Lights, Camera, Fiction: from Books to Hollywood
Unit One: INTRO
Length of
Unit
Two Weeks
Core Content/POS
Program of Studies
Core Content
Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions
Activities/Assessments/
Resources
Terms: Elements of Fiction, Elements of Drama, Elements of Film –
1.
Freytag’s Pyramid, Types of Conflict, Characterization, Universal
Themes, Drama, Tragedy, Comedy, Plot, Setting, Stage Directions,
Aside, Soliloquy, Acts, Scenes, Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling
Action, Resolution, Denouement, Protagonist, Antagonist, Foil,
Dialogue, Monologue, Atmosphere (Mood), Cinematography (Camera
Placement and Movement, Lighting, Color, Focus, Frame
Composition), Décor/Clothing, Pace, Suspense, Sound, Music, Editing,
Acting, Narrative Structure, Conflict, Point of View, Genre, Symbol,
Opening Credit Sequence, Analysis, Thesis, Support
Terminology Project –
Students will be assigned
to research and teach the
class about terms we will
be using in class, so that all
students are familiar with
terminology needed for
discussion.
2.
Novel One Assignment: Due
at Midterm. Jurassic Park by
Michael Crichton.
3.
Terminology Project
Presentations
“It Had to be Murder” by
Cornell Woolrich
Use of terminology to
make personal decisions
regarding elements of film
in class movie project.
Viewing of Rear Window
and Disturbia, movie
adaptations of above short
story.
Analysis.
Reviewing models of
critical analysis.
Students will:
1.
2.
Students will know and understand all terminology and
be able to use it confidently in class discussion,
analysis, and writing.
Students will be able to use terminology to make
decisions regarding choices for adapting a written
story to the genre of film.
4.
5.
6.
Guiding Questions

7.
8.
Unit Two
Length of
Unit
Two Weeks
Core Content/POS
Program of Studies
Rowan County Senior High School 2010-2011
Science Fiction
Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions
Terms: See Unit One
Activities/Assessments/
Resources
1.
Debate Assignments
Page 1
Lights, Camera, Fiction: from Books to Hollywood
Core Content
Students will
1. Be able to formulate an argument and support that
argument through class debate.
Guiding Questions

Unit Three
Length of
Unit
One Week
Core Content/POS
Program of Studies
2. Analytical comparison of
“The Sentinel” by Arthur C.
Clark and 2001: A Space
Odyssey
3. Analytical comparison of
“Supertoys Last All
Summer Long” by Brian
Adliss and A.I. Artificial
Intelligence
4. Analytical comparison of
“Minority Report” by Philip
K. Dick and Minority Report
5. Analytical comparison of
“Shoeless Joe Jackson
Comes to Iowa” and Field
of Dreams
6. Class Debates
7. Class Analytical Essays
Novel One
Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions
Terms: See Unit One
Activities/Assessments/
Resources
1.
Core Content
Students will
1. Transfer knowledge of terminology into a written
analysis comparing the novel to its film adaptation.
Instruction on best practice
in the writing of an
analytical essay.
2. Class discussion and
analysis of Novel One,
Jurassic Park
3. Viewing of Jurassic Park
4. Critical analysis paper
comparing literary and film
forms.
Guiding Questions

Unit Four
Rowan County Senior High School 2010-2011
Children’s Literature
Page 2
Lights, Camera, Fiction: from Books to Hollywood
Length of
Unit
One Week
Core Content/POS
Program of Studies
Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions
Terms: See Unit One
Core Content
Students will
1. Be able to use terminology and determine differences in
genres to create a internet game.
2. Understand how written literature is adapted into film.
Guiding Questions

