Whale rider rap
Additional resources
Whale rider review
Film personnel profiles
Whale rider resources
Resources supporting film literacy
General resources (including web sites)
Program and planning Stage 5
Credits
Whale rider [videorecording]
South Pacific Pictures, 2002
ISBN none
Set in a remote Maori community on New Zealand’s scenic East Cape, this is a film about culture, love, and traditional values clashing with modern lives. The community is in transition, and this is played out through the lives of one family, with a young girl, Paikea, in the middle of the conflict. Her grandfather, Koro, is a deeply troubled character who will be problematic for film students. Paikea’s speech about Koro is a brilliant piece of acting. The DVD extra, Behind the scenes, will certainly help students empathise with characters and concepts. In particular, interviews give strong insight into casting, themes, and the actors’ perceptions of their characters. Deleted scenes, with narration, is an excellent tool for film students to see the process of film making. The DVD is accompanied by an Australian short film, Cracker bag. C. Thomas
USER LEVEL: Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 6
KLA: English
SYLLABUS: English 7–10; English Stage 6
$35.00 SCIS 1210613
Film personnel profiles
IndieWIRE: girl power: New Zealand writer/director Niki Caro talks about Whale rider
Lisa Gerrard (The web site of the soundtrack composer)
Keisha Castle-Hughes
Key cast members
Rawiri Paratene
Whale rider resources
Whale rider; the official site
Whale rider (2002) (Film data, one review)
Whale rider (Reviews and movie information)
Whale rider (A short essay by Niki Caro)
Resources supporting film literacy
Bordwell, D & Thompson, K (1993) Film art: an introduction, McGraw Hill , NY
Enhancing literacy in secondary English
Psycho (Worksheets 3 and 13)
Viewing and reviewing Dracula (click on top right arrow until reach Film)
Fiction, film and other texts: a support document for the English Years 7–10 syllabus (2003) Board of Studies NSW. SCIS 1197130
Film education: Whale rider
Film, radio and TV. – 13, Film script terminology
For teachers seeking an accessible list of definitions used in the construction and deconstruction of film scripts, this site provides definitions and examples of terms in sequential modules. Examples include terms used for transitions, shots, and angles. Large photographs and illustrations support the written text. Links to Actual film scripts and script writing software are given. The site is text dominated, but information is well written and presented in a clear layout. The site is very easy to understand, and will be useful for all Stage 6 English students. H. Cobban
USER LEVEL: Stage 5 Stage 6 Professional
KLA: English
SYLLABUS: English 7–10; English Stage 6
SCIS SUBJECTS: Film scripts – Terminology
PUBLISHER: CyberCollege, USA
REVIEW DATE: 15/03/05 [808.2] SCIS 1179981
Film unit (with novel) from Ambarvale HS (2004 project school)
Ambarvale high School Stage 5: writing unit: Deadly Unna? & Australian Rules see writing unit, worksheets and assessment task files:
Film units from Richmond River HS (2003 project school): Lights, camera, action Stage 4 introduction to film
Not the muffin man Stage 4 Year 8 film study
Hayward, S (1996) Key concepts in cinema studies, Routledge, London
International Visual Literacy Association
Monaco, J (1998) The art, technology, history and theory of film and media, Oxford University Press
Motion-picture industry: behind the scenes
Three motion picture links on this main site provide users with opportunities for discovering the art of filmmaking, seeing how a student created short film is made, and working with a simulation to make a movie. An overall look at how a movie is made is examined in the choices Learn, Watch, and Experience, on this student oriented site. A link to the site Scriptbuddy provides a screenwriting guide by taking users through a template. The roles involved in filmmaking and the ability to create and experiment with various movie making processes make this an interesting interactive site. Its note style presentation of information provides little useful content for an in depth film studies unit. F. Campbell
USER LEVEL: Stage 4
KLA: English
SYLLABUS: English 7–10
SCIS SUBJECTS: Film industry
PUBLISHER: ThinkQuest, USA
REVIEW DATE: 15/03/05 [791.43] SCIS 1136761
Nelmes, J (1996) An introduction to film studies, Routledge, London Quin, R. & McMahon, B. & Quin, R. (1995) Teaching viewing and visual texts, Secondary, Curriculum Corporation. SCIS 856772
Take one:teaching and learning about film in Stage 6 English (2002), NSW Department of Education and Training.
TaLE web site (DET schools only) Resource piloting Centre: Making documentaries
The on-line visual literacy project
The result of a university course entitled The principles of visual literacy, this site presents information about the significance of visual awareness as a key element to communication. The site opens with an animated graphic requiring Quicktime. A succinct, general introduction to visual literacy follows listing basic elements: Dot; Line; Shape; Direction; Texture; Hue; Saturation; Value; Scale; Dimension; and Motion. Each is given a detailed description and is well supported by graphics and animated images drawn from art, motion pictures, print advertising and other media. For each page, References provides a comprehensive list of text and image sources. Teachers will find this site invaluable in developing an understanding of the various elements of the composition of graphics, and their significance in positioning viewers in a particular way. T. Patterson
USER LEVEL: Professional
KLA: English
SYLLABUS: English K–6; English 7–10; English Stage 6
SCIS SUBJECTS: Visual literacy
PUBLISHER: Pomona College, USA
REVIEW DATE: 15/03/05 [701] SCIS 1093367
Viewing for learning (1995) [videorecording] Literacy and Learning Curriculum Corporation. SCIS 849160
Whale rider: a teacher resource for class cinema viewing
General Resources
Bowie, B. & Mackinnon, G. (2000) ‘Book raps: be tempted', Scan 19(1), pp. 4-5.
Cutler, L. (2005) ‘Book raps supporting literacy in the English Years 7–10 syllabus’, Scan 24(1), pp.8-11
Enhancing literacy in secondary English (2002), NSW Department of Education and Training (Quality Teacher program). CD-ROM SCIS 1098921
Galagher, N. Muir, C. & Richardson, B. Ways of viewing and teaching picture books handout.
From ETA Annual Conference 2002: Close encounters of the textual kind; made available here with kind permission of the ETA and authors (please credit appropriately if using or adapting)
Galagher, N. Muir, C. & Richardson, B. Ways of viewing and teaching picture books: Every picture tells a story, includes section on Vocabulary for visual literacy. From ETA Annual Conference 2002: Close encounters of the textual kind; made available here with kind permission of the ETA and authors (please credit appropriately if using or adapting)
McPherson, D. (2004) ‘Quality teaching and implementing the new English Years 7–10 syllabus’, Scan 23(1), pp. 8–12
Noad, B. (2004) ‘Does critical literacy have an image problem?’, Scan 23 (4), pp.4–11
Scheffers, J. (2003) ‘The enhancement of student learning through participation in a book rap’, Scan 22(1), pp.10–12 Simpson, A. (2004) Visual literacy: a coded language for viewing in the classroom, Pen 142
Sly, C. (2003) ‘Reading a variety of texts’, Scan 22(3), pp 11-14.
Stage 5 English Stepping stones unit by Port Macquarie High School
Stage 5 English Stepping stones worksheets
Stage 5 Whale rider unit by Cambridge Park High School
Taylor, K. (2000) ‘The Maddie book rap at Barham High School', Scan 19(1), pp. 6-7
Credits
Thanks to the English faculty of Port Macquarie High School, especially Felicity Regan and Colin Rogers for developing the programming and support material for this rap, and to Kerry Underhill, Senior Curriculum Adviser, English 7-12.
Additional resources provided by the School Libraries and Information Literacy unit.
This rap is a joint project of the School Libraries and Information Literacy and English Units, Curriculum K-12 Directorate.
