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Movies as Literature/Course Title


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We've decided to give Movies as Literature a chance this year. We plan to use it with the extras (reading novels when available, comparing and contrasting, watching and analyzing related movies).

 

Any idea what I could call a course like this?

We are doing the writing in the course, plus some writing from Time4Writing. I thought Literature and Composition, but it seems a bit plain.

 

you think this can even pass as a regular English course?

I'm doing this with my 9th and 11th grader. 

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It sounds like the bulk of your coursework will center around watching / analyzing films, while the book-reading would be more as a side component to compare/contrast with the films. So, JMO, but since Literature would not be the primary focus, it doesn't sound like it would primarily be a Literature course -- and so, probably not an English course.  (However, I think the Movies as Literature program makes a GREAT "stepping stone" course into learning how to read/analyze Literature, by first learning with the very visual medium of film.  :))

 

I do think it would work well as either a Fine Arts or Elective course -- something like Fine Arts: Film Appreciation. Or, Elective: Intro to Film Analysis. Or, Elective: Film and Literature.

 

As far as how much credit to grant: the curriculum covers 15 films, and with the study guide materials and suggested reading/writing, I honestly think this is only enough material for a one-semester course, so I personally would count it as a 0.5 credit class.

 

For an English credit, you could certainly count your Time4Writing towards the Composition portion of the English credit. And you could "double-dip" and count some of the books you read for the Movies as Literature curriculum towards the Literature portion of the English credit, especially if you do some literary analysis and work with those books as Literature, in addition to just reading for compare / contrast with the films.

 

Books you could read for Movies as Literature AND count towards the Literature portion of an English credit: Emma, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Henry V, and maybe A Man for All Seasons. Possibly either Shane or Friendly Persuasion as a lighter (i.e., not deep or complex) work. JMO, but I don't think the other films that have book or play versions are meaty enough to work as high school level Literature.

 

Depending on how much work is put into it, between the Time4Writing and books read for Movies for Literature that you also go into more depth of study for Literature, that could come out to about 0.5 credit for an English class. That would allow you the ability to select something else for the other 0.5 credit. IEW's Windows to the World might be a good follow up, as it focuses on literary analysis, annotation, and writing a literary analysis essay, and is a one-semester course. The Lightning Lit & Comp programs are each 1 semester long and focus on a single time period. Or, you could pick works/authors of interest or that you want to make sure you cover during high school and go with some individual study guides for a semester...

 

 

Wishing you a great family experience of watching & analyzing films together! Warmest regards, Lori D.

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Thanks, Lori.

 

There are quite a lot of movies and we are reading the novels that go along with them (when available). We aren't simply doing a compare and contract...I have complete study guides for the novels with activities, tools to analyze, discussion questions, etc. Each movie/book will take at least 2 weeks to complete (working daily). Closer to 3. 

 

In my oldest daughter's previous (outside) English courses, she read about 3-4 novels over the entire year along with some writing and received a whole credit. We are set to read 7 novels, a short story, 2 plays, some poetry. You still don't think it's enough to call it an English course? Or to even qualify for more than half a credit? I was thinking the reading and analyzing alone with essays and Time4Writing would be enough for an English credit. 

 

Edited to add: Thank you for the other suggestions. We already have Windows to the World. Haven't looked at The Lightning Lit and Comp.

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Movies as Literature is described as being a year-long complete English course, which to me means 1 credit. http://www.designastudy.com/products/1891975099.html I would call the course Movies as Literature and in the course description list everything you are doing. Or you can call each year of English by the grade level--English 9, 10, etc. Then, in the course description, you can explain what you did each year. 

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… we are reading the novels that go along with them (when available). We aren't simply doing a compare and contract...I have complete study guides for the novels with activities, tools to analyze, discussion questions, etc….

 

… We are set to read 7 novels, a short story, 2 plays, some poetry

 

As long as you spend time focusing on some Literature topics and literary analysis while reading the novels, short stories, plays and poetry, then yes, count it as an English credit. If the course were only watching / analyzing / writing about Film, then it's a Film Appreciation course, not an English course.

 

BUT… It sounds like you are beefing it up with supplements, and have it all scheduled out, so -- enjoy! Sounds like an English credit with some extra fun of films.  :) Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

P.S.

 

… I was thinking the reading and analyzing alone with essays and Time4Writing would be enough for an English credit. 

 

 

JMO:

If you find you are putting in *significantly* more time than 5 hours week (160-180 hours total over the school year), which is typical for an English credit, then count the reading, literary analysis and Time4Writing portions towards the English credit, and credit accordingly for the film watching/analyzing with a course for Film Analysis, or Film Appreciation.

 

For comparison: a 0.5 credit course would be about half the amount of the 1.0 credit class (2 to 2.5 hours/week, or about 75-90 hours total). So, if you find with the film watching and answering questions, reading, and writing, that you are hitting 7 to 7.5 hours a week, then you definitely have a 1.0 credit English course and a 0.5 credit Film course. If you find you are typically spending 9-10 hours a week, then you have 2 full credits, one English, one Film.

 

Hope that helps! Warmly, Lori D.

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