Students learn to:
3.1 respond to and compose increasingly complex texts in different technologies considering the effects of the technology including layout and design on meaning
Students learn about:
3.9 the nature, scope and ethical use of information and communication technologies in contemporary society.
Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10 and 11 are also supported during this rap as shown in this Program and planning support guide.
Students also cover the aspects of the Cross-curriculum content of the English Years 7–10 syllabus including:
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Information and Communications Technologies (ICT): e.g. to locate, access, evaluate, manipulate, create, store and retrieve information; and express ideas and communicate with others
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Key Competencies: such as collecting, analyzing and organising information, communicating ideas and information, working with others and in teams, and using technology
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Gender: including the social construction of identity, exploring the impact of gender perspectives and stereotyping.
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Multicultural: knowledge and understanding of a diversity of cultures.
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Literacy: including being able to communicate purposefully and appropriately through the development of students’ visual literacy in film and other technologies.
The rap becomes live in May 2005. Teachers subscribe (no cost) their class group to the book rap and also join the teacher rap.
Program and planning for Introductions
Term 2, Week 4: week beginning May 16 2005
Here are some possible teaching activities for this week.
During the first week rappers send a short introductory message about their class or group, and give some information about their school and its location.
Rappers locate participating schools on their Rap map after reading each introduction.
During this week students view the text and become familiar with the elements of visual texts.
When preparing for the rap teachers may wish to view the Archives of the class email discussion from previous raps.
| Stage 5 Outcomes and content |
Teaching and learning strategies |
| Outcome 1: A student responds to and composes increasingly sophisticated and sustained texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis and pleasure.
Students learn to:
1.2 respond to and compose more sustained texts in a range of contexts
1.3 analyse the effectiveness and impact of texts on responders in terms of ideas, perspective and originality.
Students learn about:
1.10 the use of variations within conventions of particular genres, including forms of poetry, fiction and film and how these variations address the composer’s purpose
1.12 how inference and figurative language can be used in complex and subtle ways.
Outcome 3: A student selects, uses, describes and explains how different technologies affect and shape meaning.
Students learn to:
3.3 use advanced word processing tools including formatting of references and bibliographies, formatting multiple page documents including weblinks, importing data from internet and manipulating images to compose and format texts for different purposes, audiences and contexts, including the workplace.
Students learn about:
3.9 the nature, scope and ethical use of information and communication technologies in contemporary society. |
Introduce the book rap and outline expectations. Students are shown the rap web site, read selected sections such as Rap lingo, discuss the purpose of rap lingo and practice using it.
In discussing the purpose and conventions of a book rap, teachers also refer to appropriate Book rap FAQs, and examples of email messages in the Archives of email discussion from previous raps.
Discuss the process of subscribing to a listserv.
Subscribe the group or class to Whale rider film rap.
Students view the film before the rap begins.
Teacher reviews filmic techniques such as camera angle etc. to ensure students have experience in understanding the composer’s purpose see Filmic techniques.
Explain the conventions of email. Provide opportunities for the discussion of introductory rap messages. Examples of introductory messages from previous raps in Archives of email discussion could be referred to.
Facilitate a brainstorm, a deconstruction, and joint construction of a group or class introductory message for the book rap. If a large number of schools are participating, discuss how you will manage email messages (see Book rap FAQs).
Students receive and read email introductions, and discuss and compare information in them.
A Rap map could be used to record locations of participating schools. Create a class wall map or individual maps of participants in the rap.
Rap reps word process the class introduction, save it to disk, use the browser, and send it to the rap once the teacher has approved the final message. |
Program and planning for Rap point 1
Term 2, Week 5: week beginning May 23 2005
Rap point 1:
How do other cultures celebrate rites of passage?
Post your class answers to the rap once the teacher has approved the final text. Your answer should be an extended piece of writing consisting of at least four paragraphs.
| Stage 5 Outcomes and content |
Teaching and learning strategies |
Outcome 10: A student questions, challenges and evaluates cultural assumptions in texts and their effects on meaning.
Students learn to:
10.2 identify, explain and challenge cultural values, purposes and assumptions including gender, ethnicity, religion, youth, age, disability, sexuality, cultural diversity, social class and work in texts
10.4 engage with details of texts to respond and compose from a range of social and critical perspectives
10.5 respond to and compose texts to demonstrate their view of the world by drawing on the texts of other cultures (for ESL students, this might include drawing on texts in their first language.
10.6 compose texts that reflect cultural attitudes other than their own.
Students learn about:
10.9 the ways in which particular texts relate to their cultural experiences and the culture of others
10.11 the beliefs and value systems underpinning texts from different cultures
10.12 how texts sustain or challenge established cultural attitudes. |
After viewing Whale rider, students are to identify and discuss significant events:
- birth
- school
- performance
- dancing
- diving for tooth etc.
