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=Welcome to the Wiki for Constitution High School's Film class!= Feel free to e-mail Ms. Melville at kmelville@philasd.org. When posting, please click on the page for THIS WEEK in the left column.

Last day of class. We watched "Run Lola Run."
 * Thursday, April 8**

No journal today. Students finished their film trailer projects due at the end of class.
 * Wednesday, April 7**

No journal today. Students worked on their film trailer projects due Wednesday.
 * Tuesday, April 6**

No journal today. Ms. Melville collected journals. Students worked on their film trailer projects.
 * Monday, April 5**

HW: Film trailer projects due Wednesday.

No journal today. Students worked on their movie trailers.
 * Tuesday, March 30**

No journal today. Students worked on their movie trailers.
 * Monday, March 29**

Journal 35: If you were making an action movie, what would it be about? What would be the major conflict? What would the climax of the movie be?
 * Friday, March 26**

Class: We worked on planning our film trailers.

Journal 34: Do you enjoy watching movie trailers? What are the best movie trailers you have seen? What makes a movie trailer good? What are the important elements?
 * Thursday, March 25**

Class: We finished watching "Real Women Have Curves." Then, we read an article about movie trailers and watched several movie trailers to identify the conventions.

Journal 33: Remember from yesterday that being "typecast" means being cast in the same type of role again and again. Who are some actors that you know who have been typecast? What role have they been typecast in?
 * Wednesday, March 24**

Class: We began watching "Real Women Have Curves."

Journal 32: How does the character of Thomas relate to the Sherman Alexie essay we read yesterday? How does the character of Victor relate? Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Tuesday, March 23**

Class: We finished watching "Smoke Signals," read an article and watched an NPR clip about Lupe Ontiveros and how she has been typecast as a maid.

Journal 31: What movies have you seen that portray Native Americans? What stereotypes of Native Americans have you observed on TV or in films?
 * Monday, March 22**

Class: We read an essay by Sherman Alexie, watched several clips that portray stereotypes of Native Americans in film, and began watching "Smoke Signals."

Journal 30: Answer the following questions: 1) Before killing Manray, the MauMaus keep calling him "negro." How does this relate to Delacroix's use of the word? 2) What do the black collectibles symbolize to Sloan? To Delacroix? Why does he destroy them at the end? 3) What is symbolic about Delacroix dying in blackface?
 * Friday, March 19**

Class: We read an interview with Spike Lee and responded to selected quotes from the interview through double-entry journals. Then, we read a review of the film by Roger Ebert, and Ms. Melville gave out writing assignments due Friday. We discussed students varied reactions to the film. Please see Ms. Melville with any further questions or concerns or if you are interested in an alternate assignment.

HW: Writing assignments due Friday.

Journal 29: Answer the following questions about "Bamboozled": 1) Why does Delacroix compare his show to Martin Luther King's marches? 2) How do Dunwitty, CNS, and the nation respond to "Mantan"? What is ironic about their reaction? 3) What do the commercials satirize? 4) What similarities and differences do you see between Delacroix and his father?
 * Thursday, March 18**

Class: We finished watching "Bamboozled" and posted responses to the wiki.

HW: Post by Thursday/Sunday.

Journal 28: Describe Pierre Delacroix. How is he different from his boss, Mr. Dunwitty? How do their characteristics relate to their race?
 * Wednesday, March 17**

Class: We continued watching the film "Bamboozled."

HW: Post by Thursday/Sunday.

Journal 27: Define the following terms: stereotype - satire - irony -
 * Tuesday, March 16**

Class: Groups presented their pitches, and then we started the film "Bamboozled."

Journal 26: For a long time, it was unusual for a woman to have the lead role in a film. It was more common for women to play supporting roles (love interest, mother, etc.). In what ways are these roles limiting? Can you think of movies in which women play strong lead roles?
 * Monday, March 15**

Class: We worked in our groups on our School movie projects.

HW: School movie projects due tomorrow.

Journal 25: What is the setting of your school movie? Who is the main character? What is the major conflict that the character has to face? What makes your movie different from other school movies?
 * Friday, March 12**

Class: We discussed the strengths and weaknesses of our American Dream papers. We worked on our school movie projects.

