Is the Movie Better Than the Book?
Objective
Big Idea
Starter
To begin today's lesson, I will take a few minutes to have students share some of the similarities and differences they found between the novel and the film during yesterday's viewing. This is a simple, teacher-led discussion meant to get everyone's head back into the game. Twenty-four hours is a lifetime when you're in middle school!
Getting Down to Business
For the remainder of this class period, I show the second half of the 1938 version of Tom Sawyer OR I show the following:
- Disney's "Tom & Huck": Tom's Funeral through the end of the courtroom scene.
- 1973 Musical: It's a Miracle through the end.
As they watch, students are to continue filling out the graphic organizers.
Did They Get It?
During the last few minutes of class, I hand out the writing assignment based on the film(s). This is a homework assignment, and I remind students that they will need to staple their graphic organizer to the paragraph.
Before they leave, I draw their attention to the grading rubric on the back of the sheet. I ask them to make sure they're doing their very best work. I remind them that the need to provide me with enough evidence to be able to mark a "4" for every category!
