Crecia C. Swaim
Both films address processes of education. Encouraging students to think about methods of education allows them to develop a greater capacity for higher order thinking skills, lighting the way towards metacognition. The final persuasive essay is a fine opportunity to synthesize learning and thinking from both films on the topic of education. Again, please see the CT State Department of Education website for scoring rubrics. I will have students choose from the following prompts:
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You are going to be an exchange student next year at the school in Thiers from
L'Argent de poche
. Decide whether or not you want to go, based on the school scenes you saw in the film. Write to convince your family of your position.
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You have just heard about the discovery of a boy much like Victor in the beginning of
L'Enfant sauvage
. There is debate over whether the boy will be placed in a school or sent to a mental institution; decide where you think he should go. Using information from the film, write to convince an average person you've just met of your position.
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Your school principal has retired, and the new principal is looking to change the way classes are conducted. Using information from both films, as well as personal experience, decide how you think your French class should be conducted. Write to convince your new principal.
In preparation for the culminating project, each student will study his/her own persuasive essay on education. Students will be encouraged to review and organize all their writing assignments completed over the course of the unit, to reacquaint themselves with all the aspects of the films. Students may prepare alone or with a partner, unless they lose the privilege by not using work time wisely. The culminating project will be a series of simulated café conversation in which students will discuss the views on education that they developed during the course of the unit. For a complete description of how the café conversations will work, see
Lesson Plan 3 – Culminating Project/Café Conversations
.