February 28, 2009
I have been able to find only the most minute and silly of things, like Catherine Heigel talking about “theme weddings” in 27 Dresses (and I can’t even pull THAT one up one Youtube). Someone help me out here. I’ve got to grab my kids on this concept of poetry immediately or, they have clearly informed me, we are all going somewhere hot in a handbasket.
February 28th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Something from “Dead Poets Society” movie might work? Or maybe some teen slam poets?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHg7flViX-0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJArzOTZ8LU&feature=related
March 1st, 2009 at 8:50 am
It’s a little juvenile and straight forward, but what about Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?
March 1st, 2009 at 8:56 am
Or Shawshank Redemption? Now you’ve engaged my teacher brain on a Sunday and I’ll thinking of things all day…
March 1st, 2009 at 9:30 am
Try googling
theme in poetry video
I got several hits that looked promising, but I did not follow through on screening them, since viewing videos takes an incredibly long time. (My son and I generally prefer reading—much higher information rate for us.)
March 1st, 2009 at 11:48 am
I’d think you could find some compelling themes in music videos – they are short and generally hammer the audience over the head with their message. This one came to mind:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asY08yquddo
March 1st, 2009 at 11:57 am
I’ve used songs to teach the concept of theme before. Counting Crow’s “Big Yellow Taxi” seemed to work well; the kids were able to get the “Protect the Earth” theme.
March 1st, 2009 at 1:50 pm
The trick here is that I need a clip that talks overtly ABOUT theme, instead of just illustrating it. And Kevin, perhaps you didn’t mean to sound so condescending?
I’m putting together a multi-intelligence preview of the topic *before* we read.
March 1st, 2009 at 4:30 pm
How about have them take a little survey,and give them some song titles to pick from if they can’t think of their own(you have quite a library in your head, I am sure!), to say answer questions like:
1. What song would you pick as your theme song when you take a test?
2. On Mondays, what is your theme song?
Or, if you can’t find a movie about theme, have some of your kids make one up!
March 1st, 2009 at 10:35 pm
This idea isn’t what you’re looking for. (I looked at my movie titles and didn’t remember anything that fits.) But it builds on the idea others keep mentioning.
Discuss how they organize playlists on iTunes. Sample titles of playlists and name the playlist based on the songs in it. (I have playlists built on a range of qualities– genre, time period, keyword, mood, sing-along-ability…)