Grade Level: Middle School — 7th Grade
Description: This video clip is something special, and as we have discussed Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn we have noted that Tom and Huck both do not conform to society. In this clip, Beyonce’s “All the Single Ladies” song has been copied multiple times, and the person featured in this film, conformed to society. In this manner, the video clip contradicts the theme of independence which we have focused on during class. What do you think the characters of Huckleberry Finn and the person featured in the video were thinking during the decisions they were making? Do you think the person in the video clip intended on hitting their head on the table? Do you think Huck and Tom meant to cause so much trouble with their independence? Let’s find out what is going on inside their head!
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Task: Firstly, you can choose the person from the video, objects in the video, Tom, or Huck. You will split up into groups of two, and it must be someone with whom you have never worked before. One person will be the interviewer; the other person will be the one being interviewed. Because this will be an interview, you must pick ONE character that you will be interviewing . Once you have chosen your character, make sure to let me know so not everyone is portraying the same character (that would make for a very boring interview). You will have to make up 10 questions that will be used during the interview, and please make sure these questions relate to the book or the video and contain substance. You will be allotted 2 minutes to perform your interview, and dressing up as your character is a necessity. Think outside the box with this project, and find the missing details. What are the characters feelings? What are they thinking? Smelling? Eating? Saying? Have some fun with this project! You have plenty of options, examples being: the clown mask, the table, people in Tom or Huck’s life (must deal with their independence), the person in the video.
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Rules:
- Things that aren’t relatable to the book such as pointing out people during class during the interview are not acceptable.
- Making fun of others in a negative manner in the classroom during the interview is not tolerated.
- No cursing or fowl language.
- Clothing attire MUST BE APPROPIATE for school hours–it can be homemade- be creative.
- Have fun with this project
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After the interviews, everyone is required to write one paragraph about their experience during the project. What did you learn? What would you have done differently? What did you like? What did you not like?
Time line:
Monday, April 19th: Partners and character picked (randomly)
Wednesday, April 21st: 10 questions for the character being interviewed
Friday, April 23rd: Reflection piece due (one paragraph), Presentations begin
Monday, April 26th: Presentations end on this day
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Final Project: This should be an adequate display of insight into a character’s mind bringing light the motives behind the decisions that were made. It needs to be professional, yet entertaining while maintaining all the rules posted above. Ask if you have any questions whatsoever !
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Evaluation:
Rubric:
15 points = Participation (this includes the reflection)
0-4 points: little or no participation and no reflection paragraph (Needs Improvement, Partial, Unsatisfactory, Insufficient, Inadequate, and Needs effort)
5-10 points: some participation and a reflection paragraph (Good effort, Decent, Adequate, Sufficient, Solid, Acceptable, and Good Job!)
11-15 points: participation is evident and there is a reflection paragraph (Amazing, Superior, Wonderful, Outstanding, Great Effort, and Hooray!)
15 Points = Creativity (Be Creative!)
0-4 points: little or no creativity and no costumes(Needs Improvement, Partial, Unsatisfactory, Insufficient, Inadequate, Needs effort)
5-10 points: some creativity and costumes(Good effort, Decent, Adequate, Sufficient, Solid, Acceptable, Good Job!)
11-15 points: creativity is evident and there are costumes(Amazing, Superior, Wonderful, Outstanding, Great Effort, Hooray!)
10 points = Mechanics
0-4 points: Scene selection is not portrayed properly and multiple miscellaneous mistakes (Needs Improvement, Inadequate, Some effort,Partial) 5-10 points: Scene selections are adequate, errors are very few in presentation (Amazing, Superior, Good Effort, Sufficient, Outstanding, Hooray!)
10 points = Final Product
0-10 points: Points based on keeping the time limit, being respectful, and overall view of the project
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Student Resources:
Wikipedia Page: “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventures_of_Huckleberry_Finn
“How to” Make a Pirate Costume:“How to Make a Pirate Costume.” YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLNaZW3tdi8
Interview Questions: “Job Interview Database.” Quint Careers, 12 August 2009. Web. 14 Apr 2010. http://www.quintcareers.com/interview_question_database/interview_questions.html
“How to” Interview Video: “Journalism Jobs : How to Conduct an Interview With a Source.” YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_an_eC37eU
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Behind the scenes:
*7th grade project- focusing on Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn
* This is a project that is like a “live” book report, yet it incorporates the motivations behind the thinking and decision-making. In the 8th grade year, students are learning to make their own decisions and think “outside the box”.