HW: School movie projects due Tuesday.

Ms. Melville was out today on a field trip. Students worked on their movie projects, due Tuesday.
 * Thursday, March 11**

Journal 24: Think of a movie that really changed the way you thought or felt about an important issue. Identify the issue and write how you felt before and after seeing the movie. How did the movie help you to see things differently? Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Wednesday, March 10**

Class: We read excerpts from several reviews of "The Class," and Ms. Melville introduced the schools assignment:,.

HW: Schools movie project due Tuesday, March 16.

Journal 23: How do you think of movies - as art (like books, poetry, and paintings) or entertainment? Do you think filmmakers have a responsibility to send a positive message with their films? Or is it okay to reaffirm stereotypes as long as it's entertaining?
 * Tuesday, March 9**

Class: We had a long discussion about the "n" word and who can or cannot use it. Then, we finished watching the class.

HW: Post by Thurs/Sun.

Journal 22: So far, do you think "The Class" offers more or less realistic portrayal of urban schools than "Dangerous Minds" and "Lean on Me"? Have you noticed anything about French schools that is different from American schools?
 * Monday, March 8**

Class: We finished our school presentations and voted. We filled out a questionnaire on the educational philosophies that fit us best. We watched more of "The Class."

HW: Post by Thursday/Sunday.

No journal today. We presented our schools based on educational philosophies. We began watching the film, "The Class."
 * Friday, March 5**

HW: Respond by Sunday.

Journal 21: If you were to make a movie based on your own life as an urban student, how would you do it? How would you portray the students? How would you portray the teachers? What scenes would you include? What impression would you try to give your audience of urban schools? Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Thursday, March 4**

Class: In groups, we designed our own schools based on one of the four educational philosophies we have been studying. Each group answered a series of questions about their school and created a poster or brochure to advertise their school to teachers and parents. We will present them tomorrow.

HW: Post by today/Sunday.

Journal 20: In "Dangerous Minds," we obviously do not see a complete school day. What kinds of scenes and interactions does the director choose to show? What scenes and interactions are left out? If you could add a scene to the movie to make it more realistic, what would you show in that scene?
 * Wednesday, March 3**

Class: We finished watching "Dangerous Minds" and we read an [|article] about four different educational philosophies.

HW: Post by Thursday/Sunday.

Journal 19: Looking back on your education, what made your best teachers stand out? Were your best teachers strict? Warm and understanding? Both? Did they follow a strict curriculum? Or give students a say in what they wanted to learn? Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Tuesday, March 2**

Class: We read an [|article] about three styles of parenting and watched a Powerpoint presentation about how those three styles can apply to teaching. We discussed our own parents' and teachers' styles. Then, we began watching "Dangerous Minds."

HW: Post by Thursday/Sunday.

Journal 18: Consider what we have seen so far of the the film "Lean on Me." What parts seem realistic to you? What parts of the film seem unrealistic? Explain why by comparing the film to your own experience of urban schools. Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Monday, March 1**

Class: We finished watching "Lean on Me." We read a New York Times article about Joe Clark and debated whether we would support or contest his principalship at Eastside High.

HW: Post by Thursday/Sunday.

Journal 17: What are some stereotypes of urban schools? What are some steretypes of the students? What are stereotypes of the teachers? Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Wednesday, February 24**

Class: We began watching the film "Lean on Me" in order to analyze the education system on film.

HW: Post by Thursday/Sunday. American Dream essay due Friday.

Journal 16: What is your writing style? How long does it usually take you to write a paper? What steps do you take to complete an essay? What are your strengths as a writer? What do you think you need to work on? Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Tuesday, February 23**

Class: We finished reading the review of "Maria Full of Grace." The rest of class was spent planning/writing American Dream essays and conferencing with Ms. Melville.

HW: Post by Thursday/Sunday. American Dream essay due Friday.

Journal 15: If you were in Maria's position, would you make the same choice as her? Why or why not? What do you think will happen as she heads into the United States as a mule? Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Monday, February 22**

Class: We finished watching "Maria Full of Grace" and identified scenes that affirm or challenge the American Dream. We began reading a review of the film (posted on the Week 4 page), and Ms. Melville gave specific instructions on how to post this week (again, see Week 4 page).

