Silent Movies from Perry School, Washington, D.C.

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Students will use storyboarding and sequencing skills to create a silent movie. The students will be utilizing the digital camera to film these movies.

Recommended Time: 

2 days (120 minutes)

Materials and Equipment: 
Newsprint, Markers, Portable Lamps
Digital Video Camera
Activity Steps: 

Day 1

I. Community Builder (20 minutes)

    • Students will be seated in a circle.
    • "Story, Story" -- The instructor will lead the class in an activity that allows them to, as a class, tell a story. Each student will add to the story until the instructor says STOP. The story will travel around the circle, each student adding to the story.

II. View Video (5 min)

    • Students will view video that they created in a previous class session.

III. Visual Mapping (15 minutes)

    • Instructor will gather students at a table. Instructor will ask, "What are some ideas for a silent movie?" Then write the words "ideas for silent movie" and draw a circle around it on a sheet of newsprint.
    • Instructor will model writing an idea and then engage students to begin recording ideas.
    • Students will then be broken into groups to complete visual mapping.
    • Share some responses.
    • Students will then be gathered around one table again. Instructor will model drawing a box around the ideas and will ask the question, "What things (props) are needed to make each movie?"
    • Students will then return to groups to record "props."
    • Share responses.
    • Instructor will then ask groups to select one idea.

IV. Frame-by-Frame Mapping (20 minutes)

    • Instructor will lead class in creating a frame-by-frame mapping of the video they just viewed.
    • Students will return to their groups and develop a frame-by-frame map of their silent movie.

V. Debrief

Day 2

I. Community Builder (15 min)

II. Assign Roles (5 minutes)

    • Students will identify all of the different roles involved in their silent film.
    • Students are responsible for deciding who will do each role.

III. Rehearsal (25 minutes)

    • Students will independently conduct rehearsal for their video. Instructor will be on hand just to ensure that everyone is behaving.

IV. Filming (10 minutes)

    • Students will film video.

V. View finished silent filem (5 minutes)

    • Using the laptop and Real Player, students will view their finished video.

VI. Debrief