Students will be asked to watch TV (yes, I know!) for one hour, and chart these findings with detailed descriptions (can be shows or commercials):
Who was the funniest person you saw? Describe him or her......what was she/he doing, wearing, saying, etc? Why was he/she so funny?
Who was the scariest person? Why?
What was your favorite animal or object?
Who seemed like the nicest or most caring person?
Who seemed the most like someone in your family?
Who seemed the most like one of your friends?
Who seemed the smartest?
Who seemed the stupidest?
Who seemed the weirdest?
Who would you like to live with?
Who was the strongest?
Who was the weakest?
Who looked like he/she smelled the strangest?
......This list could be shortened, changed, lengthened depending on your grade level.
Then here's the task the next day: take 3 or 4 of your characters (could be any number) and write a short story (100 words or less, depending on grade level)........teacher could give students a scenario to start with if needed.
Such as: imagine two of your characters are walking through the jungle together.......they get caught in a trap. another one of your characters comes along and sees them stuck in the trap......take it from there!
Or something along those lines.
Hey Jamie-- I like this activity, because you are taking something that a lot of students like (TV), and mixing it with something many are turned off from (Writing). One question.... what about kids without a TV?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I like this activity, because you have students look at their friends and their family. I think this is important, making real life connections!
-asha.