Lesson Plan form for  Paul Rombough/
Chateauguay Valley High School  (Tower University Grade 8 Site)
Date:   April 12th
Class:          English (novel unit
Objective:   To "find" different formal elements to the complex narrative of the film "the Truman Show", and to communicate those findings to the rest of the class.
Materials:   Dittos, overhead sheets, scale in film sample
Opening Motivational Set:    Notion that the truman show was originally a short story, expanded into a greater narrative.
Procedure:

1)   Finishing the test  (20 minutes)

2)   After discussing notion of a story within a story, tell the class they will be divided into groups for the purposes of presenting information on a certain element of the film.  Show an overhead containing the first four group tasks, and as each element is introduced, the teacher gives an example (below), then reads the assigned questions, for the whole class to hear, and only then does he pass out the activity sheets to the most appropriate students.  (ex, visual  students adept at art are in group 3)
 
As the fifth element, the greater narrative is explained, an equally-sized overhead of the words "The Greater, More Complex Narrative" is placed over the first overhead, noting the way the whole story of the movie encompasses the other four elements.

Examples for 

  • Group 1 "The Poetic Moments":   William Carlos Williams poems This is Just to Say
  • Group 2  "The Internal Narrative"  Referring to points from the short story unit.  (Ex.  except for protagonist, short stories often employ relatively flat characters)
  • Group 3  "The Visual Element"    Show them how camera work can effect perception of the character (click for attachment)
  • Group 4  "The Transactional Element"  Discuss the purpose of essays, and how sometimes the method of presentation of the essay can be utterly creative and satirical (read a passage from Swift's "A Modest Proposal")
  • Group 5 "The Greater Narrative"  Discuss the example of our own poetry novel projects, and the narrative of the correspondence trying to hold the poems, drawings, descriptive pieces together.
Followup/ Evaluation: 
The next day the groups are to meet and pool their ideas, and present them to the class, as though they were the "experts" on that particular element of the film.

 





 
 
Group Tasks in Response to The Truman Show
Group 1 will find:
The Poetic Moments

Describe three scenes in the film that are either

  • symbolic of some greater message or idea. (metaphorical)
  • or could be appreciated alone, like a painting or poem.
  • or are pure and perfectly formed, crafted, well done.
3 poetic scenes

Scene 1:
 
 
 

Scene 2:
 
 
 

Scene 3:
 
 

Group 2 will find:
The Simple Internal Narrative
(The T.V. Show)
 

A. To determine the basic plot of the life of Truman, inside the dome, on the t.v. show, not including the reality outside, list 5 basic features of his life on the show. (in order, like a timeline)

-

-

-

-

-
 
 

B. List 3 other main characters on the tv show, and explain their role.

-
 
 

-
 
 

-

C.   Find and explain one conflict Truman experiences inside the story of his t.v. life. (i.e. in the life story that the audiences sees)
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Group 3 will find:
The Visual Elements

List 5 visual differences between Truman's world and the real world.

(Think in terms of the image, but also in terms of lighting, colouring, controlled weather, and especially the different ways that the camera shows the action inside the "show" and outside in the real world.)

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-
 
 

-
 
 
 
 

-
 
 
 
 

-
 


Group 4 will find:
The Transactional (Getting the Message)

Think of 3 things the director of this film is trying to say to his audience, you!, and write your answers in 3 short paragraphs. (Points made, and an example or two for each point)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
 
 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
 
 
 
 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Group 5 will find:
The Greater, More Complex, Narrative.
 
 
 

Explain what is the real story behind the Truman Show, by explaining 3 of the following elements:

  1. Who is the real antagonist? Explain his in the creation and continuation of the show.

    2.  

     
     
     

    ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  2. What is the girl's story?

    3.  

     
     
     

    ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  3. One character (millions of people really) is each individual t.v. watcher. What role does the t.v. watcher play?

    4.  

     
     
     

    ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  4. Is there a conflict with technology in this film? When? Why? How?

    5.  

     

    ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  5. Why does Truman want to escape?_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 
 

THIS IS JUST TO SAY

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

William Carlos Williams