Star Quality
Round the Twist |
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Lesson plan: Skills and processes fostered through the activities include:
1.1 All about me Ask students to use their names to develop an acrostic profile. (This works best if first modelled by the teacher). Each letter of their name is used to begin a sentence about the things they consider they are best at. As a class, share acrostic profiles with each other. Students may also design an acrostic profile of a friend, which can be quite light hearted in nature and designed to open up discussion about individual strengths and weaknesses. 1.2 'Y' chart brainstorm Present the students with two 'Y' charts as shown below. Each student
brainstorms their ideas about winning and losing using the 'Y' structure:
'looks like' (visual images associated with
winning/losing), 'sounds like' (words and
phrases associated with winning and losing) and
'feels like' (feelings and emotions associated with winning/losing).
Ask students to write short personal reflections using the following openings:
Students can also use art or drama to represent their experiences. 1.4 Think, pair, share Ask students to write down a list of people they most admire. Ask them to team up with a friend and check the list for any overlaps. Pool the lists as a class and establish the following:
1.5 Food for thought Display some key questions for consideration throughout the unit:
1.6 Viewing Now view the episode The Whirling Derfish in full. 2. Responding 2.1 What's it all about? In pairs, ask students to discuss what they consider to be some of the key themes explored by the episode. What are the writers of this story saying about the way the world works? Why did they write the story? 2.2 Just look at him now! Ask students to analyse the way Bronson changes his personality as a result of his new fame. As a class, draw up a simple retrieval chart that lists the characteristics
and then provides examples (a snippet of dialogue, a scene description,
an observed behaviour, etc.)
2.3 Exploring values The different ways people value the concept of 'winning' is shown throughout the episode by the various characters' response to the Wharf to Surf Race. Ask small groups to discuss the views represented by the following characters. What does each character seem to regard as most important? What do they value?
2.4 Where do we stand? Present students with some of the key phrases from the episode that relate to issues of winning and losing. Ask them to indicate where they 'stand' in relation to each statement by using the following strategy. Mark out a line along the room using a piece of string/chalk . or the imagination. Indicate to students that one end of the line represents 'strongly agree' and the other 'strongly disagree'. Read out each of the phrases taken, or adapted from the episode. Ask students to position themselves according to the extent to which they agree or disagree. Some key phrases: 'It is not about winning or losing.it's about winning!'
Ask students to add more catch phrases about winning and losing to this list - often used in sport and advertising. For example:
2.5 In the hot seat Watch the following segment: Scene: Port Niranda Main street, newspaper
girl on the corner. Ask someone to take on the role of Bronson at the height of his fame. The rest of the class can be reporters. Set up a mock press conference where Bronson is asked about his fame and fortune. Ask students to write their own newspaper article about the phenomenon of the 'Niranda Bay Porpoise' to extend this activity. Involving the class in a mock talk show can use a similar technique. Someone can act as the host and others can act as the studio audience, putting questions to the star of the evening - Bronson. 2.6 The moral dilemma game At the centre of this episode is the dilemma Bronson faces over the fate of the endangered derfish and his own desire to win the race and 'be somebody'. The segment used in activity includes the scene where Linda challenges Bronson over the fate of the fish. Divide the class into groups of three. One person in each group represents Bronson's character. The other two represent opposing voices of Bronson's conscience. Each voice takes turns to try and convince Bronson to get on with the race or to 'cough up' the fish. After a given time, students representing Bronson can report back on which arguments they find most persuasive and why. Ask: what values underpin the different arguments? 2.7 Write a blurb Ask students to write a blurb about this episode in the style of something
that might appear in a TV guide or on the back of a video case. They must
outline the main themes of the episode and aspects of the story - without
giving too much away. 3. Making connections 3.1 What's the big idea? Despite the comic nature of the episode, the story makes several points about winning, the need for acceptance and belonging and the issue of cheating. Give students a list of key words and ask them to write a statement for each word based on some of the messages in the episode. Suggested words:
3.2 Cheating in sport Use De Bono's six thinking hats to discuss the issue of steroid use and other performance enhancing drugs by athletes.
3.3 What makes a hero? View the final scene where Bronson is declared a hero by the crowd. Scene: At the beach. Discuss the significance of this scene to the story. What has happened to Bronson? Has he achieved his goal of wanting to 'be somebody?' What qualities do people admire in him now? As a class, examine popular magazines and/or television shows. Ask: what attributes and qualities are celebrated in the media? How representative are these of most people? 3.4 The price of fame What are the consequences of fame? How can fame change your life? Ask students to write, draw or act out their ideas about suddenly becoming famous. Ask students to imagine themselves famous for something in the future and write a profile themselves as that famous person. 4. Going further 4.1 Exploring music Collect songs that deal with heroes and the theme of popularity.
4.2 Say it with feeling Ask students to write a letter to someone they admire, telling them why. 4.3 Order in the court Investigate the issue of drugs and cheating in sport. Ask students to gather information about actual cases. Set up a mock trial in which an athlete has been accused of cheating by using steroids. The trial will need: a lawyer for the prosecution; a lawyer for the defence; a judge; defendant; a Jury; a court reporter. 4.4 World records Investigate some unusual world records using the Guinness Book of Records. Make a display of these in the classroom. 5. Getting technical 5.1 The role of humour The episode deals with several serious issues - changes to the body, self-esteem, acceptance, conservation ... but makes us laugh in the process. Ask students how the writers and directors have managed this combination of serious issues and humour. Does it work? Why? Why not? 5.2 Using visual humour and special effects Review the episode for examples of visual humour. Make a list of scenes using visual humour that students recall. Revisit these parts of the video. Ask: where are actions louder than words? Ask students to hypothesise about how the special effects have been achieved in the following examples:
Some helpful references include: Callow, J. (ed.) (1999) Image matters: visual
texts in the classroom, PETA NSW.
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