Wednesday
a.Objectives
Students will be able to critically analyze comedy that involves injury.
The students will possess a greater respect and regard for safety.
b. Essential Question: When is it funny when someone gets hurt, and when is it not funny?
c. Standards
State: College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking, Viewing, Listening and Medial Literacy. Critical Medial Literacy. Standard 7. Critically analyze information found in electronic, print, and mass media and use a variety of these sources.
IB: Well-Balanced Students- consider the need for intellectual, physical, and emotional attributes health for others and themselves.
d. Materials
A computer, projector, clips from AFV, Simpsons, article about Jackass, vocabulary sheets, paper, pencils red noses
e. Procedure
1. Classroom welcome: 5 Minutes
Students will be asked to greet each other and tell someone a classroom appropriate joke. On the board, we will have the following question for students to consider: When is it funny when someone gets hurt, and when is it not funny?
2. 1. Anticipatory Set: 10 Minutes
We will watch a clip from America’s Funniest Home Videos. This clip will show people getting injured while the studio audience cracks up. We will follow the viewing of this clip with a brief discussion. Are American’s Funniest Home Videos Funny? Why? Why not? During the discussion, instructors will present the concept of cartoon violence (when it looks like someone is injured but they are not). After discussing this clip we will transition into watching a clip from The Simpsons where an animated person gets hurt.
Students will be able to critically analyze comedy that involves injury.
The students will possess a greater respect and regard for safety.
b. Essential Question: When is it funny when someone gets hurt, and when is it not funny?
c. Standards
State: College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking, Viewing, Listening and Medial Literacy. Critical Medial Literacy. Standard 7. Critically analyze information found in electronic, print, and mass media and use a variety of these sources.
IB: Well-Balanced Students- consider the need for intellectual, physical, and emotional attributes health for others and themselves.
d. Materials
A computer, projector, clips from AFV, Simpsons, article about Jackass, vocabulary sheets, paper, pencils red noses
e. Procedure
1. Classroom welcome: 5 Minutes
Students will be asked to greet each other and tell someone a classroom appropriate joke. On the board, we will have the following question for students to consider: When is it funny when someone gets hurt, and when is it not funny?
2. 1. Anticipatory Set: 10 Minutes
We will watch a clip from America’s Funniest Home Videos. This clip will show people getting injured while the studio audience cracks up. We will follow the viewing of this clip with a brief discussion. Are American’s Funniest Home Videos Funny? Why? Why not? During the discussion, instructors will present the concept of cartoon violence (when it looks like someone is injured but they are not). After discussing this clip we will transition into watching a clip from The Simpsons where an animated person gets hurt.
Rationale: The reasoning behind showing America’s Funniest Home Videos is because it is so well known, and long running that the students may already be familiar with it, and it features people injuring themselves while a studio audience cracks up. This is particularly important because it is considered a “family” show making the violence and laughter socially acceptable.
3. The Simpsons and Animated Injury: 10 Minutes
3. The Simpsons and Animated Injury: 10 Minutes
Introduce the Simpson’s clip. Discuss how Sideshow Bob is a clown and ends up hurting himself throughout most of the episode. After the clip, the instructors will ask for the student’s reactions. Was it funny? Why or why not?
We will talk about why it was funny to see Sideshow Bob get hurt in a series of ways. We will also point out that this is cartoon violence, which is much different than real-life violence because no one actually “gets hurt” in a cartoon. We can then compare the animated clip of someone getting hurt to an AFV clip where a real person does get hurt. This is an extension of the conversation of cartoon violence as compared to real life violence. The instructors will note that cartoon violence shows people getting hurt without consequence, whereas real life violence shows people getting hurt with consequence- i.e. breaking bones, bloody noses, etc. The students will be asked to write down these definitions on their vocabulary sheet.
4. The Dangers of Physical Comedy: 20 Minutes
The instructors will then transition to how stunting involves real people and, if not done correctly, it can involve real life violence. The instructors will introduce the Jackass article to the students by briefly describing the show and explaining how many young people got seriously injured after attempting to reenact stunts they saw in the show. The students will be asked to read the BBC article with a partner, and then come back to the class for their thoughts on the consequences of performing dangerous physical stunts without proper safety.
Rationale: This article was selected because the instructors want the students to understand how dangerous silly, fun and stupid stunts can be. Yes, we laugh at Jackass on TV, but what about the young people who have severally injured themselves, or even lost their lives to stunts. Hopefully, this will also challenge the students to wrestle with their stance on the show.
