AP Lit: Watchmen Discovery Phase Continues

Here we go folks . . . 21 days and we'll have a movie.

Today we dove into possibilities for this film and signing up for production teams.

Suit Up Sessions

We agreed on no central protagonist, multiple layers, original song to tie things together but not a music video, use of flashbacks and some sort of event or experience that unites all characters

I was playing around with ideas after school on Monday

Blog.  3+ Posts.
Req'd Post.  Empathy Phase.  Talk to potential users of our film.  Rather than ask for what they look for in a film, find out which themes and ideas might best relate to them.  What would they find interesting to explore and compel them to keep watching?   How might we use the big ideas of our work to engage audience  and how might our devices enhance those big ideas?
Due. Friday.  May 15.

Pop Culture: Film Trailers

Today we explore the underappreciated world of film trailers.

We'll explore a couple of articles and examples in the service of playing with film trailer design.

Both articles are on the Flight307 Pop Culture Pinterest board.

A Good Day to Die Hard was not a good movie.  But it makes a darn fine tool for learning how to edit a trailer.
http://www.filmeducation.org/teachingtrailers/secondary/make_a_trailer/

We had talked about making a short film as a class; I would like to throw on the table a proposal that instead we make a film trailer.

ASSESSMENT.

Blog. 3+ Posts.
Curate. 2+ Pins.
Req'd Post.  Credit Roll of Your Life.  Imagine your life as a film.  Create the credit roll.  (It needn't be an actual scrolling piece of film -- though that would kinda neat as well.) Who would get credit? What sorts of jobs and roles would they get credit for?  What order would you put it in?

We'll do a little brainstorming in class to get these ideas cooking.
Due.  Friday, May 15th.


Complete. Music Culture.
Due. Wednesday, May 13th.

Humanities: Learning to Love You More Rubric

Learning to Love You More: The Website 
Due. Thursday.  May 21st.  INSTALLATION.

Humanities: Little Things Essay Workshop

Today, we'll start with Roots Quiz 12.

Then. . .

Stations . . non rotating . . choices . . . follow the sketchnotes below to help you with the process . .  starts with a description of each station and then the process follow below.

Stations.

Pop Culture: Nate Underkuffler & Transition to Film Culture

Tuesday we Skyped with music editor/film composer Nate Underkuffler who shared his work process and what it's like to work in the Hollywood film industry.

We also shared brief reminders of the music culture project due next Wednesday.

Answer One or More of these Essential Questions . . .
How does music culture affect you?
How do you affect music culture?
How does music culture affect society?
How does society affect music culture?

A few folks in attendance last week put these ideas on the table. . .

Soundtrack of Your Life.  What are the songs that have shaped your life?  Spotify or YouTube Playlist.  Cover art.  Rationales for each choice.  Share to the world.

Workout Playlist.  What songs should people listen to while working out?  What type of work out?  When exactly should they listen?  YouTube or Spotify Playlist.  Cover art.  Rationales for each choice.  Share to the world.

Music Video.  Create a music video for a song.  Preferably an original song by a local/student performer.  Publish the video on YouTube or Vimeo.  Rationale explaining the intentions and design of the video.

How else might you demonstrate answers to one or more of the above?

ASSESSMENTS.

Blog. 3+ Posts
Curate.  2+ Pins
Req'd Post. Five Image Story.  Tell a story in only five images.  It must relate a beginning, middle and end. It must include at least one character.  It must involve some sort of conflict.  You may take original photos or use found images from the web.    Explain your story.
Due. Friday, May 8

Music Culture Project.
Due. Wednesday, May 13.

Looking forward.. .

Film/Television Culture Project.
Due.  Friday, May 29

Final.  For Seniors.  Due June 1.

For Underclassmen. TBA.

Brit Lit CPI: Reading and Research; Discovery & Empathy Phase

Today . . .

Thermostat research 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXquA-LiI5w

Wiring Video for auto cool Honeywell Thermostat

http://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/cool-dogs/

Different forms of saving your animals from heat stroke

http://www.instantcheckmate.com/crimewire/dogs-are-dying-in-hot-cars-heres-how-you-can-help-save-them/

An article/visual about animal cruelty in hot cars

Mudding Research 

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/willamette/recreation/ohv/?cid=stelprdb5097794

The cost of illegal mudding

 http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdoors/2014/jun/10/four-wheel-drivers-trash-colville-meadow-mudding/

The few people who take advantage of mudding

http://www.find-off-road-trails.com/maine-trails.html

A list of the “legal” off-roading areas. 

1.  Find an article/video/podcast/website related to your design challenge:  mudding signage or thermostat car starter

2.  Use EasyBib.com to create a proper MLA formatted citation for  your article/video/podcast/website.

3.  Complete one of the four literacy strategies to show that you understand the text.

Notice/Wish/Wonder.

Text Connections.

Sketchnotes.

Soundtracking.

4.  Put your work in your Brit Lit IN folder.

ASSSESSMENTS.

Blog Post 2. Empathy Conversation.  Talk with someone who would be an invested user of your design.  Find out what bugs them about the current situation.  And find out what would excite them about a new design.

For example, what really bothers game wardens about current sign posts?  And what features could new signage have that would get them excited?
Due. Friday. May 8th.

Reading 2.  See above.
Due. Friday. May 8th.

AP Lit: Test & Watchmen & Poet-Trees Set Free

For a tiny class of four, we sure did a lot of doing today in AP Lit.

Here's what everyone needs to know . . .

1.  Test.  Wednesday.  UMF.  North Dining Hall.  Be there by 7:30 - 7:45.  Test at 8.  Boom.  Rock it.  HARD.

2. Poet-trees set free.  We'd really like to release the poet-trees into the wild for people to discover on nature trails and walking paths around our community i.e. Bonney Woods, Flint Woods, Whistle Stop, etc.   Not permanently, but perhaps for a week or two?

We came up with a great list today and need to strategize on how to get them out there, so long as all of the Poet-Trees crew is in agreement.  We also thought it would be great fun to encourage poet-trees selfies so we can see who finds them all.  Maybe we could make some rustic signage.

Also, mark your calendars for 7 a.m. Sunday, May 31st.  Tentative plans for a fully voluntary hike up Tumbledown to plant a Poet-Tree in the wee morning hours.


2.  Read Watchmen.  Chapter 4 by Thursday/Friday.   COMPLETE Watchmen for next week: Wed, the 13th, we will talk openly about the whole book.  Friday, the 15th, everyone should have completed the text.

Why is that so important?  Because  . . .

3. We are making a short film inspired by Watchmen.  Due date. Upload date.  World premiere date.  (Red Carpet Event Date?)  June 1st.

How might we demonstrate the themes, devices, characters and intentions of Watchmen through an original film inspired by the work?

To do so, we must identify Moore & Gibbons' techniques, the themes,  characters, the literary devices, the symbols, the imagery, the visual devices, the layers of allusions, the layers of text, and more.

To those ends, this is a design challenge so . . .

DISCOVERY PHASE!!!!

Blog: 3+ Posts
Req'd Post:  DISCOVERY PHASE.  Watchmen film project.  Based on what we've read so far, unpack the text.  What themes emerge already? Symbolism?  Techniques?  Colors? Devices?  Go nuts.  Explore the text.   What seems like it NEEDS to be there?  What feels indisposable at this juncture?  What could it do without?

Sketchnote it?  Mind map it?  Free write it?
Due.  Friday, May 8th.