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The Book or the Movie? An Argument about Reading and Viewing Choices

Grade 6 English Language Arts

Learning Module

  • Creator(s): Rita van Haren
  • Publisher: Literacies Learning Module Projects

Abstract

Peoples' reading and viewing habits have changed as technology has developed, offering different devices to read and view. In this Learning Module, students research and then create an argument about readers' and viewers' choices, finding evidence to support their claims.

Keywords

Books, Movies, E-Books, Technology, Argument, Research.

1. Overview

For the Student

Peoples' reading and viewing habits have changed as technology has developed, offering different devices to read and view. Also books are now able to include videos, images, audio, involving the reader more and even allowing them to determine what happens in the story. In this Learning Module, you are going to create an argument about which you prefer, the book or the movie. You can take a ‘for’, ‘against’ or ‘mixed’ judgment response. However, whatever position you take, you should demonstrate you are aware of the range of views that are different from yours.

Focus Questions

In this learning module, we will focus on the following questions:

How have books and movies changed to include new technologies and engage readers and viewers?

What features make a book better than its movie version?

What features of a movie make it better than a book?

How do I write an argument to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence about which is better - the book of the movie?

In a Think - Pair Share with a partner, discuss your experiences of reading a book and watching the movie version. In a Think-Pair-Share, you think for one minute and then in pairs, share your ideas. In the sharing, each person speaks for about 45 seconds while the other person actively listens.

Comment: Share one of your experiences of reading a book and watching the film version with the whole class. Which was better and why? Comment on another student's comment. Write @Name first, inserting the student's name so they know you are commenting on their comment.

Fig.1: The Hobbit by J.R.R.Tolkien has images, maps, audio and text on an iPad

For the Teacher

Exploring a range of websites about technologies used in modern books and films, students find evidence to support their claims in an argumentative text. They review their peers’ arguments and revise their own argument for publication.

This initial activity aims to engage students by connecting them to a knowledge building community. Set up protocols for using academic language in Community Updates, and also for students to support their peers. To promote the idea of supportive language and comments, use extra Think-Pair-Shares to brainstorm examples of supportive language.

In a Think-Pair-Share, students think for one minute and then in pairs, share their ideas. In the sharing, each person speaks for about 45 seconds while the other person actively listens,

Use Comments in Community throughout the module to engage students, connect them to a knowledge building community, and as a reflective tool.

Main CCSS Focus

W.6.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

2. Exploring Books and Movies

For the Student

Learning Intention: To research information to find evidence to support claims about which is better - the book or the movie.

Look at the infographic on the average book rating and the average movie rating of books that have been made into films over the past 22 years. Which one is more popular? Why do you think this is so?

Discuss this with a partner and complete the T-Chart which summarizes claims that are in support of both books and movies. Make sure you include evidence to support your claims. In order to complete this, do some research to find out more. Here are some internet sites that might be useful. You can also find sites of your own.

Books Versus Movies (Blog)

 10 Reasons why Books  are Better than Movies (Blog)

The Ebook vs. Paperbook Fight Rages On: Will There – Or Should There – Ever be a Winner?

E-Book Features (Website)

Are Movies Better than Books? (Online Debate)

Teen Books (Online Newspaper: The Guardian)

T-Chart

Comment: Comment on one reason that either supports the claim that books are better or that movies are better. Support your claim with an example of a book that has been turned into a film.

Fig. 2: The Harry Potter Books

For the Teacher

This activity focuses on students researching and discussing information about the topic and focusing on finding evidence to support claims.

Working in pairs will enable students to share the workload and promote collaboration and discussion, which in turn will deepen their understanding of their reading. The completed T-Chart may be used as a reference when students are writing their arguments. For accountability, they may also be submitted to the teacher in "Your Submissions" in Community.

Encourage students to use examples of books and movies to support their opinions. Remind them that this is an argument not an opinion so they must include evidence.

To provide extra support to students, post the following Overt Instruction Updates from The Writer’s Toolkit: Strategies for Writing Arguments in the New Media  to Community if they need to focus on this aspect of writing at this time. Alternatively, individualized or small group support may be provided through structured mini-lessons.

  • Internet Searches and Citing References
  • Vocabulary and Spelling
  • Structure of Arguments
  • Paragraphs in Arguments
  • Different Kinds of Argument Sentences

CCSS Focus

SL.6.1c: Pose and respond to specific questions with elaboration and detail by making comments that contribute to the topic, text, or issue under discussion.

W.6.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to interact and collaborate with others.

3. Project Information and Draft

For the Student

Learning Intention: To start my writing project and to use the rubric to identify what is important to include.