HW: Post by Thursday/Sunday. American Dream essay due this Friday.

Journal #14: What did you think was the best scene in Sugar? What did you like about it? What was visually interesting about the scene? Do you remember interesting sounds or music? Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Friday, February 19**

Class: We read and discussed a critically review of "Sugar" by A.O. Scott of the New York Times. Then, we discussed the war on drugs and drug trafficking in Colombia. We watched the first part of the film "Maria Full of Grace."

HW: Respond by Sunday. American Dream essay due on Friday, 2/26.

Journal #13: What are some connotations of baseball in America? Include your own personal associations with the sport throughout your life. Why is it known as "America's favorite pastime"? Why do you think it is considered the quintessential American sport? Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Thursday, February 18**

Class: We created a T-chart of scenes in Sugar that either affirm or challenge the American Dream. We finished watching the movie and analyzed the way in which it diverges from the typical narrative structure of a film in the sports genre.

HW: Post by Thursday. Respond by Sunday. American Dream essay due by Friday, February 26.

Journal #12: Make a list of as many sports movies as you have seen. What do these films have in common? How do they usually begin and end? What kinds of sounds and music are typical of these films? What kind of cinematography is typical of these films? Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Wednesday, February 17**

Class: We took our Film Terms Quiz. We discussed the narrative structure of sports movies and some of the mechanics of the farm system in baseball. Then, we watched more of the movie Sugar and took notes on whether it affirms or challenges the American Dream.

HW: Post by Thursday. Respond by Sunday. American Dream essay due on Friday, 2/26.

Journal #11: Over the looooong weekend, what films or television did you watch? Did you notice any particular shots, camera angles, or camera movements? Did you notice any other cinematic effects (lighting, diegetic sound, nondiegetic sound, focus, etc) that were significant or interesting? Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Tuesday, February 16**

Class: We watched the last of the student-made movies on various film techniques. We reviewed for tomorrow's quiz and read and discussed an essay assignment on the American Dream. We began watching, analyzing, and taking notes on the first movie for this assignment, Sugar.

HW: Study for tomorrow's quiz (use your study guide, notes, and hand-outs). Post by Thursday and respond by Sunday. American Dream essay due Friday, Feb 26.

Snow days.
 * Wednesday-Friday, February 10-12**

Journal #10: Define and describe "the American Dream." Do you think the American Dream has changed over time? What makes the American Dream distinctly American? How are things different in other countries? Do you think there is a difference between the American Dream and the American reality? Write at least ten sentences.
 * Tuesday, February 9**

Class: We wrapped up work on our Film Dictionary projects. Two groups presented. We will finish with the rest next class. We also went over a study guide for an upcoming quiz on Friday:

__Part I: Literary, Dramatic and Cinematic Elements of Film__ Be able to distinguish between the literary, dramatic, and cinematic elements of film. Use your notes from the first week of class to study.

__Part II: Film Terms Definitions__ Be able to define the various film terms we have studied over the last two weeks. Use your Film Terms Definitions hand-out to study. This part of the quiz will be matching and/or fill-in-the-blank.

__Part III: The Godfather__ Be prepared to write a short essay on The Godfather. Consider the major theme/conflict we analyzed (family vs. business) and how different cinematic elements (light, sound, etc) contributed to portraying this theme in the film.

HW: Post by Thursday. Respond by Sunday.

SNOW DAY - No school.
 * Monday, February 8**

No journal today.
 * Friday, February 5**

Class: We worked on our Film Terms Dictionary projects, due Monday.

HW: Post responses by Sunday. Projects due Monday.

Journal #9: The Godfather was nominated for the Academy Awards below, but only won three. Which three do you think it won and why? Best actor (Don Corleone), Best supporting actor (Sonny, Michael, Tom), Best costume design, Best picture, Best writing, Best music, Best director, Best editing, Best sound
 * Thursday, February 4**

Class: We finished watching The Godfather, and the class engaged in an impassioned discussion about whether or not it is possible to keep "business" and "family separate, the complications of intercultural marriages, and the role of women in family businesses. Students spent the remainder of class working on the Film Dictionary project.

