“Cut for Plot”
WHAT’S ON FOR TODAY AND WHY:
Today, students will be working on how to cut the lines they are given. Students will need to perform a close reading of the text and the passage that they are given in order to cut. For them to eliminate 50% of the lines, students will need to see what is most important and must remain. Students will notice that majority of the lines that they will cut will include all the flowery language, and the imagery, but the plot will stay. By attacking the flowery language, they will be able to distinguish what the author’s writing style is, and how she uses language as a piece of art. Students will be able to finish up their novel today and discuss how it ends.
WHAT TO DO:
As a class, we will discuss some novels that students have read in the past, and then have either seen a movie or a play interpretation of them. I will ask students if they think that the play or movie is a true interpretation of the novel. What did they enjoy better, watching a movie, or reading the book? I will explain how sometimes when reading a book, we are able to “escape” into it, enjoy the flowery language and have the scene “painted” for us with words. Sometimes, in movies it is hard to do so. The director must choose what lines or chapters to get rid of, what could be done with acting better than speaking, what could be done better with visual images, such as costumes or scenery in the background, instead of explaining this with words. So today, their job is to get into their groups of five, and begin cutting lines for the assigned passages that they will be given. I will go around the room and assign pages that each group must tackle. Students will be required to cut 50% of the lines that they are given on the specified pages. Group one will be asked to take on pages 213-218. Group two will be asked to do pages 219-223, and so on. Each group will be assigned to do five pages. Students will have to reread these pages quickly, to themselves, and then start cutting the lines. They will be allowed to discuss what they think should remain and what should be removed. After they have finished this activity, they will be required to share their decisions and choices for what they have done with the entire class.
As a class we will also have some wrapping discussions on the novel as a whole. Students will be given the opportunity to ask questions and share their comments and thoughts on this novel. For homework, students will be required to sign in to voicethread.com, which will have chapter sixteen on there, and close read the text using a variety of tools. Students will be encouraged to circle words, to speak into the microphone, to call from their cell phones, all for analyzing the chapter. They will be encouraged to perform a close reading of the chapter. They will also be informed that no one, except for the teacher, will be able to see what they have said or done to this chapter, so they may discuss the text freely without the fear of being judged.
HOW DID IT GO?
Did the students participate in the discussion about interpreting novels into movies? Did the students complete their cutting lines assignment? Do the students realize what it takes for a director to decide what should stay and what should be removed? Did they make conscious decisions in what should be removed out of these pages?