Unit Five:
Length of
Unit
Two Weeks
Core Content/POS
Program of Studies
1. Novel Two Assignment:
The Firm by John Grisham
2. Entertainment Surveys
3. Entertainment Projects –
Research the process in
which a book or story
becomes a film.
4. Comparative analysis of
“Where the Wild Things
Are” by Maurice Sendak
and Where the Wild Things
Are
5. Comparative analysis of
“The Grinch Who Stole
Christmas” by Dr. Seuss
and How the Grinch Stole
Christmas
6. Prepare persuasive
presentation for the reading
of the book and viewing of
the movie to be delivered at
local elementary school.
7. Class Analytical Essays
Stephen King
Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions
Terms: See Unit One
Core Content
Students will
1. Be able to use terminology and critical analysis to
persuade others to agree with their opinion.
Rowan County Senior High School 2010-2011
Activities/Assessments/
Resources
Activities/Assessments/
Resources
1. Read published book
reviews, movie reviews,
and advertisements.
2. Comparative analysis of
“Rita Hayworth and the
Shawshank Redemption”
by Stephen King and The
Shawshank Redemption
3. Comparative analysis of
“Fall from Innocence: The
Page 3
Lights, Camera, Fiction: from Books to Hollywood
Body” by Stephen King and
Stand by Me
4. Creation of creative
materials to persuade
readers and viewers:
Movie and/or Book Reviews
and Print and TV
advertisements to be
displayed within the school.
5. Class Analytical Essays
Guiding Questions

Unit Six
Length of
Unit
One Week
Core Content/POS
Program of Studies
Suspense
Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions
Terms: See Unit One
Activities/Assessments/
Resources
1.
Core Content
Students will
1. Be able to recognize the differences between two
pieces and discuss the effect of the differences.
2. Be able to evaluate the reasons why authors and
filmmakers make the choices they do.
2.
3.
Guiding Questions
4.
5.
Use charts and/or venn
diagrams to compare and
contrast. Exploration of
various ways to record
differences and likenesses.
Comparative analysis of
“Momento Mori” by
Jonathan Nolan and
Momento.
Comparative analysis of
“The Birds” by Daphne
DuMaurier and The Birds
Class Debates
Class Analytical Essays

Unit Seven
Length of
Unit
Week One
Core Content/POS
Program of Studies
Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions
Terms: See Unit One
Core Content
Students will
Rowan County Senior High School 2010-2011
The Classics
Activities/Assessments/
Resources
1.
Film Choices AssignmentImagine that you are the
author of the book you have
just read. Suddenly the
book becomes a best
Page 4
Lights, Camera, Fiction: from Books to Hollywood
1.
Formulate decisions about the film version of a piece of
literature using the elements of film, prior to viewing film
adaptation.
Guiding Questions

Unit Eight
Length of
Unit
Four
Weeks
(August –
September)
Core Content/POS
Program of Studies
seller. Write a letter to a
movie producer trying to get
that person interested in
making your book into a
movie. Explain why the
story, characters, conflicts,
etc., would make a good
film. Suggest a filming
location and the actors to
play the various roles.
2. Comparative analysis of
“The Legend of Sleepy
Hollow” by Washington
Irving and Sleepy Hollow.
3. Comparative analysis of
“The Curious Case of
Benjamin Button” by F.
Scott Fitzgerald and The
Curious Case of Benjamin
Button
4. Class Analytical Essays
Novel Two
Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions
Terms: See Unit One
Core Content
Students will
1. Transfer knowledge of terminology into a written
analysis comparing the novel to its film adaptation.
Activities/Assessments/
Resources
1. Instruction on best practice
in the writing of an
analytical essay.
2. Class discussion and
analysis of Novel Two, The
Firm
3. Viewing of The Firm
4. Critical analysis paper
comparing literary and film
forms.
Guiding Questions

Rowan County Senior High School 2010-2011
Page 5
Lights, Camera, Fiction: from Books to Hollywood
Unit Nine
Length of
Unit
One Week
Core Content/POS
Program of Studies
It’s Christmas
Key Concepts/Skills/Guiding Questions
Terms: See Unit One
Core Content
Students will
1. Choose final creative project to cover material.
Guiding Questions

Rowan County Senior High School 2010-2011
Activities/Assessments/
Resources
1.
Students will complete the
creative project over their
choice over this week’s
material.
2. Comparative analysis of
“Red Ryder Nails the
Hammond Kid” by Jean
Shepherd and A Christmas
Story.
3. Comparative analysis of
“The Polar Express” by
Chris Van Allsburg and The
Polar Express.
Page 6