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Another Way to Tell a Story

I teach a seventh-grade elective called Communications. I've blogged about this class and my students before. It's a class I've grown to love! Our main focus this year has been creating and sharing our daily morning news show, B-AM News. 

Last week I watched the Oscars and I saw a commercial that inspired me...




Walmart challenged three talented directors to create a short film, one minute, about a box. The three versions were creative and different and entertaining. I gave that same challenge to my students. One class finished and presented their videos. I'll share a couple below for your viewing pleasure. 

I made my own film. 

It was just like writing a story. I felt the same worry when I began, "Is this going to be good enough?" I drafted and revised and revised and revised. The process is exactly the same as writing. My film doesn't have any dialogue, but the creating was not easy.

Looking for a new way to approach writing? Filmmaking. Creating a story. We are now going to have weekly challenges to create these short films. I'm inspired and reinvigorated! 





March is the Slice of Life Challenge.
I'll be sharing a post each day in the month of March.
Please join me at Two Writing Teachers to read more slices!
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Comments

  1. Glenda FunkMarch 11, 2018 at 9:37 AM

    As a communication teacher at both the high school and college level, I love this idea. I’ll share this w/ the other speech teachers on my team and wish there were time for this project in my Communication 1101 dual credit class. Alas, trimesters once again prohibit fun.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lee Ann SpillaneMarch 11, 2018 at 9:41 AM

    How fun is that?! I love how you find inspiration in all sorts of places. Very cool idea, Michelle.

    ReplyDelete
  3. SallyMarch 11, 2018 at 11:09 AM

    So fun! I love that all the time, you are living as a writer. You see a commercial while watching the Oscars on a Sunday night and immediately think, I want to do that!! Keep learning and exposing your students to the same kind of learning!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Deb DayMarch 11, 2018 at 11:51 AM

    If I was still teaching speech or drama, I would definitely have kids do this assignment. I saw these last Sunday night and thought they would be a great activity for the classroom!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Margaret SimonMarch 11, 2018 at 5:38 PM

    I love this idea and how you did it yourself to be ready to teach it. Your students are rising!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Alice NineMarch 11, 2018 at 8:47 PM

    You are so right, no matter the communication medium, creating a product that speaks to an audience takes the same basic process. Thanks for sharing the details and a couple of the short films.

    ReplyDelete
  7. MandyMarch 11, 2018 at 10:34 PM

    What a fun way to communicate writing/a story. I bet your students are really enjoy this work.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Kristi LonheimMarch 12, 2018 at 4:29 AM

    I'm sharing your Writing Out Of The Box with my students tomorrow! Words CAN do anything. WIth power comes responsibility, as your boys video shows. Something good from a commercial - I love then an idea works!

    ReplyDelete

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