Teacher’s Resource: Light of the RiverFirst/Second LevelsCurriculum for Excellence links: RME, Sciences (Water topic), Social Subjects, Expressive Arts, English Literacy and Health & Wellbeing
Created by Shona Thompson
Discovery Film Festival: Sat 22 October - Sun 6 November 2011discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk
© Dundee Contemporary Arts 2011With support from DCA Cinema and DCA Community & Education Team
Introduction
Discovery Learning Resources give you exciting classroom activities to enhance Curriculum for Excellence delivery. This resource provides you with a film synopsis, things to help prepare your class for seeing the film, follow up activities and useful references. We hope that you and your pupils have fun and enjoy learning with this resource.
They are created by classroom teachers and education professionals. Each resources aims to:
• support and extend working with film in the classroom
• help prepare teachers for a class visit to a Discovery Film Festival film and to extend the impact of that visit
• develop confidence in Moving Image Education approaches and working with 21st Century Literacy/moving image texts
Each resource is free and available to download from discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk/resources or via the Discovery Film Festival area on GLOW, which can be found within the Dundee 21st Century Literacy Group.
This resource is written in three parts.
The first section suggests activities that can be undertaken prior to the cinema visit. The second section will focus on literacy based activities after viewing the film, exploring the themes within the film. The third section suggests activities which may link in with other learning across the curriculum.
Shona Thompson
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Synopsis
Light of the RiverDirector: Tetsuo HirakawaJapan 2010 / 1h15m
Light of the River is a Japanese animation telling the story of a family of rats who are forced to flee from their home as construction work threatens their river habitat.
Brothers Tarta and Chichi embark on an adventure with their father to search for a new home and head for the city hoping they can be happy and safe there. Together they must learn to adapt to their new surroundings, make new friends and look out for each other.
However, the family realise that as river rats, they must be close to the water to be happy. The seasons change as their search for a new home continues and they hope that they can find a new place to live before the winter arrives.
Teachers’ Note:The film is in Japanese with English subtitles. These subtitles will be read aloud at the cinema.
Main Themes:• Relationships/Friendships• Environmental impact of humans• Water/Rivers• Differences (cultural/appearance/habitat)
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Before your visit to the cinema
Activity 1: Investigate prior knowledge
• The central characters in this film are three rats, what do we know/think about rats?• Can you think of any other films or books which have rats as characters?• The main setting of the film is by a river, what other animals/wildlife would you expect to find living near a river?
When I engage with others, I know when and how to listen, when to talk, how much to say, when to ask questions and how to respond with respect. LIT 1-02a, LIT 2-02a
Activity 2: Working with film media
View the trailer for the film online at discoveryfilmfestival.org.ukThis is a useful starting point for the children to begin to make their own predictions about what they might expect from the film using the context clues from the trailer. We want to encourage young people to be able to read a film in the same way as they would read a book.
It would be useful for the children to make notes about their ideas which can then be revisited after having seen the film.
If the children are making notes, introducing them to the ides of the 3 S’s (Story, Setting and Sound) and the 3 C’s (Camera, Colour and Characters). These give useful headings for note tak-ing and provide good prompts for questioning, for example:• From the trailer, can you predict the storyline?• How has the filmmaker grabbed your attention?• What do you notice about the different types of camera angles? Why does the filmmaker choose to use close up shots of the characters’ faces?• Does the appearance of the rats match with your original opinion of rats?• What do you notice about the style of animation? How does it differ from other animation films you may have seen? Does it remind you of any other films?
See movingimageeducation.org for more information and resources to support you in class. The Anne Neil reading resources (M drive) are also ideal for using with moving image education.
As I listen or watch, I can identify and discuss the purpose, key words and main ideas of the text, and use this information for a specific purpose. LIT 1-04a
As I listen or watch, I can identify and discuss the purpose, main ideas and supporting detail contained within the text, and use this information for different purposes. LIT 2-04a
As I listen or watch, I am learning to make notes under given headings and use these to under-stand what I have listened to or watched and create new texts. LIT 1-05a
As I listen or watch, I can make notes, organise these under suitable headings and use these to understand ideas and information and create new texts, using my own words as appropriate. LIT 2-05a
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After your visit to the cinema
Activity 1: Recap the main points of the film
Identify parts that children particularly enjoyed/did not enjoy, giving reasons for this. Look back at predictions made before watching the film and discuss how similar or different their ideas were to what came through during the film.
Did anything come as surprise in the film?
Discuss the 3 S’s and 3C’s and the impact of these on the film and their enjoyment of the film.
I regularly select and listen to or watch texts which I enjoy and find interesting, and I can explain why I prefer certain sources. I regularly select subject, purpose, format and resources to create texts of my choice. LIT 1-01a, LIT 2-01a
I can show my understanding of what I listen to or watch by responding to and asking different kinds of questions. LIT 1-07a
I can show my understanding of what I listen to or watch by responding to literal, inferential, evaluative and other types of questions, and by asking different kinds of questions of my own. LIT 2-07a
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Activity 2: Linking ideas in the film to children’s own experiences
Discuss the relationships that emerged throughout the film – the river rats were chased away by their own species yet were helped by creatures which they may have considered to be predators: i.e. the cat and the sparrows.
Can the children draw comparisons to their own lives or of events in the media of a time when help came from an unlikely source?
When listening and talking with others for different purposes, I can exchange information, experiences, explanations, ideas and opinions, and clarify points by asking questions or by asking others to say more. LIT 1-09a
When listening and talking with others for different purposes, I can: share information, experiences and opinions; explain processes and ideas; identify issues raised and summarise main points or findings; clarify points by asking questions or by asking others to say more. LIT 2-09a
I can explain why different people think that values such as honesty, respect and compassion are important, and I show respect for others. RME 2-09c
Activity 3: Poetry writing - Haiku
Think about the title of the film. What is the significance of the light of the river?