5. Writing reactions/reflections: 5 Minutes
Students will free write about how their opinions on comedic violence have changed or been reinforced based on the day’s discussions. They can also reflect on the dangers of comedy such as Jackass. Students will be asked to turn the paper in to the instructors.
6. Fear: 10 Minutes
The class will be divided in half. The first half will be “on stage,” the second will observe. The instructor will lead the exercise by first modeling, then asking the students to mirror them. The first stage of fear, is a little inhale. The second is a bigger inhale with facial contortions, and the third is absolute facial contortion and body contortion. The groups will switch and the same exercise will occur. The instructors will explain that the clown lives in the world of extreme emotions where everything is a “huge deal.” The students will be asked to write this definition on their vocabulary sheet.
7. Fiasco: 10 Minutes
Students will learn the “fiasco” face of the clown, and its uses. First, the instructor will demonstrate the fiasco. Then, students will copy, until each has a grasp on what the face looks like. Then, the instructor will call for a volunteer to “make an entrance,” notice the audience, and then work towards the fiasco face. The exercise will continue with as many volunteers as time provides. The students will write down that the fiasco face is when a performer lets all the muscles in her face relax and leaves the mouth slightly agape when confronted with a particularly confusing situation.
Instructors will model for and coach students through each exercise. Students will be practicing these skills individually in creating their scenes.
8. Wrap up: 10 minutes
We will return to our seats and review the vocabulary we learned throughout the week. If there is still time, students will be given the opportunity to tell a school appropriate joke.
f. Evaluation methods
The assessment today will be whether or not the students have correctly identified the vocabulary from the day on their vocabulary sheets they turn in as well as their participation in discussion and in learning the faces of extreme emotions.
We will talk about why it was funny to see Sideshow Bob get hurt in a series of ways. We will also point out that this is cartoon violence, which is much different than real-life violence because no one actually “gets hurt” in a cartoon. We can then compare the animated clip of someone getting hurt to an AFV clip where a real person does get hurt. This is an extension of the conversation of cartoon violence as compared to real life violence. The instructors will note that cartoon violence shows people getting hurt without consequence, whereas real life violence shows people getting hurt with consequence- i.e. breaking bones, bloody noses, etc. The students will be asked to write down these definitions on their vocabulary sheet.
4. The Dangers of Physical Comedy: 20 Minutes
The instructors will then transition to how stunting involves real people and, if not done correctly, it can involve real life violence. The instructors will introduce the Jackass article to the students by briefly describing the show and explaining how many young people got seriously injured after attempting to reenact stunts they saw in the show. The students will be asked to read the BBC article with a partner, and then come back to the class for their thoughts on the consequences of performing dangerous physical stunts without proper safety.
Rationale: This article was selected because the instructors want the students to understand how dangerous silly, fun and stupid stunts can be. Yes, we laugh at Jackass on TV, but what about the young people who have severally injured themselves, or even lost their lives to stunts. Hopefully, this will also challenge the students to wrestle with their stance on the show.
5. Writing reactions/reflections: 5 Minutes
Students will free write about how their opinions on comedic violence have changed or been reinforced based on the day’s discussions. They can also reflect on the dangers of comedy such as Jackass. Students will be asked to turn the paper in to the instructors.
6. Fear: 10 Minutes
The class will be divided in half. The first half will be “on stage,” the second will observe. The instructor will lead the exercise by first modeling, then asking the students to mirror them. The first stage of fear, is a little inhale. The second is a bigger inhale with facial contortions, and the third is absolute facial contortion and body contortion. The groups will switch and the same exercise will occur. The instructors will explain that the clown lives in the world of extreme emotions where everything is a “huge deal.” The students will be asked to write this definition on their vocabulary sheet.
7. Fiasco: 10 Minutes
Students will learn the “fiasco” face of the clown, and its uses. First, the instructor will demonstrate the fiasco. Then, students will copy, until each has a grasp on what the face looks like. Then, the instructor will call for a volunteer to “make an entrance,” notice the audience, and then work towards the fiasco face. The exercise will continue with as many volunteers as time provides. The students will write down that the fiasco face is when a performer lets all the muscles in her face relax and leaves the mouth slightly agape when confronted with a particularly confusing situation.
Instructors will model for and coach students through each exercise. Students will be practicing these skills individually in creating their scenes.
8. Wrap up: 10 minutes
We will return to our seats and review the vocabulary we learned throughout the week. If there is still time, students will be given the opportunity to tell a school appropriate joke.
f. Evaluation methods
The assessment today will be whether or not the students have correctly identified the vocabulary from the day on their vocabulary sheets they turn in as well as their participation in discussion and in learning the faces of extreme emotions.
