Cinematic Stories: Literature through Film

Description

Cinematic Stories: Literature Through Film

This engaging year-long course explores the intersection of literature and film, examining how stories are adapted from page to screen. Students will analyze classic and contemporary literary works alongside their film counterparts, delving into themes, character development, narrative structure, and cinematic techniques. Through guided discussions, scene analysis, and creative assignments, students will deepen their understanding of storytelling.

Throughout the course, students will explore a variety of genres, including fairy tales, historical narratives, coming-of-age stories, fantasy, adventure, and science-based films. They will investigate the impact of adaptation choices, historical accuracy in film, and the role of music, cinematography, and editing in storytelling. By engaging in activities such as rewriting scenes from different perspectives, debating the ethics of historical adaptations, and mapping out hero’s journeys, students will actively participate in their learning.

Assignments will be completed using virtual tools like Google Docs, Padlet, and Trello, fostering collaboration and creativity in an online environment. The course culminates in a final project where students select a book-to-film adaptation to analyze and present their insights.

Course Components:
Weekly Virtual Discussion (1 hr) – Interactive conversations and analysis
Independent Reading & Film Viewing – Engaging with assigned books and films outside of class
Creative & Analytical Assignments – Writing, research, and multimedia projects
Final Project – A personalized book-to-film analysis

This course offers an exciting opportunity for students to engage with literature and film in a dynamic, interactive format, making connections between storytelling mediums while honing their analytical and creative skills.

Families will be responsible for accessing each book and film and reading and watching them outside of class time. Most books (and many films) should be available at your local library. Readings with (book) will need to be purchased personally. Others will be provided by me. Movies without provided/book will not have readings. As for the films, a Disney Plus subscription will be very helpful; however, other older films will be free to watch in full on YouTube or to rent on Amazon Prime.

• The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe (Book)

• Cinderella (Provided)

• Remember the Titans

• Hercules (Provided)

• Little Women (Provided)

• Sword and the Stone (Provided)

• The Hobbit (Provided)

• Holes (Book)

• The Giver (Book)

• Apollo 13

• Hidden Figures

• The Wizard of Oz (Provided)

• The Sound of Music

• The Princess Bride (Book)

• Mary Poppins (Provided)

This class would pair fantastically with Video Editing Basics, American History in Film, and Audio Editing.

SAMR Examples

Substitution

Digital Reading & Viewing – Instead of reading a physical book or watching a DVD, students access digital versions of books and films via eBooks, streaming platforms, or PDFs.

Google Docs for Essays – Instead of handwriting reflections or essays, students type their work in Google Docs.

Augmentation

Scene Comparison in Google Slides – Instead of writing a paragraph comparing book and film scenes, students create side-by-side slide presentations with embedded images, videos, and annotations.

Padlet for Discussion Boards – Instead of discussing in a traditional classroom setting, students post and respond to each other’s thoughts asynchronously, incorporating multimedia (images, links, GIFs).

Modification 

Trello for Character & Theme Analysis – Students use Trello boards to collaborate on tracking character arcs, themes, and plot development across multiple adaptations. This allows for ongoing, interactive engagement rather than static note-taking.

Hero’s Journey Mapping in a Digital Tool – Instead of writing about a character’s journey, students create an interactive visual using tools like Miro, Canva, or Google Drawings, embedding videos, GIFs, and hyperlinks.

Redefinition

Student-Created Film Adaptation Pitch (Multimedia Project) – Students create their own pitch for a book-to-film adaptation using video editing tools, voiceovers, and digital storyboards, going beyond traditional essays or presentations.

Virtual Reality or 360° Video Exploration – For historical adaptations like The Diary of Anne Frank, students explore virtual museum tours or 360° video recreations of historical sites to gain a deeper understanding of the setting and context.

Want to See How This Fits Into a Bigger Plan?

This class can stand alone — or be part of a larger pathway at True North Academy.

From Core 4 foundations to Associate and Dual Degree options, we help families build a clear, customized plan for middle and high school.

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