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=This wikispace exists as a resource to teachers who believe that:= =quality storytelling + student engagement= success! = =Rationale:= My goal for this project comes from my own history with reading. As an unmotivated reader, I always preferred watching movies in school or at home than reading books. It wasn’t until high school that I was able to take a class that compared, contrasted, and analyzed storytelling via film and literature. The class offered me an exciting opportunity for me to watch and learn more about cinema. The subject matter also turned me onto reading and the different ways stories can be told. Specifically, I would like to explore how to talk about visual storytelling using the cinematic method of //mise en scene// versus descriptive language in written storytelling that “shows,” rather than “tells.” I believe that knowing how to analyze and discuss stories through multiple media will allow students to make connections to stories regardless of their personal reading enthusiasm or ability. Furthermore, analyzing books and movies is an important skill that can improve a young person’s ability to enjoy their leisure activities to the fullest.

I earned my BFA in film-making and much of my background revolves around writing, watching, making, and analyzing films. My appreciation for good movies often motivates me to read about those movies, and has frequently turned me onto good books (Bridge to Terebithia, To Kill a Mockingbird, and the Time Traveler’s Wife, to name a few). I believe that teachers who are able to plan and lead discussions about storytelling through different lenses stand to learn just as much as their students do. I will provide explicit discussion questions that teachers will be able to use to lead discussions that compare, contrast, and analyze the quality of good (and terrible) movies to the books on which they are based.

Many teachers keep emergency substitute plans that include movie-watching. Why not have a list of quality children's movies with discussion questions to keep children's minds engaged and critical?

What You Will Find:
This wikispace includes an annotated bibliography of young adult literature //and// cinema. Each film/book title will include the following:
 * A brief description of the story
 * Genre
 * Subject Matter
 * Grade Level Suggestions
 * Essential discussion questions to guide learning activities

=__//10 Fabulous Suggestions//__= //This list of twelve movies are based on quality children's literature and quality children's films.//

Movie Title (Year) - Book Title - Book Author
Charlotte's Web (1973) - Charlotte's Web - E.B. White Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl Matilda (1996) - Matilda - Roald Dahl Bridge to Terabithia (2007) - Bridge to Terabithia - Katherine Paterson Little Women (1994) - Little Women - Louisa May Alcott The Wizard of Oz (1932) - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) - To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee The Iron Giant (1999) - The Iron Man - Ted Hughes The Secret Garden (1987 or 1993) - The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett A Little Princess (1995) - The Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson - Bette Bao Lord

Suggestions?
If you think of a wonderful movie-book pair that you do not see on this wikispace, please feel free to contact me and I will add it! Solid films for children (especially ones based on children's literature) are few and far between. The more suggestions and options teachers and students have to choose from, the better a resource this wikispace will become.

If you need to contact me with questions or suggestions, please do so at sreebnyr (@) seattleu.edu

Happy storytelling!

(link for presentation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8TgqenWW0I)