Watch the trailer again and discuss the setting of the river. Use this as a stimulus for Japanese style poetry.
The Haiku poem is made up of three lines, containing 5, 7 and 5 syllables.
Some children may also like to try the Tanka style of poetry. Also based on syllables it has 5 lines made up of 5, 7, 5, 7 and 7 syllables
I enjoy creating texts of my choice and I regularly select subject, purpose, format and resources to suit the needs of my audience. LIT 1-20a, LIT 2-20a
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Activity 4: Personal writing
After Glen helps the family, they are safe in the library and have enough food yet they still choose to return to the river.
Explore the idea of “No place like home….”
This would be an ideal stimulus for a piece of personal writing. What makes a home? If you suddenly had to move away, what would you take with you/miss most?
I can describe and share my experiences and how they made me feel. ENG 1-30a
As I write for different purposes and readers, I can describe and share my experiences, expressing what they made me think about and how they made me feel. ENG 2-30a
Activity 5: Water Topic - Learning across the curriculum
The film has good potential to explore the wider themes of Water/Rivers & Environmental Impact of Humans, and a range of activities could be developed using the film as a stimulus:
• Investigating eco-systems• Natural habitats of animals• River systems and the importance of clean water
One activity may be to create a river wall display including plants, trees, wildlife etc and before the children return to school the next day, to “pollute” the scene with litter. It could provide an interesting stimulus for discussion as to how human activity can negatively affect the planet.
Through the film, the seasons subtly change, which the children may not initially pick up on. This is a good opportunity to investigate seasonal changes and animals which hibernate.
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Another activity may be to give each child a template of a river and allow them to create their own river setting for the season of their choice, using a variety of media. The Japanese prints and studies of waves and water by Hokusai would be a great resource.
And this website has a huge number of water activities suitable for Levels 1 and 2.http://www.enchantedlearning.com/themes/water.shtml
I have observed living things in the environment over time and am becoming aware of how they depend on each other. SCN 0-01a
I can distinguish between living and non living things. I can sort living things into groups and explain my decisions. SCN 1-01a
By investigating how water can change from one form to another, I can relate my findings to ev-eryday experiences. SCN 0-05a, SCN 1-05a
By comparing generations of families of humans, plants and animals, I can begin to understand how characteristics are inherited. SCN 1-14a
Throughout all my learning, I take appropriate action to ensure conservation of materials and resources, considering the impact of my actions on the environment. TCH 1-02a
I have investigated different water samples from the environment and explored methods that can be used to clean and conserve water and I am aware of the properties and uses of water. SCN 2-18a
I can show my understanding of values such as caring, sharing, fairness, equality and love. RME 1-09b
I can explain why different people think that values such as honesty, respect and compassion are important, and I show respect for others. RME 2-09c
I can describe and recreate the characteristics of my local environment by exploring the features of the landscape. SOC 1-07a
I can discuss the environmental impact of human activity and suggest ways in which we can live in a more environmentally-responsible way. SOC 2-08a
I have the opportunity to choose and explore a range of media and technologies to create images and objects, discovering their effects and suitability for specific tasks. EXA 1-02a
I can create and present work using the visual elements of line, shape, form, colour, tone, pattern and texture. EXA 1-03a
I can create a range of visual information through observing and recording from my experiences across the curriculum. EXA 1-04a
Inspired by a range of stimuli, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through activities within art and design. EXA 1-05a
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Activity 6. Relationships/Friendships & Differences – Learning across the curriculum
Relationships and friendships are a recurring theme throughout the film and this could be further explored. Another issue the film touches on is ‘Being Different’ and children may find it easy to identify with Chichi’s character and how he feels about himself. Drama can be a way to explore this further.
Can children remember one scene from the film strongly? In small groups, or in a group in front of the class, take that scene and let pupils choose characters to act. Recreate the scene through drama concentrating on movement and expressions initially rather than speech.
How do their characters feel during that scene? How does that effect how they act (bent over or head up, moving fast or moving slow etc)? What would their character say about how they feel – can they say this in character? How would they feel in the same situation? Can another pupil ‘enter the scene’ and do or say something to help Chichi (or another character)?
The class can discuss the best way to resolve the scene. What should happen next? (It doesn’t need to be what happens in the film.)
I am aware of and able to express my feelings and am developing the ability to talk about them. HWB 0-01a, HWB 1-01a, HWB 2-01a
I know that we all experience a variety of thoughts and emotions that affect how we feel and behave and I am learning ways of managing them. HWB 0-02a, HWB 1-02a, HWB 2-02a
I know that friendship, caring, sharing, fairness, equality and love are important in building positive relationships. As I develop and value relationships, I care and show respect for myself and others. HWB 0-05a, HWB 1-05a, HWB 2-05a
I understand that people can feel alone and can be misunderstood and left out by others. I am learning how to give appropriate support. HWB 0-08a, HWB 1-08a, HWB 2-08a
I recognise that we have similarities and differences but are all unique. HWB 0-47a, HWB 1-47a
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Evaluating this resource
We hope that you found this resource useful and appropriate. We welcome film reviews, letters from pupils, documentation of classwork and your feedback; email them to [email protected] or post them to Discovery Film Festival, DCA, 152 Nethergate, DD1 4DY
Would you make a good Discovery Film Festival Case Study?
We are seeking a number of simple Case Studies in how teachers have used or are using Discovery films in the classroom across Curriculum for Excellence and across the Levels.
Any case studies that we develop would be intended for presentation on GLOW, the Creativity Portal and on Discovery Film Festival and participating venues’s website. We have a simple template to be completed and are keen to have classwork and documentation included.
If you would like to be a Discovery Case Study please email [email protected]
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