TE 838: Children's Literature in Film -- Summer 2012
Instructor: Laura Apol (apol@msu.edu)
Reflection: When I saw Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on the syllabus, I knew this would be a class that I'd love. Before taking this course, I had begun to explore the connection between children's literature and film in my classroom by making a display with movie posters and book covers to encourage reading but I didn't really know how to teach using film. This class taught me to examine the deeper connections between books and films and explore with my students what these reinterpretations owe to us as readers and viewers. I have since implemented a film unit into my 5th grade Language & Literacies class, which has helped me combine media literacy skills in our study of literature.
Course Description: This course enables teachers to apply media and film studies perspectives to films created from children's literature. By "reading" a film as an independent interpretation of a text, teachers are encouraged to think about how to incorporate a range of representations of children's literature into the curriculum in ways that are both creative and pedagogically sound. The course explores the various ways children's literature and film can work together to evoke stronger responses and richer conversations from students.
Week 1: Learning to "Read" Books and Film
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Novel:
Charlotte's Web Author: E.B. White |
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Films:
Charlotte's Web (1973, Paramount Pictures) Director: Charles Nichols, Iwao Akamoto Charlotte's Web (2006, Walden Media)
Director: Gary Winick |
Assignments
Literary Language in Charlotte's Web
Charlotte's Web Book to Film Comparisons
Charlotte's Web Reflection
Literary Language in Charlotte's Web
Charlotte's Web Book to Film Comparisons
Charlotte's Web Reflection
Week 2: Fidelity to the Original? Feature-Length Picture Books
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Picture Books:
Jumanji Author: Chris Van Allsburg The Polar Express
Author: Chris Van Allsburg |
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Films:
Jumanji (1995, Columbia) Director: Joe Johnston Polar Express (2005, Warner)
Director: Robert Zemeckis |
Assignments
Discussion of Jumanji Book and Film
Analysis of Jumanji Movie Reviews
Discussion of The Polar Express Book and Film
"All Aboard the Polar Express" Discussion Post
Reflection on Picture Books in Film
Discussion of Jumanji Book and Film
Analysis of Jumanji Movie Reviews
Discussion of The Polar Express Book and Film
"All Aboard the Polar Express" Discussion Post
Reflection on Picture Books in Film
Week 3: Fidelity to the Original? "Classics" of Film
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Novel:
The Wizard of Oz Author: L. Frank Baum |
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Film:
The Wizard of Oz (1939, MGM) Director: Victor Fleming |
Assignments
The Wizard of Oz Book to Film Comparison
Discussion of The Wizard of Oz and "No Place Like Home"
Reflection on the Cultural Appropriation of Literature in Film
The Wizard of Oz Book to Film Comparison
Discussion of The Wizard of Oz and "No Place Like Home"
Reflection on the Cultural Appropriation of Literature in Film
Week 4: Fidelity to the Original? The Politics of Re-interpretation
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Novels:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Author: Roald Dahl |
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Films:
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971, David Wolper Productions) Director: Mel Stuart Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005, Warner)
Director: Tim Burton The Little Mermaid (1989, Walt Disney Productions)
Director: Ron Clements, John Musker |
Assignments
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Discussion Post
Reflection on Cameron's and Dahl's Views of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Reflection on Disney's Reinterpretation of The Little Mermaid
Reflecting on Film Fidelity
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Discussion Post
Reflection on Cameron's and Dahl's Views of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Reflection on Disney's Reinterpretation of The Little Mermaid
Reflecting on Film Fidelity
Week 5: Books and Films as Popular Culture
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Text:
Critical Perspectives on Harry Potter, 2nd Edition Editor: Elizabeth Heilman Selected articles Novel:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Author: J. K. Rowling |
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Film:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001, Warner) Director: Chris Columbus |
Assignments
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Book to Film Comparison
Discussion of Harry Potter and the Internet
Article Summaries from Critical Perspectives on Harry Potter
Reflections on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Book to Film Comparison
Discussion of Harry Potter and the Internet
Article Summaries from Critical Perspectives on Harry Potter
Reflections on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Week 6: Pulling It All Together
Assignment
Trace your journey through the course. What did you learn in each of the modules and how did you fit things together as you moved through the course.
Translate the activities of the course and your own learning to your classroom. What can you carry forward with you into your own teaching? How does this help you think about children and literature and film? Where do your ideas come from? What kinds of things might you try with your students, and (based on the activities and insights of the course) why do you think these things matter? Ultimately: How does teaching function as yet another form of interpretation?
Children's Literature in Film Final Paper