Why this video? What was I thinking?
* This video is very popular and catches the attention of everyone. It’s relatable to middle school students because Beyonce is common to them, especially this particular song.
*Learning to make decisions is something that middle schoolers tend to struggle with in the sense that “peer pressure” plays a huge role in the ways students view themselves and each other. The person in the video followed the crowd whereas Tom and Huck did not.
* Huckleberry Finn is a book that could essentially change a student’s thinking concerning their decisions. Sometimes Huck and Finn knew what they were doing, and sometimes they just did things without thinking.
* I want students to take away that they can have their own viewpoints and not “conform” to society because in the end one could get hurt.
* Learning the motivations behind others’ decision-making helps others to understand their own motivations for their decision-making.
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Questions that could be beneficial:
*What did you learn from the clown’s decision? What would you have done differently? What did you like about the video and/or book? What did you not like about the video and/or book?
* Why did the clown choose to dance to the Beyonce video? Why did Huck and Finn choose to not “conform” to society? How are we affected by our decisions? What do we learn from our decisions? Are the decisions we are making thoroughly though through? What were all the decisions that the clown made? What were all the decisions that Huck and Finn made that showed their independence?
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An example of decision making would be everyday living such as : “Am I going to brush my teeth? Am I going to comb my hair? Am I going to eat my breakfast? Am I going to use the bathroom?” Or more strenuous decisions such as: ” Am I going to go to high school? Am I going to go to college? Am I going to have a boyfriend? Am I going to be my own person? Am I going to sing and dance to the Beyonce song?”
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Some struggles that may occur: Not enough resources such as outfits, Parents who do not let their children read Huckleberry Finn, Not having enough time to focus on each individual group rather than just the whole class.
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Georgia Performance Standards which this project meets:
ELA7R1 The student demonstrates comprehension and shows evidence of a warranted and responsible explanation of a variety of literary and informational texts.
b. Interprets a character’s traits, emotions, or motivations and gives supporting
evidence from a text.
f. Analyzes characterization (dynamic and static) in prose and plays as delineated
through a character’s thoughts, words, speech patterns, and actions; the narrator’s
description; and the thoughts, words, and actions of other characters.
h. Identifies and analyzes how an author’s use of words creates tone and mood,
giving supporting evidence from text.
For informational texts, the student reads and comprehends in order to
develop understanding and expertise and produces evidence of reading that:
a. Analyzes common textual features to obtain information (e.g., paragraphs,
topic sentences, concluding sentences, introduction, conclusion, footnotes,
index, bibliography).
b. Identifies and uses knowledge of common graphic features to draw conclu-
sions and make judgments (e.g., graphic organizers, diagrams, captions, illustrations).
c. Applies knowledge of common organizational structures and patterns (i.e.,
logical order, cause and effect relationships, comparison and contrast, transitions).
d. Recognizes and traces the development of the author’s argument for and against an issue.
e. Identifies evidence used to support an argument.
ELA7W2 The student demonstrates competence in a variety of genres.
The student produces a response to literature that:
a. Engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a speaker’s voice, or otherwise
developing reader interest.
b. Demonstrates an understanding of the literary work.
c. Organizes an interpretation around several clear ideas, premises, or images
from the original work.
d. Supports a judgment through references to the text and personal knowledge.
e. Justifies interpretations through sustained use of examples and textual evidence
from the literary work.
f. Provides a sense of closure to the writing.
ELA7LSV2 The student listens to and views various forms of text and media
in order to gather and share information, persuade others, and express and
understand ideas. The student will select and critically analyze messages using
rubrics as assessment tools.
a. Gives oral presentations or dramatic interpretations for various purposes.
b. Organizes information to achieve particular purposes and to appeal to the
background and interests of the audience.
c. Shows appropriate changes in delivery (e.g., gestures, vocabulary, pace, visuals).
d. Uses language for dramatic effect.
e. Uses rubrics as assessment tools.
f. Responds to oral communications with questions, challenges, or affirmations.
g. Uses multimedia in presentations.
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