I’m planning this assignment for my developmental students. The idea comes from this season of award shows where we are all listening to the ‘Academy’s’ voice as to what the best picture of the year is. My plan is to do Oscar 2.0 with the classes and have them design their own series of film reviews detailing what they would vote in as best picture of the year as well as other categories. I also think they should present them to the class–petitioning the class to support their votes.
In other words, I want to have an Oscar redo in my classroom. Only, the actual nominees are totally off limits. Anything already slated as Oscar-worthy has been so written about and toiled over that I cannot hope for original essays from the students. The lure of potential plagiarism would be too great.
My plan starts at the top. I’m going to have them all write their top three films on the board and we will erase the ones already under consideration (of course, by the time this is unveiled the Oscars will already be over). What we are left with will be our pool for the Oscars.
This is where it gets tricky.
I want a pool for as many categories as possible, but I’m not sure how to winnow the list down to something I can potentially have them vote on. Furthermore I am trying to solve the group component of this whole thing and haven’t. I’ll keep working on it…
Some Thoughts:
- Spent a lot of time building relationships in this tiny l’il town of mine. Now it seems I’m making my fair share of enemies as well. This all stems around sports of course. I don’t hate anyone but I’ve seen a lot of side eye and shit talk these last few days. I’m going to continue overlooking that nonsense and go about the business of sticking with the kids and parents I’m tied to.
- On the other hand, I won’t be in this town forever, so why care so much? It is in the blood, I think.