Students create a visual representation of the steps in Paikea’s path to leadership.
Students to research other cultures’ rites of passage using the Internet or the school library. Students choose one culture’s rites that are significantly different to their own and write a comparison. Teachers can supplement student research with extracts from films such as:
- Women of the sun Part 1
- Jedda
- Stand by me
The poem At seventeen by Janis Ian and the songs Cats in the cradle by Harry Chapin and She’s leaving home by Lennon and McCartney can also be used.
A student rap representative word processes the response, edits, and saves to disk.
Revise email conventions and facilitate rap reps’ use of the word processor and email programs. Rap reps send the response to Rap point 1 to the rap once the teacher has approved the final text.
Additional Activities:
- As a class, discuss the domestic roles in your own home. On butcher’s paper, brainstorm areas where these stereotypes are perpetuated and areas where these stereotypes are overturned. Students list how women are portrayed in the film. Then students compose a diary/journal entry from the point of view of the Grandfather about why he initially sees Paikea as unsuitable to be a leader. This activity prepares the students for the interview.
- Students interview Paikea by using the interview sheet to show the significance and cultural impact of her leadership. Refer to Paikea interview sheet.
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Program and planning for Rap point 2
Term 2, Week 6: week beginning May 30 2005
Rap point 2:
What is the impact of Scene 16 (where the boat is launched and Paikea makes her ‘My name is Paikea’ speech) from Whale rider?
In your answer refer to the meaning that has been created by the filmic techniques.
As a class or group, share your ideas and feelings with other rappers by posting your class answer to the rap. Your answer should be an extended piece of writing consisting of at least four paragraphs.
Once you have posted your class response you may wish to respond to one or more of the responses from other class groups. You can do this by posting your comments to the rap so all rappers can share your ideas.
Stage 5 Outcomes and content |
Teaching and learning strategies |
Outcome 3: A student selects, uses, describes and explains how different technologies affect and shape meaning.
Students learn to:
3.2 identify and critically evaluate the ways information, ideas and issues are shaped by and presented through technology
Students learn about:
3.7 the ways in which modern technologies of communication are used to shape, adapt and re-present past and present cultures, including popular culture and youth cultures, for particular audiences
Outcome 6:
A student experiments with different ways of imaginatively and interpretively transforming experience, information and ideas into texts.
Students learn to:
6.5 experiment with ways of representing the real world imaginatively
Students learn about:
6.7 ways in which literary and non-literary composers transform ideas and experience into texts, including consideration of their insight, imaginative powers and verbal ingenuity
6.8 ways in which film-makers transform concepts into film, including consideration of script, story lines, sustained perspective, and visual and aural components of film-making and their interaction
6.9 the ways in which imaginative texts can explore universal themes and social reality
Outcome 9: A student demonstrates understanding of the ways texts reflect personal and public worlds.
Students learn to:
9.4 identify different reading positions and interpretations of particular texts and appreciate distinctions in meaning
Students learn about:
9.6 the ways different and changing views of the world shape meaning
9.7 the ways personal perspective is shaped by social, cultural and historical influences
Outcome 11:
A student uses, reflects on, assesses and adapts their individual and collaborative skills for learning with increasing independence and effectiveness.
Students learn to:
11.1 understand the learning purposes, specific requirements and targeted outcomes of tasks
11.5 use individual and group processes to generate, investigate, document, clarify, refine, critically evaluate and present ideas and information drawn from books, the internet and other sources of information
11.9 adapt current skills, knowledge and understanding to new situations
Students learn about:
11.14 ways of managing information and communication technologies for effective learning. |
Students watch Scene 16 (DVD version) where the boat is launched and Paikea makes her ‘My name is Paikea’ speech.
In facilitating discussion, teachers will need to familiarise students with elements of film, visual texts and visual grammar.
An introduction to the grammar of visual design will assist the explicit teaching of the elements of visual design.
You can also find assistance for this from the following presentations and handouts provided at the ETA Annual Conference 2002: Close encounters of the textual kind , made available here with kind permission of the ETA and authors (please credit appropriately in using or adapting):
Film references:
Greatest films
Internet campus (click on Use key words and phrases to search this site – search term Reviews)
Take one: teaching and learning about film in Stage 6 English (2002), NSW Department of Education and Training ( CD ROM from 2002 English LIG)
Filmic techniques
The features of film texts
Individual activity: students to use Rap sheet 1 to demonstrate their understandings of filmic technique.
Group discussion could focus on the following points:
- the choice of lighting
- placement
- proximity
- symbolism
- body language
- dialogue
- use of foreign language
- costume.
What is the effect of these elements on the meaning?
Use Rap sheet 2 to record ideas about how these elements are used and the effect on the responder.
Following the recording of these ideas, write your own response to:
How are you positioned by the use of these visual elements?
A student rap representative word processes the response, edits, and saves to disk.