Project Name:The Book or the Movie? Which is Better?

Description: Write an argument text in which you make claims about whether you prefer reading a book or watching the movie version. You must provide evidence to support your claims and also show you understand and are aware of positions that are different from yours.

Check the Work Request in your Notifications. Click on this link to open the “Untitled Work” in Creator. Then, change the title, and begin a first draft. Go to About This Work => Project => Description for further project information.

For what you need to do in order to write a good argument, go to Feedback => Reviews => Rubric. Keep the Rubric open and refer to it as you write.

When you are ready to submit, click “Submit Draft” below the work. This is the version of your work that will be sent to others for review.

Comment: Do you have any questions about how Scholar works? Make a comment in this update. If you think you have an answer to another student's question, please answer it - be sure to name the student you are replying to in your comment by starting with @Name.

Fig. 3: Which did you prefer - the book of the movie?

For the Teacher

As students begin to draft their work, encourage them to use the Structure tool to organize some of the ideas that they gather from the discussion and their research. Students should also refer to the rubric as a guide as they write in Creator. If necessary, look through the rubric with students.

For first time users of Scholar, the following Overt Instruction Updates from The Writer's Toolkit: Strategies for Writing in the New Media may be useful to add to Community:

  • How to Write in Scholar
  • Using the Rubric and Checker
  • Planning Using the Structure Tool

Project Rubric

CCSS Focus

W.6.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

W.6.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.

W.6.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

4. Give Feedback and Revise

For the Student

Learning Intention: To give feedback on other students’ works and then revise my own.

Check your Notifications for Feedback Requests: You have received a Feedback Request. Click on this link to take you to the work you have been assigned to review. Go to Feedback => Reviews => Review Work. Rate the work on each criterion and explain why you gave the work that rating. Make in-text comments at Feedback => Annotations. Make an overall recommendation at Feedback => Recommendation.

Submit your feedback once it is finished at About This Work => Project => Status. You will not be able to submit your review until all requirements set by you teacher have been met. These may include a Review, Annotations, and/or a Publication Recommendation.

For more information, see Reviewing a Work and Submitting a Review and Annotations.

The next stage of the writing process is to revise your own work.

Check your Notifications for a Revision Request: You have received a Revision Request. Click on this link to take you to the most recent version of your work. Then go to Feedback => Reviews => Results to see the reviews and Feedback => Annotations to see in-text comments. Once you have incorporated all of the feedback (Reviews/Annotations) from your peers, click “Submit Revision” below the work.

You can also write a self-review, explaining how you have taken on board the feedback you received.

For more information, see The Revision Phase.

Comment: Do you have any more questions about Scholar at this stage? Make a comment in this update. If you think you have an answer to another student's question, please answer it - be sure to name the student you are replying to in your comment by starting with @Name.

 

 
Fig. 4: Most people would have read The Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss before they watched the movie.

The Cat in the Hat Movie Trailer.

For the Teacher

This update covers two stages of the writing process in Scholar: Review and Revision.

Before the students submit their final work, run the Analytics. Check the percentage of text revised between one draft and the next, the number of words currently written and the grade level of the writing. You may wish to ask some students to do more work before they submit.

CCSS Focus

W.6.5: With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

W.6.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

L.6.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing.

L.6.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation and spelling when writing.

5. Publish and Reflect

For the Student

Learning Intention: To identify what is successful writing.

Check Notifications to see if your work has been published and whether works that you provided feedback on have been selected for publication.

Published works may be viewed on your and any collaborators' individual profiles in Community.

Comment: Read 2 or 3 other students’ arguments. What are some interesting claims and evidence you have learned from reading other students’ arguments? These might be claims you hadn’t thought of, or interesting evidence such as facts that you didn’t know. Also comment about one thing you have learned about writing arguments.

Fig. 6: Which was the most successful - the book or the movie?

For the Teacher

Notifications of publication are provided to the creator and all reviewers.

The reflection activity promotes student metacognition about what makes quality writing by reading and reflecting on other students’ published works. Ask students to look over other students’ arguments – say two or three. Ask them to comment on something interesting they learned from reading other students’ work. 

Refer to Analytics to see how students have performed.

CCSS Focus

W.6.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

6. Acknowledgements

Title: Source: Image by Rita van Haren; Fig. 1: iPad (Source: Photograph by Rita van Haren; Fig. 2: Harry Potter Books (Source); Fig. 3: The Hunger Games (Source); Fig. 4: The Cat in the Hat (Source); Fig. 5: Divergent (Source).