Subject:
English Language Arts
Material Type:
Lesson Plan
Level:
High School
Grade:
12
Provider:
Pearson
Tags:
  • Grade 12 ELA
  • Satire
  • Video Production
  • License:
    Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial
    Language:
    English

    Creating Satirical Videos

    Creating Satirical Videos

    Overview

    In this lesson, students will start to think about the satirical videos they will create to end this unit. Students will sort through all the satirical pieces and videos they have considered and use them as a springboard for their own ideas.

    Preparation

    • Read the lesson and student content.
    • Anticipate student difficulties and identify the differentiation options you will choose for working with your students.

    Satirical Paragraph

    • It’s funny how much more students sometimes see in their classmates’ writing, compared with that of professional writers. This is a conversation that could probably go on for a long time, so you’ll need to cut it off before they’re done.
    • But make sure you get to the last question, where they’re analyzing each other. It would be fun and fruitful for them to actually annotate one of their own pieces.

    Opening

    Discuss your classmates’ satirical paragraphs.

    • Which satirical paragraphs did you enjoy the most?
    • Why?
    • What was being satirized?
    • Which strategies made the writing especially effective?

    Subjects of Satire

    • This discussion should be accompanied by some kind of diagramming, so students can see all the different topics and pieces of literature or video. The breadth will be kind of like a bank they can draw upon in the task that follows.

    Work Time

    Discuss the following with your classmates.

    • What are the subjects of satire you’ve discussed since this unit began?
    • And what are the specific pieces under each subject?
    • Are there any subjects you haven’t looked at as a class that you’ve read or seen on your own?

    Video Satire Brainstorm

    • You can have students choose their own small groups or you can place students in groups yourself.
      • SWD: Keep a special eye on any students with disabilities that you think might have trouble negotiating group work. Be there to support them as they strive to be an active participant in their group.
    • This project will occupy quite a bit of the end of the unit, so as with the satirical paragraphs, it’s great to let the ideas incubate over a period of time to enrich them.
    • Students can work with the diagram as well as their own satirical paragraphs.
    • The specific goal of three shared possibilities should keep them focused.

    Work Time

    In groups of three or four, begin to brainstorm ideas for a video satire.

    • Start with your own satirical paragraphs that you did for homework, and go from there. Go deeper into the past, and take a look at your cartoons from your study of satire in film and your parenting details from when you studied Juvenal. Take notes on ideas.
    • By the end of class, you should have three possibilities you can share with the class.

    Open Notebook

    Best Ideas

    • This will be the first opportunity for students to present their ideas to an “audience.” Hearing others’ reactions can help them shape their ideas—reject some or at least adapt them, and pursue others.
    • Since this is just the start of the process, and they’ve only given it a little thought, there’s not much risk in sharing the ideas. And there’s plenty of time to rethink.
    • Your own affirming response to ideas and relaxed good humor will go a long way to setting a great tone for sharing preliminary ideas.
      • ELL: Monitor that ELLs do not avoid this activity by staying quiet and not sharing. Always make sure that all ELLs feel encouraged to share even if their command of the language is weaker and their pace might be slower.

    Closing

    Even though it feels risky, sharing ideas early on is a really good way to see what ideas are worth pursuing and which ones might be better abandoned.

    • What are your three best ideas?
    • What do you think of other groups’ ideas?
    • What sounds most interesting?
    • How do you see your own ideas after hearing others’ and seeing their response to yours?

    Video Satire Direction

    • This is a good time to comment and offer feedback to students.

    Homework

    Continue working on your satire with your group.

    • Discuss the feedback you received and the direction you felt it sent you in.
    • Write about where you think you personally are on the assignment. What would you like to do for your video satire?

    Open Notebook