Revise email conventions and facilitate rap reps’ use of the word processor and email programs. Rap reps could send the response to Rap point 1 to the rap once the teacher has approved the final text.
Additional Activities:
- Students view and compare the different trailers included on the DVD. Refer to Trailer worksheet
- Students write a review of the film, Whale rider after viewing other online reviews such as the ones on amazon.com or imBD.com (type film reviews in search box)
- Students write an alternative ending from another character’s point of view, e.g. Paikea’s father, her Grandfather or the boy who was supposed to be the leader.
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Program and planning for Rap point 3
Term 2, Week 7: week beginning June 6 2005
Rap point 3: Jane Mills teaches screen studies and cineliteracy and has a production background in television and documentary film.
Jane Mills teaches and writes about both drama and documentary films. What questions would you like to ask about the techniques and choices filmmakers have when making a documentary compared to the techniques and choices used in making feature or drama films?
What questions would you like to ask Jane Mills about the obstacles filmmakers face when making a film and the ways they do or don’t challenge stereotypes?
Post your questions, once the teacher has approved the final text. Each class or group could post five questions, unless otherwise advised by the Rap Coordinator. In your subject line insert Questions for Jane Mills from [insert school name].
Stage 5 Outcomes and content |
Teaching and learning strategies |
Outcome 11: A student uses, reflects on, assesses and adapts their individual and collaborative skills for learning with increasing independence and effectiveness.
Students learn to:
11.5 use individual and group processes to generate, investigate, document, clarify, refine, critically evaluate and present ideas and information drawn from books, the internet and other sources of information.
Outcome 2: A student uses and critically assesses a range of processes for responding and composing.
Students learn about:
2.10 the ways composers, including authors and film-makers, use processes of representation in composing texts. |
Facilitate student access to rap email messages in print or electronic form so they can read, discuss and record the responses of other rappers to Rap point 2, to add and compare messages.
Discussion could include similarities and differences in the responses of participating schools, points the class had not previously considered, differing interpretations of the scene.
In order to help pose questions they wish to ask Jane Mills, students should be encouraged to explore issues and viewpoints included in the film and the film-making process. See Rap sheet 3.
Students investigate the decisions Jane Mills would make as a director of a film. Google or other search engines could be used to investigate the role of a director generally.
Students should also access the brief biography of Jane Mills.
This would be a good opportunity for explicit teaching of web search skills as a range of variously successful and relevant hits can be achieved depending on the terms and options within the search engine selected. Various approaches could be tried and the results compared.
Students record their findings in their book and pose a series of questions they would like to ask Jane Mills.
Compile a list of all possible questions from group members. (Nominate a different scribe).
Group selects five questions that cover a diverse range of ideas that are representative of the group.
Use Rap sheet 3 to record questions.
Once the teacher has approved the final questions, Rap reps send the class email response to the rap.
Facilitate access to the Internet or print copy of messages so students can view and discuss the questions posed by other class groups and Jane Mills’ responses.
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Program and planning for Rap wrap up!
Term 2, Week 8: week beginning June 13 2005
Having participated in the book rap, share your experiences with other rappers. Fill in the Rap reflection sheet to help you with this.
Stage 5 Outcomes and content |
Teaching and learning strategies |
Outcome 11: A student uses, reflects on, assesses and adapts their individual and collaborative skills for learning with increasing independence and effectiveness.
Students learn to:
11. 5 use individual and group processes to generate, investigate, document, clarify, refine, critically evaluate and present ideas and information drawn from books, the internet and other sources of information.
11. 6 establish and adopt roles and responsibilities, negotiate and implement strategies and meet deadlines
11. 7 articulate and discuss the pleasure and difficulties, successes and challenges experienced in investigation, problem solving, independent and collaborative work, and establish improved practices.
Students learn about:
11. 13 management strategies in including drawing up schedules, timing, delegation and sharing in group work. |
Students read, discuss and record all the responses by Jane Mills to Rap point 3.
Facilitate class discussion, reviewing and reflecting on activities students have engaged in during the rap. Discuss aspects of intended learning in relation to the Outcomes worked towards. Students use the Rap reflection sheet to support this activity.
Ask students to write personal responses in a variety of text forms to reflect the discussion of their individual and group rap experience in their viewer’s diary e.g. students write a letter to the director or create a Video/DVD cover of the film. Deconstruction of other reviews, such as those in Scan or Additional resources could support this.
Students discuss their responses and reflect on the variety of other’s views and responses to the rap.
Students participate in jointly constructing a group response to the Rap wrap up.
A joint Rap wrap up message is drafted, reflecting a variety of views and responses. It is then word processed and posted to the listserv, when the teacher has approved final text. |
Credits
Thanks to the English faculty of Port Macquarie High School for developing the programming and support material for this rap, especially Felicity Regan and Colin Rogers, 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.
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