HW: Post by Thursday. Projects due Monday.

Journal #8: In your journal, make a T-chart of elements or effects in The Godfather that correspond to the two worlds below: The underworld/Ganster life AND The domestic world/Family values
 * Wednesday, February 3**

Class: We watched The Godfather and took notes on the literary, dramatic, and cinematic effects.

HW: Post by Thursday. Projects due Monday.

Journal #7: Based on what we have seen so far in The Godfather, examine the character of Don Corleone. What are some of his characteristics? What does he value? What choices by the actor (Marlon Brando) and the director (Francis Ford Coppola) add to our understanding of Don Corleone?
 * Tuesday, February 2**

Class: We watched more of The Godfather and took notes on the literary, dramatic, and cinematic effects. At the end of class, we discussed the two worlds or ideals that seem to be in contention in the film (the underworld and the world of the family) and noted the various effects that develop the conflict between them.

HW: Post by Thursday. Projects due Monday. Bring cameras tomorrow!

Journal #6: What movies or TV did you watch over the weekend? What literary, dramatic, or cinematic elements did you notice? Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Monday, February 1**

Class: We learned the remaining film terms on the Definitions of Film Terms hand-out, and identified examples in two clips (from Psycho and the Graduate). Then, Ms. Melville assigned the Film Dictionary project, due next Monday February 8:. In the last 10 minutes of class, we began watching The Godfather and analyzing its literary, dramatic, and cinematic elements.

HW: Post by Thursday. Film dictionary projects due Monday.

Journal #5: Which do you think is the most important to a movie - the literary elements, the dramatic elements, or the cinematic elements? Why do you think so? Answer in at least 3 sentences.
 * Friday, January 29**

Class: We completed a webquest on laptops. The webquest is here:. It was due at the end of class.

HW: Reflective posts due by the end of the day. Responses due by Sunday.

Journal #4: Choose a film from your list that stands out for its cinematic elements (cinematography, editing, visual and sound effects). Describe three of the cinematic elements and explain how they contribute to making it a great movie. Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Thursday, January 28**

Class: We began studying the language of film with this set of definitions:. We covered Camera Shots, Focus, and Camera Angles. Then, we applied the terms to the cinematography in a clip from Risky Business and a clip from A Touch of Evil. Finally, we broke into three groups, and each group analyzed either the literary, dramatic, or cinematic elements of a clip from Batman.

HW: Posts due Friday. For newcomers, syllabus and materials due Monday.

Journal #3: Choose a film from your list that stands out for its dramatic elements (acting, sets, costumes, make-up, etc). Describe three of the dramatic elements and explain how they contribute to making it a great movie. Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Wednesday, January 27**

Class: We learned the definition for cinematic elements and examined the cinematic elements in three clips (from Batman, ET, and Road Warrior).

HW: DUE DATE EXTENDED for posting. Post will be due on Friday.

Journal #2: Choose a movie from your list that stands out for its literary elements. Identify three of the literary elements in this movie (ex. conflict, characters, etc.) and explain how they contribute to making the movie great. Write at least 5 sentences.
 * Tuesday, January 26**

Class: We took notes on the dramatic elements of film using the 3 levels hand-out (see below), and then we applied these to the same short clip from Batman as yesterday.

HW: Signed syllabus and materials due tomorrow. Also, don't forget your permission slips for R-rated movies! Post on wiki by Thursday.

Journal #1: If you wanted to write a story, what are the essential elements of literature that you would need? Hint: Start with character and go from there. We brainstormed and took notes on the literary elements of film on this hand-out:. Then, we applied these elements to a short clip from Batman. We also wrote letters to our parents/guardians explaining why we need permission to view R-rated movies.
 * Monday, January 25**

HW: Signed syllabus and materials due Wednesday.

Our first class! We read the syllabus and brainstormed lists in four categories: film genres, ways of accessing films, viewing habits, and people involved in creating a film. Students surveyed their classmates about their preferences in these categories and presented our class's data. Then students wrote and shared lists of their top ten movies and wrote explanations for 5. HW: Signed syllabus and materials due on Wednesday.
 * Friday, January 22**