Creating a Book Trailer

Creating a Book Trailer
Lesson Plan

Alabama Course of Study Objective(s):
English Language Arts (2007)
Grade: 6
1.) Apply strategies, including making complex predictions, interpreting characters' behaviors, and comparing and contrasting, to comprehend sixth-grade recreational reading materials.
2.) Interpret literary elements and devices, including implied main idea, conflict, and personification.
6. Identify the author’s purpose as entertainment, information, or persuasion in selected works.
8.) Compose in persuasive mode for a specific purpose and audience, including clearly stated opinions with supporting details and reasons or examples to influence thought or action.
16.) Demonstrate eye contact, articulation, and appropriate voice intonation with persuasive presentations.

Technology Education (2009)
Grade(s): 6-8
2.) Publish digital products that communicate curriculum concepts.
5.) Use basic features of word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and presentation software.
6.) Select specific digital tools for completing curriculum-related tasks.
9.) Practice responsible and legal use of technology systems and digital content.
11.) Use digital tools and strategies to locate, collect, organize, evaluate, and synthesize information.
12.) Use digital tools to communicate and collaborate at all levels from interpersonal to global.
14.) Use digital tools to generate new ideas, products, or processes.

Approximate Duration of the Lesson: 2 weeks

Materials/Resources:
• Children’s or Young Adult book (we are using “Stargirl”, “The Mouse and the Motorcycle”, and “Pleasing the Ghost”)
• Portable Macbook Lab
• Flip Camera
• Projector
• Document Camera
• Additional Props to be used with video
• Movie trailers at www.apple.com/trailers
• Movie/Book Trailer Analysis Worksheet
• Book Trailer Examples from YouTube.com
• Book Trailer Storyboard Template
• Book Trailer Rubric

Purpose:
The purpose of this lesson is to make reading fun and exciting for students, provide and alternative form of assessment to the dreaded book report, and get students involved in the community fo content creators by making book trailers. Students will create a book trailer using a technology tool such as iMovie, Photo Story 3, or Movie Maker.

Background/Preparation:
In small guided reading groups we will read and discuss a chapter book.

Procedures/Activities:
1. TSW analyze and synthesis what they have read in order to persuade an audience, and produce and publish a multi-media book trailer to promote a book.
2. TTW keep the following questions essential questions in mind throughout this lesson: Why do people read books?, What influences what we choose to read?, How do advertisers effect consumers’ choices?
3. TTW guide the lesson with the following questions: What are the qualities of an effective advertisement like a movie trailer?, How can we use what makes advertisements effective to promote our book through a book trailer?, What about the book (plot, character, problem or situation) is most important to convey to potential readers?
4. TTW set the stage for the lesson by discussing the following questions:
• “Do you think other kids should read your book? Why?
• After reading the book, you now know how much you liked it, but would you have chosen to read it if it weren’t assigned to you? Why or why not? What does that tell us about how people select what the read?
• Do you think enough people will just pick up your book and read it? Well, if you want lots of people to read it, you need to promote it!
• We have all seen movie trailers right? So, let’s make our own book trailers?”
5. TTW pose the question: “Think about a movie trailer that you remember. What grabbed your attention? Let’s start a list.” TTW will chart and categorize student responses.
6. TTW state the reason for watching the movie trailer videos: “Now, let’s look at some current movie trailers and analyze and discuss what they chose to include in the trailers. While we are watching, think about how the elements of sound, motion, words, visuals and pacing are used.”
7. TTW show the class 5 current age appropriate movie trailers on www.apple.com/trailers.
8. After viewing the videos TTW pose some of the following questions: “How do you feel after watching these movie trailers? Did it make you want to see the movie? So, can we say that it was effective at persuading us to see the movie? How did they do that? What did you notice? What did they chose to include in the trailer? What did it tell about the story? What didn’t they tell you? Why do you think that they didn’t tell everything? Is that important? Why?”
9. In small groups discuss and complete the Movie Trailer Analysis Worksheet for one of the movie trailers.
10. TTW pose the question: “If we are going to create a book trailer, what should we apply from what we just learned about an effective movie trailer?”
11. TTW present group task: “Now, let’s look at a few book trailers and see what we can learn from them. Decide whether they grabbed your interest. Did they include all of the same components as the movie trailers? If not, were they sill effective? Why? So, what would you say is the most important thing to have in the book trailer in order to grab your audience?”
12. TTW introduce the technology. In this case, we will be using iMovie.
13. TTW show a demonstration video with iMovie. TTW model and demonstrate how to use this program.
14. TSW complete the planning template.
15. TSW complete a Book Trailer Storyboard. TSW will make revisions based on teacher and peer feedback.
16. TSW create first draft of book trailers and make revisions as necessary. Throughout the creation process TSW record video using a Flip video camera, import music, video, text, and voice audio into the book trailer.
17. TSW publish the book trailer by presenting it to other classes.

Reflect and Connect:
TTW guide a discussion with the following questions:
• What did we learn about how advertisements influence us and effect our choices?
• What did we learn from creating our own book trailers? What are you wondering now?
• Why do you think advertisers use graphics and audio in their advertisements?

Assessing Understanding:
Use the Book Trailer Rubric to assess project.


*Note*
This lesson has been adapted from “Spice it Up a Notch with Nutmeg: Book Trailer” www.sblceastconn.org/nutmegbooks2009