We're Taking Our Final and Loving It!

Focus: What can we learn about our society through each other's films?

1. Warming up by establishing the presentation order

2. Offering a few final thoughts:

• Take out your purple film rubric and write your name(s) at the top; give it to me before you show your film along with your printed Works Cited page (unless your Works Cited is part of your film).  

• Keep it on the quiet side...tests could be happening on the other side of the wall.

• No late work will be accepted at this point; make-up work and revisions were due last Thursday.

• Final grades for this class will be posted by noon the day after your English final.

• An 89.4% = B+; an 89.5 = A-. Grades are non-negotiable, so please don't e-mail me.

• Watch each other's mockumentaries respectfully, and enjoy!

3. Presenting our films!

We're Filmmakers and Loving It: May 15, 2014

Focus: What final editing does our film need?

1. Warming up with Ms. Leclaire's final mini lesson on publishing:

Be sure your film is finalized, published, and exported BEFORE class tomorrow (it can take some time, so don't wait until class).

• Click "Publish," then check your e-mail for further directions.

• Click on "Exports" in wevideo to make sure your film is there and finalized.

• Click on the link to make sure it works and watch your video from beginning to end.

• E-mail your link to me at kleclaire@lps.k12.co.us.

2. Working on your films for the final time!

3. Looking through the rubric one last time; make sure you have a copy for me to use tomorrow.

Do you know when your English final is?

(If you are not present at your final, your film will be counted as late and receive half credit.)

1st hour: Monday, 7:15 am

3rd hour: Tuesday, 8:56 am

6th hour: Friday, 8:56 am

HW:
1. All make-up work and revisions are due today by 3:00 pm. Remember that you can only make up or revise work from the most recent 6-week grading period.

2. Mockumentaries are due at the beginning of class tomorrow, Friday, May 16. Any late work will result in half credit, and no exceptions will be granted (this your final exam).

3. Bring to class your purple rubric for the film (not the preparation one); if you do not have a Works Cited slide in your film, be sure you bring a PRINTED COPY of your Works Cited to hand in before I view your film.

4. I will start grading your websites on the Monday of finals.

We're Filmmakers and Loving It: May 14

Focus: How can we edit and polish our films?

1. Warming up with a mini lesson on volume and your two Works Cited options:

Include a Works Cited slide in your film.

OR

PRINT a hard copy of a Works Cited page and hand it in BEFORE you present your film.  Please do not just Google share it with me because I will be grading your films on the spot.

Remember to include all sites on your Works Cited page.

2. Working on your mockumentary films

3. Reminding you of your work habits grades

You start off with 50 points in the Growth category (5 work days left, 10 points each).

You lose a point each time you...

• Distract or are distracted by someone sitting near you
• Play on your cell phone
• Do other homework
• Use language inappropriate to class
• Pack up early or start late

HW:
1. All make-up work and revisions are due Thursday, May 15; remember that you can only make up or revise work from the most recent 6-week grading period.

2. Mockumentaries are due at the beginning of class this Friday, May 16. Any late work will result in half credit, and no exceptions will be granted (this your final exam).

3. I will start grading your websites on the Monday of finals.

We're Filmmakers and Loving It: May 13, 2014

Focus: How can synthesize our images, videos, music and narration into a professional film?

1. Warming up: Viewing a sample student mockumentary and assessing its strengths and weaknesses

2. Reminding you of your work habits grades

You start off with 50 points in the Growth category (5 work days left, 10 points each).

You lose a point each time you...

• Distract or are distracted by someone sitting near you
• Play on your cell phone
• Do other homework
• Use language inappropriate to class
• Pack up early or start late

3. Working on your mockumentaries (only three work days left including today)


HW:
1. All make-up work and revisions are due Thursday, May 15; remember that you can only make up or revise work from the most recent 6-week grading period.

2. Mockumentaries are due at the beginning of class this Friday, May 16. Any late work will result in half credit, and no exceptions will be granted (this your final exam).

3. I will start grading your websites on the Monday of finals.

We're English 10 Nerds and Loving It: May 12, 2014

Focus: What can we take away from our book club novels?

1. Warming up by perusing the book-film club website rubric (click HERE)

2. Understanding the final task of your book clubs: Synthesizing the book and film

3. Finishing your website

HW:
1. Continue working on your mockumentary; due at the beginning of class this Friday, May 16.
2. I will be grading your book club websites this Saturday.
3. All make-up work, revisions, etc. due this Thursday, May 15.

We're English 10 Nerds and Loving It: May 9, 2014

Focus: How do we synthesize our images, videos, music, and script into a film?

1. Warming up with an important reminder

2. Offering a few tips on how I would approach this if I were you...

• Gather all your images, music (MP3s) and videos (MP4s); create your text slides.

• Switch from Storyboard to Timeline in wevideo.

• Start dragging your images and videos into your timeline and play around with transitions, order, etc.

• Drag in your narration and music and play around with timing.

