Silent Movies Lesson Plan for 6th Grade Students

Topic: Silent Movies

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to identify the various stock characters used in silent movies and explain how actors use their physicality to convey emotions and tell the story in silent movies.

Materials

• Examples of silent movies (e.g. "The Artist" or "Metropolis")
• Handouts with images of stock characters (e.g. the hero, the villain, the damsel in distress, etc.) and instructions for how to physically portray each character

Warm-Up

• Ask students if they have ever seen a silent movie before and if so, what their favorite one is.
• Discuss the different elements that contribute to the storytelling in silent movies (e.g. acting, set design, costumes, etc.).

Direct Instruction

• Show a silent movie clip and discuss the physicality used by the actors to convey emotion and plot.
• Discuss the different stock characters that appear in silent movies (e.g. the damsel in distress, the hero, the villain, etc.).
• Use the handouts to provide examples and illustrations of the concepts discussed.

Guided Practice

• Divide the class into small groups and give each group a silent movie clip to watch.
• Have the students pay close attention to the physicality used by the actors and how it conveys emotion and plot.
• Have the students use the handouts to identify and discuss the different stock characters that appear in the movie they are watching.
• Have the students share their observations and insights with the class.

Independent Practice

• Have the students choose a silent movie from the list provided and watch it on their own.
• Encourage the students to pay close attention to the physicality used by the actors and how it conveys emotion and plot.
• Have the students use the handouts to create a -stock characters-themed project. This could be a poster, a short skit, or a presentation.
• Have the students present their projects to the class.

Closure

• Review the main points of the lesson: the importance of physicality in silent movies, stock characters, and the concept of exaggeration.
• Ask the students to share what they enjoyed about watching the silent movies.

Assessment

• Observe the students during the independent practice to see if they are able to demonstrate the concept of physicality in silent movies and the stock characters in the silent movies they are creating.
• Assess the students' final presentations by having the students answer questions such as: What was the most fun part of creating the silent movie? What was the hardest part? What did you learn about the importance of physicality and the use of stock characters in silent movies?