Please consider this special issue a small token of thanks to the denizens of this school—and a testament to what Audre Lorde once wrote:
our words will not be heard
nor welcomed
but when we are silent
we are still afraid
so it is better to speak
Stones of Erasmus — Just plain good writing, teaching, thinking, doing, making, being, dreaming, seeing, feeling, building, creating, reading
N.B. This issue was published in New York City (Jackson Heights, Queens), Spring 2024. For queries or errata, email support@stonesoferasmus.org.
A Finnish Version of Freud's Wunderblock. |
Unlock English mastery! Transform your classroom with engaging movie reviews that boost language skills, critical thinking, and student participation. |
Teacher's Note for Using this Resource in the English and Writing Classroom: A helpful guide to ensure you get the most out of the resources provided.
Do's and Don'ts Anchor Chart: A visual guide to direct students on what to include and what to avoid in their movie review.
Fillable Movie Information Sheet for Before, During, and After Viewing: This allows students to track key information and impressions throughout the viewing experience, which helps build their review later.
Extended Written Response, Movie Quotes Double Entry Journal, Parts of a Movie Review Graphic Organizer: These tools support and scaffold students' writing, thinking, and reflection processes.
3 Exit Ticket Strategies for Formative Assessment: These will help you gauge student understanding and progress at the end of each lesson.
Movie Review Skills Assessment, 4-Point Grading Rubric, Student-Facing Checklist, and Grading Sheet: These tools help students self-assess their work and aid teachers in providing clear, fair, and consistent grading.
5-Star Rating and Rough Draft Starter: This provides students a starting point for their review and a simple, familiar way to give their overall rating.
Incorporating movie analysis into your curriculum can be a dynamic way to inspire student engagement and improve their English language and writing skills. By combining entertainment and education, you're teaching them language and skills like critical thinking, analysis, and self-expression.
To further extend your resources, consider other products from Stones of Erasmus:
✰ Growing Humanities Bundle for Middle and High SchoolJoin me on this educational journey. Your feedback, comments, and insights are always welcome. Visit my website at stonesoferasmus.com for more resources and ideas.
© 2022-2023 Stones of Erasmus.
A walk through Jackson Heights reveals crisp night air, Saturn and Jupiter in the sky, masked faces, lit-up trees, and the vibrancy of 74th Street.
What was supposed to be a walk to increase my daily steps turned into a journey. People pop out. Restaurants offer outside seating. The night is crisp. Saturn and Jupiter are still visible in the sky — on the way to convergence. I wanted to get more faces in my photographs. But the moments passed by too quickly. I saw a masked guy in a cab. He was balefully looking out a window. The Q49 bus runs along 74th Street. Wear your mask.
Today in class an adolescent pupil couldn’t answer a question — so she said to me, “This question makes me feel unsafe.” I was taken aback by her statement. It’s the Covid. I imagined her shrieking out of class. By an unsafe question. I’m teaching a course on mythology. And one characteristic of myth is the unknown. So I get it, girl. Stuff gets real. From chaos to calm. From the womb to the tomb.
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In this book, Journal of a Novel,
Steinbeck talks about how he overcame writer's
block to write his epic novel East of Eden.
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Connecting thought to idea to word to sentence to a paragraph . . . can be daunting. |
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Even unintelligible text scribbled on a wall can be an idea. |
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Nephew Patrick and Uncle Eddie squabble in Manchester by the Sea © 2016 Amazon Studios |
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Young Person Reading |
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A Room Of My Own (And Virginia's too!) © 2014 |