Making Connections Explain significant connections across texts, with evidence from each text. AS / Version 1

One of the key skills that the English Department would like you to develop over this year is the ability to read a range of texts (visual, oral and written) and see the connections that exist between them. This is an important skill, not just for English, but for your other subject areas and life in general. It allows us to make meaning and to understand the complexities of our world. Overview

You will: Explore four different texts. These texts can be any mixture of written, visual and oral. Make connections between the texts that you have explored (your teacher will give you more specific information about the types of connections that you will be looking at). Present your connections. You will be able to do this in a range of ways – more information about this soon. Task:

Explain involves expressing ideas about the connection(s) between texts. Convincingly explain involves making clear points that develop understandings about the connection(s) being addressed. Some unevenness in the response may be acceptable. Perceptively explain involves making clear points that develop understandings that show some insight or originality in thought or interpretation about the connection(s) being addressed. Some unevenness in the response may be acceptable. Supporting evidence refers to the use of specific and relevant details from each text(s) to support ideas. The Standard AchievementAchievement with MeritAchievement with Excellence Explain significant connection(s) across texts, using supporting evidence. Convincingly explain significant connection(s) across texts, using supporting evidence. Perceptively explain significant connection(s) across texts, using supporting evidence.

Today you will be ed a record sheet that you will need to submit when you present your information. This outline ensures that you have chosen enough texts and that these texts meet the requirements of the standard. An example is below: Keeping a record Text titleText Type Film / Novel / Short Story etc. Author/Director Connection Language Features / Knowledge, Experience, Ideas / Purpose and Audience / Structure Night Memoir Elie Wiesel Relationship between father and son. Focused on survival like the other texts. Set during WW2 like Life is Beautiful. Child’s perspective is similar to Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. Life is BeautifulFilm Roberto Benigni Reversal of Night – father must save son, not son saving father. Shows hope in darkness – the child survives…must survive for future generations (like Night)?? Child centre of second half of text.

For this standard texts must be at Level 6 of the curriculum. Texts that are created for children (aimed at primary aged children) do not meet the requirements of this standard. Some particular texts that would not meet the standard include: Harry Potter (all), Twilight (all), Despicable Me, Hannah Montana, and The Princess’ Diaries, to name a few. If you would like to achieve an Excellence or Merit for this standard, you will find that selecting texts of a higher level will make this easier. Often high achieving students select at least two or more texts that have a critical reputation. Classroom texts: you will be allowed to use a maximum of TWO classroom texts (this includes texts that you have studied in previous years). You are free to use all self-selected texts if you wish. Discussing your choices with your teacher will be important and will help to ensure that you are successful in achieving this standard. Text Type

One of the great opportunities this standard presents is the possibility of you choosing how you would like to present your connections. Some possible presentation ideas include: o Create a prezi o Write a 350 word report o Present a mind map o Deliver a presentation to the class Your teacher will discuss your choice of presentation later in the year. Presentation

The focus on the standard is on the level of connections that you can make between the texts and the depth to which you can explore these. Whatever shape your final presentation takes, it is important that you have clear evidence that supports the points that you are making. Feel free to follow what you are interested in. The more you are engaged with your connections study, the better the result will be. This is a great opportunity to challenge yourself. Key Notes

Although the final product does not need to be a report, what follows are some examples of what making connections looks like. As you read through these keep thinking about what you will need to show in your final presentation. What connections look like...

It was interesting to see how the same ideas came through in different texts. The three texts, “Eight Dozen beer and nothing to do”, “Fast and Furious” and “Out walked Mel” all explored the idea that teenagers, at times, can be pretty irresponsible and make some decisions which have negative consequences. The poem, “Teenage Sky”, though, in using teenagers’ moods and behaviours as a metaphor for the changing moods of the sky, also makes the point that teenagers still have a lot to learn, that they will “glow..in fulfilment” later. However, it made me think that parents sometimes need to be able to offer teenagers the chance to assert their indepenence without compromising their safety, that is all part of growing up. A similar idea was expressed……. The text ……..dealt with this idea a little differently in that…….. An example of Excellence (extract) An overall thesis statement is created here – the student is looking at all of the texts and drawing conclusions that show they understand the connections between these. The use of words such as ‘though’ and ‘also’ show that the student is making links between the points that they are raising.

The main connection between my texts is that they all use an innocent narrator who does not seem to fully understand what is happening. This has an effect on how the reader experiences the story. In both instances the reader is aware that something terrible is likely to happen but the narrator is not. In “the Boy in striped Pyjamas” the narrator, Bruno, is a nine year old German boy who sees things through a child’s eyes. He has no understanding that the event he is caught up in is the Holocaust of World War II. Bruno gets friendly with another boy, Shmuel, who lives “on the other side of the fence”. We realise that Shmuel is a prisoner of war, but Bruno doesn’t realise that. Bruno’s lack of awareness of the real situation made me feel really worried about what was going to happen to him. Unfortunately, I was right as his innocence led to his death. It’s really interesting that there is such a similar situation in “Once” by Morris Gleitzman. This novel also has a World war II setting and an innocent boy narrator who does not fully understand what is happening. This boy is living in an orphanage in Poland and is waiting for his Jewish parents to come back and collect him. He has no idea that he is caught up in the war, and we know that his parents are probably never going to come back. An example of Merit (extract) So...

In “Eight Dozen Beer and Nothing to do” three teenage boys, Warwick, Jonesy and the narrator, go on a road trip to Tauranga. They take eight dozen beer with them in the car. Even though during the drive, Jonesy, doesn’t drink and drive, the boys cause a bad accident which kills the mother of a young baby. In the poem “Trash” the poet is a girl who is pretending to be a parent. She is giving advice to teenagers about what they shouldn’t do. For example, she says “You’re just a teenager, too rebellious and wild to think..” The connection between these two texts is that the short story is about three teenage boys who are acting in a “wild” way which is what the pretend parent is seeing as typical teenage behaviour. An example of Achieved (extract) Notice how each text is dealt with separately and then only connected in a paragraph at the end. Also, the connection is not developed in any depth.

Week 3 Term 1 – Select first text to explore and overall topic Week 7 Term 1 – Select second text and conference with teacher over first completed log Week 1 Term 2 – Select third text and conference with teacher over second completed log Week 6 Term 2 – Select fourth text and conference with teacher over third completed log Weeks 9 and 10 – Bring all completed logs to class and work on making connections and final presentation of product. Monday 6 July – Final product due Timeline