Interdisciplinary Connections: This activity meets standards, in Health Education, and English Language Arts, specifically Reading.This activity is geared towards fourth or fifth grade students and is designed to let students explore their sense of self through interpreting and developing their own understandings of various messages portrayed through different types of media with the main focus being on individual differences. We will play a short clip of The Incredibles (2004) and have students display their interpretation of individual differences via a media production activity.
Teaching and Learning Standards: Health Education:
4.ICR.1 Understanding healthy and effective interpersonal communication and relationships.
4.ICR.1.1 Explain the importance of showing respect for self and respect and empathy for others
By having students reflect on times when they have been bullied or made fun of and describing how the encounter(s) made them feel evokes the importance of being respectful to themselves and others, in order to maintain healthy relationships. Reading Standards for Literature:
Grade 4 #3 Describe in depth character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).
This standard will be met through the analysis of the different members of the Incredibles family and the traits that make each character stand out from one another, but also connected as a member of the larger group/ family.
Grade 5 #4 Determining the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
Students will interpret the words and phrases found in the trailer and use them for their own personal superhero to portray a certain meaning or tone for each character, in order to meet this standard.
Grade 5 #7 Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).
This standard will be met though having students depict how the trailer portrayed a certain tone of the movie, after watching a few short seconds from The Incredibles trailer. Also, students will interpret the visual and audio aspects the trailer, in order to relate to how they could archetypally categorize the characters solely based off of the trailer.
Media:
In this activity, we will use the trailer for the movie The Incredibles (2004) and invite students to analyze the individual differences amongst the various members of the family and how their super powers set them apart.
The Incredibles is relevant to fourth and fifth graders due to the portrayal of similar stages the characters and students are at in life. For example, students at this age are so different from one another, yet they try so hard to fit in and be like everyone else.
The Incredibles was released in the United States over ten years ago, first premiering in the United States on November 5, 2004, the movie runs approximately one hour and fifty six minutes. Brad Bird directed the Academy Award winning “Best Animated Feature Film” and Critic's’ Choice Award for “Best Animated Feature,” along with other awards in 2005. The awards and notoriety earned by The Incredibles support our selection of the film for this media literacy activity because they demonstrate that the film was well received, popular, and established as a thoughtful media.
Activity Instructions/Teacher Notes:provide a clear explanation of your activity.
Pre - Activity Discussion: At the start of class, in order to give an overview/prelude for the video, the teacher will ask the students to participate in an activity.
First, students will grab pencils and notebook paper that is provided for them at their tables, so they can participate.Then, students will given a prompt:
“Write about a time when you have been bullied or made fun of. Describe why and how this made you feel.”
Be sure they know this is COMPLETELY confidential and you will be the only one viewing what they write down!
After giving them time to think, they will then write their examples down hand them into the teacher.
Next, the teacher will prompt:
“What is your unique talent or skill? Write about a time when you have been included in something based on your skills or talent.”
After students have completed the second part of the activity, they will come back together with the classmates at their table and discuss some of their ideas, as a possible given their comfort level. It might be helpful for the teacher to encourage students to focus on their skills and talents, as they did in the second writing activity.
After small group discussion has taken place, as a class, they will share some of the ways they have been included in things. Also, students may share ways they have been left out, but only if they want to share that part.
Analyzing the Media:
Before watching the clip, the teacher will assign a specific member of the superhero family to a different table in the class. While watching this clip, students will look at various characters and makes notes of how their superpower manifest and impact their interactions. Teachers might prepare students by asking the following questions:
How are traits such as super powers reflective and symbolic of that character's personality?
Their traits are what makes them who they are
How do colors in characters costumes and dress impact the way their differences are portrayed?
Colors are a way of portraying emotions,
To capture viewer’s interest
How are personal differences portrayed realistically in media?
By using real people to portray the differences, using real-life situations.
What kinds of personal differences are portrayed unrealistically?
Someone being able to stretch themselves great distances or being able to turn invisible.
Each student will write down, or take mental notes, so he/she is prepared to discuss the superpowers of each character and why it suits them. Then make inferences on how they might have been treated based on their superpower, and also how they may have been treated if people knew about their unique traits.
Wrap-Up: After viewing the clip and having class discussion on what the students took away from it, students will get their pencils and notebook paper back out. This time, students will write down a few traits that they feel makes them unique.
This exercise is to emphasize more so on an internal trait, such as being funny or friendly, rather than an external trait.
Teachers should feel free to express to students that the internal traits are exactly what make them who they are. Explain that while the external things are what people see, once individuals really get to know one another it is the internal, meaningful, traits that stand out the most.
Higher Order Thinking Questions (with sample student answers):
How were the audiences involved when creating the meaning for this media?
The directors of this movie kept real people in mind by showing characters who are different and trying to figure themselves out.
How might different audiences view this differently?
Each person is different, so they are going to view things differently. For example, people of different ages may understand the point of view of characters they see represent themselves better than others.
How did the creators of this movie use a character’s superpowers to emphasize a facet of that character’s personality?
The little boy was really hyper, so the creators made him super fast.
Production Activity: After watching the trailer and discussing the different super powers and how they relate to the characters, the students will create their own superhero versions of themselves. First, they will pick two to three descriptive words that they think match who they are. These words will be used to help the students design and draw a superhero version of themselves. After completing their “Superhero Snapshot” they will then share their image and share why they chose to be this superhero.