3. Developing our mockumentary films

HW:
1. Finish your book-film club book and have fun watching your movie!
2. MAY 15 is the final deadline for revisions, make-up work, etc.
3. MAY 16 is the final deadline for mockumentaries; late work will result in half credit only.

We're English 10 Nerds and Loving It: May 8, 2014

Focus: How do we turn our preparatory work into a film?

1. Warming up with your tip of the day: Use the app on your phone to gather images and videos

2. Reminding you of Work Habits expectations and grades

3. Giving you time to create your film!

Here are the helpful conversion websites I had on yesterday's blog:

Click HERE  for a website that converts youtube music videos to MP3s.

Click HERE for a website that converts youtube videos into videos (MP4s) you can use in your film.

KEEP TRACK OF ALL WEBSITES USED.

HW:
1. Record your narration at home.
2. Assigned book club reading and activities (characterization, setting, motifs).
3. MAY 15 is the final deadline for revisions, make-up work, etc.
4. MAY 16 is the final deadline for mockumentaries; late work will result in half credit only.

We're English 10 Nerds and Loving It: May 7, 2014

Focus: How do we actually start making a film?

1. Warming up by meeting www.wevideo.com

Can you...

• Import an image?
• Create a text slide?
• Import a video?
• Import music?
• Layer narration, music, and images?

2. Finishing your script and making a plan for recording it; remember that you must record your narration on your own time

3. Starting to gather images and create text slides for your mockumentary

Click HERE  for a website that converts youtube music videos to MP3s.

Click HERE for a website that converts youtube videos into videos (MP4s) you can use in your film.

KEEP TRACK OF ALL WEBSITES USED.

HW:
1. Record your narration into wevideo by the end of the week.
2. Assigned book club reading/activities.
3. ALL REVISIONS/MAKE-UP WORK DUE THURSDAY, MAY 15.
4. MOCKUMENTARY IS DUE FRIDAY, MAY 16. If your film is not completed by this date, you can only receive half credit.

We're English 10 Nerds and Loving It: May 6, 2014

Focus: How can we turn the timeline into a powerful script?

1. Warming up: Listening to the openings from two "real" mock/documentaries:

Example #1: Remember Epic?
Example #2: Supersize Me

Your task: As you listen, describe the opening of each script, typing up powerful words, phrases, and tactics.

2. Showing me your timeline if you have not yet done so

3. Composing a rough draft of your script with a focus on the following aspects:

It should have a powerful opening and closing.

It needs smooth transitions between years/events.

This is a great place to show off your creative voice; choose your words carefully.

You need to have it written out EXACTLY as it will be narrated.

4. Explaining how your work habits for this project are being graded:

You start off with 50 points in the Growth category (5 work days left, 10 points each).

You lose a point each time you...

• Distract or are distracted by someone sitting near you
• Play on your cell phone
• Do other homework
• Use language inappropriate to class
• Pack up early

HW: 
1. You must have a rough draft of your script completed before the start of class tomorrow.

2. Assigned book film club reading and activities for Friday.

3. ALL REVISIONS AND MAKE-UP WORK ARE DUE THURSDAY, MAY 15.

We're English 10 Nerds and Loving It: May 5, 2014

Focus: What motifs are starting to emerge in our book club novels?

1. Warming up: Human minesweeper: Brainstorming concrete motifs vs. abstract motifs

2. Finishing your setting activities from last week if you have not done so (make sure it's published on your website)

3. Developing your motif activity (this one might take you a little longer) and publishing it on your website

HW:
1. Finish today's motif activity by Friday; assigned book club reading for Friday.

2. Finish your mockumentary timeline by tomorrow if you have not yet done so; script due at the beginning of class on Wednesday.

We're English 10 Nerds and Loving It: May 2

Focus: Analyzing SETTING with your book-film clubs

1. Warming up by spending some time reading your book club novels

• Is your website finished? 
• Have you published your expectations and your characterization activity?
• Have you changed the "Share" setting to "Anyone with the link"?
• Have you e-mailed me the link to your website?

2. Interpreting and discussing setting with your book-film clubs: Please click HERE for instructions.

3. Publishing your setting activity on your website

HW: 
1. Assigned book club reading for Monday; finish the setting activity.
2. Timeline should be finished by now; please finish it if you have not done so.
3. Script will be due by the beginning of class on Wednesday, May 7.

We're English 10 Nerds and Loving It: May 1, 2014

Focus: How do we developing your mockumentary script?

1. Warming up: Listening to an opening clip from a "real" documentary

What do you notice about the script itself (powerful words and phrases)?

How does the script turn this into a movie about us? In other words, how does it capture human interest?

What ideas can you steal for your mockumentary?

2. Looking at a sample script and developing the script for your mockumentary

3. Please make sure that by the end of class, you have shown me your annotated research and your timeline

HW: 
1. Bring your book club novel to class tomorrow; make sure you have completed the reading assignment (as determined by your book club).
2. Your characterization activity from Monday should be finished by tomorrow.
3. Mockumentary script will be due by the beginning of class on Wednesday.