The Shawshank Redemption

Teacher Bridget Hildyard

Year	NCEA Level	Duration
12	2	4 weeks

Achievement Standard being assessed	Achievement criteria
AS90379 (English 2.5): View/listen to, study and analyse a visual or oral text. (Formative assessment as this achievement standard is assessed externally)	Analyse an oral or visual text, using supporting evidence.
Processes
Thinking Critically	Identify and discuss ways in which verbal and visual features of The Shawshank Redemption can be combined for particular purposes and audiences.

Teacher background reading

Select and adapt these learning activities to best meet the needs of your students, and to fit the time available:

Provide the essay_format (RTF 5KB) and transactional (RTF 7KB) . Students to answer the question: 'Explain at least two ways in which The Shawshank Redemption entertains the audience and keeps them interested'. See the relevant exemplars for this achievement standard by ordering this NZATEorder2006 (Word 396KB) (Word) from NZATE. These exemplars could be assessed by the students (see the assessment schedule ), and the essays they write could be peer assessed for formative assessment, using this same schedule.
View the following extracts from The Shawshank Redemption:
1. The killing of Tommy
2. The end of the movie (the final 3 minutes).
Describe the atmosphere of each extract and then, making reference to at least 3 different film techniques, compare and contrast the two extracts, looking at why the techniques were used and their effect in each. Your answer will be structured in literary essay format.

Teacher notes

Show the first extract 3 times with a 1 minute gap between the first 2 and then a five minute gap before the second extract. Repeat for the second extract except leave 25 minutes at the end for students to write their essays.
The students may take notes while viewing.
View two short extracts from the film and write an essay which compares and contrasts the two, looking specifically at filming techniques to create atmosphere.