Roving Reporters Lesson Objectives: To investigate a particular plant to find out the product that we get from it. To develop an awareness of the value plants have to us.

Do you know where these everyday things come from?

What item is your news team going to look at? In groups of four You are now a news team. You are to make a short film on the story behind where an everyday item comes from. What item is your news team going to look at?

Who is going to do what? Each person will take on one of the following roles: News Presenter (in the studio) Outside Reporter (interviewer) Plant Scientist (a person who knows all about plants) Local person (who is involved somewhere in the process) Each person in the group will also have a chance to operate the camera throughout the session.

Filmed in the studio (the classroom) News Presenter: (student 1) PART ONE Filmed in the studio (the classroom) News Presenter: (student 1) Introduces the ‘story’ (e.g. where does chocolate come from?) Locates the story by highlighting it on a map (either on Google Earth or a paper map)

Filmed in the relevant environment Outside Broadcaster: (student 2) PART TWO Explains where they are and why Interviews a plant scientist (student 3) who explains how the crop/product is grown and harvested Interviews a local person (student 4) about how they are involved and what they feel about it.

You now have 20 minutes to research and plan your film. Things to think about What is the presenter going to say to introduce the story? What’s your angle? Is this a story about people, money or the environment? How will you summarise the story at the end? Where does your item come from? (take care – for example, the cocoa plant originally came from South America but most of our cocoa is grown in West Africa.)

What questions will the scientist be asked?  Researching your interview What questions will the scientist be asked? e.g. How does it grow? How is it harvested? Are there any problems like pest or disease? What is the local person going to talk about? e.g. What are the farmers’ working conditions like? Do they make enough money to live on? What do they think/feel about their situation?

The Oscars! There will be prizes for the following categories: Most informative film Best acting Best production Best script Best comedy moment!

Do you know where these everyday things come from?