Gap Filler Lessons

Howdy All,

I’m currently way ahead of schedule with a couple of my classes and am now facing the dreaded ‘how to keep kids interested when they know they’re no longer being assessed’ conundrum. In these instances, I generally try and show a film which supports discussion of ideas which relate to the course.

I’m a big fan of ‘The Truman Show’ and ‘Pleasantville’ as symbolism-heavy texts which are great for promoting discussion of ideas about society and culture which are still very relevant today, and I spent today working on a double-sided A3 worksheet to support a viewing of ‘Pleasantville’ with Years 7 & 8. As an act of goodwill, and in the spirit of moving towards open educational resources as the ‘new norm’, I thought I would share it with the group, just in case anyone else is staring down the barrel of 2-3 weeks of aimless babysitting and doesn’t have the time to create anything themselves.

I should note that I show an edited version of the film, with reduced sexual references. If anybody would like this edited version of the film, let me know and I’ll send through a Google-Drive link.

If anybody else has ideas or ways to keep kids engaged in the post-marking, post-report period, it would be great to hear some more ideas!

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lvZO-vi8owXaavYdc5joo9Q03fPWbz9y?usp=share_link

Warm Regards,

Thomas Norman

Hi Tom,

Thanks as always for your generosity and willingness to share. I'm not sure what the situation is with regards to equipment/filming etc. but sometimes at the end of the year with lower school I will mix up some theory with some mini-practical filming challenges such as a

photography mystery challenge, prison or paradise image challenge, filming/editing a Mexican standoff (this is credited to another school) etc which aims to consolidate theory taught in a fun way and 'hopefully' keep students motivated by offsetting behavioural issues! I'll need to dig into the ether of my hard drive but did you want me to pass on some resources on these if it could be of use?

Regards

Adrianne Evans

Hi Tom,

Yes, I agree, always a challenging time!

I've attached some digital photo editing with online video tutorials they could follow independently (hopefully) haha could do one per session

They are attached

Kind regards,

Hannah Moran

Photoshop_Change the Season.docx

Photoshop_Colour Splash.docx

Photoshop_Colours Pop.docx

Photoshop_Make it Rain.docx

Photoshop_Object Blend Photograph.docx

Photoshop_Sky Replacement.docx

Photopea_Black and White Colour Pop.docx

Photopea_Make it Cartoon.docx

Photopea_Vacation Blend Photograph.docx

I love getting the kids to choose an anime of choice to watch (I’ve attached a spirited away study guide too) and then wrap up with nice calm drawing tasks… I’ve attached a brief booklet which helps them plan a comic/ manga, but sometimes I just get them to create really cool concept art… for whatever we were studying… a game, a short film, animation, or comic etc 😊

Holly Malpas

Hey Tom,

Here is an assortment of Photography/Media activities/challenges I use to keep the students engaged throughout the year. Many of these are Photography-based, but there is no reason they can't be converted into cinematography exercises. They can be used as starter activities or expand out for entire lessons.

One of my favourites is the "mixing bowl" activity as the students can write up a bunch of rules and restrictions and then the students have fun trying to work around sometimes some really odd parameters.

Sorry they are all just screen shots, but feel free to use or adapt them however you wish.

Rock on!

Gooch!

I am just about to do that with my 10s! (suspense) I love this website for the lesson plan- https://lessonbucket.com/media/year-10/dial-s-for-suspense/

Jessica Sorci

MacKillop House Coordinator

lesson bucket and my colleague rebranded it as “two minute tension”.

We provided students with a storyboard as a guide and let them film their interpretation of the storyboard.

This is a really fun task as it allows you to film in class and around school, you do not require diegetic sound and you can also incorporate after effects for the film title.

I would highly recommend this task.

Nagel Werner

Hi All,

We like to use the time to reinforce some of the practical skills the kiddos might need in year 11 and 12. Some students turn the skills into a small narrative film and others complete each set activity. The main point is to practise skills (or learn new skills), that they can potentially use in upper school Media.

Booklet is attached.

Have a lovely end of year and a well-deserved break.

Kind regards,

Lisa

Hi,

Depends on the class, but if the semester is productive and all goes well, I book the Auditorium big screen for the very last day.

Technician loops all the kids work… we watch, eat popcorn and the kids love it.

A good reward for the end of a course.

Kath Yanev