Fiction and Film
Mrs. Lynch
2015-2016
Course Description: Students enrolled in Fiction and Film will explore the various
genres of popular written fictional works and films through close readings and
viewings. They will use this understanding of the different types of genres to
analyze both the author's and the director’s use of themes, motifs, metaphors, mood,
sound, and other elements that contribute to the interpretation of content. After
analyzing a fictional work and its correlating film, students will learn to critique
these works, searching them for depth and quality as defined by
professional literary and film critics. The final project will entail writing their own
works of fiction as they fit into a specific genre and making a film version of this
work. A final “red carpet” event will be the culmination of Fiction and Film, where
the students will be share their experiences and creations with family, friends, and
educators in a Hollywood type awards ceremony. This course is designed for
students who want to expand their love and understanding of fictional works and
films to a deeper level. Reading, writing, and analysis skills will be finely tuned,
while students are reading works and watching films that they love.
Grading Policy: Fiction and Film will be a primarily project and paper assessed
course. Students will also be graded on their productivity during class, especially
since much of the course will be based on discussion and presentations. All
assignments should be submitted on time, especially since class discussion will
hinge on these assignments.
Projects/Tests: 50%
Quizzes: 25%
Classwork: 25%
“The Absentee Policy.” If you are absent, please email me to find out what you have
missed or catch up with me in the beginning or end of class. YOU ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL MAKEUP WORK!
Please, be punctual.
 Be on time to class. If you are late to class four times, disciplinary action will
be taken.
 All assignments are due at the beginning of the period or as indicated in class.
This includes www.turnitin.com assignments.
 Unless otherwise discussed between us, an academic lab will be issued the
day an assignment is missed.
Materials:
 A journal. You may want to keep one journal for both reading and watching
film, or you could separate these into two journals. Whatever your
preference, please be sure to have your journal with you every day of class.
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A folder or binder. Use this to keep all of our class notes, handouts, and
materials.
Access to a computer. You will be writing in this class, and your final
products will have to be typed. Many of you will also be filming and editing.
Computers make this possible.
Access to a video camera, or someone with one. If you don’t have one, it’s
okay. We can work together to have you borrow one from the school or
someone else in our class.
Unit Studies: The first marking period will have two units, and each subsequent
marking period will have one unit. The information learned in each unit will build
until the final unit, where the culminating project will assess their ability to analyze,
critique and create a work within a specific genre of fiction.
First Marking Period: Genre Classification & Identification; Adaption Fundamentals
Second Marking Period: Analysis of Fictional Works and their Corresponding Films
Third Marking Period: Critique of Fictional Works and their Corresponding Films
Fourth Marking Period: Creation of a Fictional Work and Corresponding Film
Content: In this course, we will study a variety of fictional works and their
corresponding films in many different genres. The works we will study are as
follows:
Horror: Jaws by Peter Benchley & The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether by Edgar
Allan Poe
Science Fiction: I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
Historical Fiction: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Drama: The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
Romance: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Short Story: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Fantasy: The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Fairy Tale: The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson
Mystery: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Tall Tale: Big Fish by Daniel Wallace
Fable: Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Selected other works for individual and group projects
And finally…
*If you or your parents need to contact me, email is the best way to do so. If you are
looking for homework information, please check my website or my twitter page. Also,
sign up for Remind if you wish to receive important updates and reminders via text
message.
Mrs. Lynch: English Teacher
Email: lynch.k@woodstown.org
Website: http://www.woodstown.org/Domain/207
Remind: https://www.remind.com/join/fictionan