. (Alpine Library)

Classics

Film: Pride and Prejudice Not Rated

Resources:

Pride and Prejudice Keira Knightley 2005 (Alpine Library)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Avery Collection)

Film: The Great Gatsby PG 13

Resources:The Great Gatsby 2013 (Avery Collection)

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Alpine Library)

Film: Les Misérables PG-13

Resources:Les Misérables 2012 (Avery Collection)

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo (Avery Collection)

Film: Oliver Twist PG-13

Resources

A Roman Polanski Film: Oliver Twist 2005 (Avery Collection)

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (Avery Collection)

Film: The Three Musketeers PG 13

Resources

The Three Musketeers 2011 Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson (Avery Collection)

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (Avery Collection)

Film: The Count of Monte Cristo PG-13

Resources

The Count of Monte Cristo 2002 (Avery Collection)

The Count of Monte Cristo by Anexandre Dumas (Avery Collection)

Sci-fi and Fantasy

Film: John Carter PG-13

Resources:

John Carter, Disney 2012 (Avery Collection)

A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs e-book on LibbySearch Results | Washoe County Library System

Film: Jurassic Park PG-13

Resources

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (Avery Collection)

Jurassic Park directed by Stephen Speilberg (Avery Collection)

Film: The Hobbit Trilogy PG 13

Resources

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey by Peter Jackson (Avery Collection)

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug by Peter Jackson (Avery Collection)

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey by Peter Jackson (Avery Collection)

The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien (Avery Collection)

What is CGI? How CGI works in Movies and Animation What is CGI? How CGI Worksin Movies and Animation (studiobinder.com)

Mystery

Film: Murder on the Orient Express PG-13

Resources

Murder on the Orient Express directed by Kenneth Branagh 2018 (Avery Collection)

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Film : Sherlock Holmes PG 13

Resources:The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (Avery Collection)

Sherlock Holmes 2009 Robert Downey Jr. (Avery Collection)

Historic

Film: Hidden Figures PG

Resources:Hidden Figures 2016 (Avery Collection)

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black WomenMathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly (Averycollection)

Film: Chariots of Fire PG

Resources:

Chariots of Fire by W.J. Weatherby

Chariots of Fire directed by Hugh Hudson

Film: The Book Thief PG 13

Resources:

The Book Thief 2013 (Avery Collection)

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Avery Collection)

Film: Remember the Titans PG

Resources:

Remember This TItan: The Bill Yoast Story: Lessons Learned from a CelebratedCoach’s Journey as Told to Steve Sullivan by Steve Sullivan

Remember the Titans by Denzel Washington 2004 (Washoe County Library)

Film: Unbroken PG-13

Resources:Unbroke: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by LauraHillenbrand (Alpine Library)

Unbroken 2014 directed by Angelina Jolie (Avery Collection)

Film: The Journey of August King PG-13

The Journey of August King by John Ehle

The Journey of August King 1996 starring Jason patric , Thandi Newton

Children’s Movies

Film: The NeverEnding Story PG

Resources

The NeverEnding Story 1984 (Avery Collection)

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende and Ralph Manheim

Film: The Wizard of Oz Not rated

Resources

The Wizard of Oz 1939 (Avery Collection)

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (Avery Collection)

Action

Film: The Bourne Identity PG-13

Resources:

The Bourne Identity 2002 (Avery Collection)

The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum (Avery Collection)

Film: The Hunt for Red October PG

The Hunt for Red OctoberBy Tom Clancy

The Hunt for Red October 2003 Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin

Film: The Sum of All Fears PG-13

Resources:The Sum of All Fears by Tom Clancy

The Sum of All Fears 2002Ben Affleck, Morgan Freeman

Human Interest

Film: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty PG

Resources

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty 2013 with Ben Stiller

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) Danny Kaye not rated

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James ThurberMicrosoft Word - The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Full Text.doc (weebly.com)

Horror

Film: The Birds PG-13

Resources:

The Birds 1963 Alfred Hitchcock

The Birds and Other Stories by Du MaurierMicrosoft Word - The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Full Text.doc (weebly.com)

Film: Jaws PG

Resources

Jaws by Steven Speilberg

Jaws: A Novel by Peter Benchley

Dracula 7+

ResourcesDracula by Bram Stoker

Dracula Directed by Tod Browning and Karl Freund 1931

Film: Frankenstein NR

Resources

Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Dr. Frankenstein by James Whale 1931 starring Boris Karloff