Bright Star in the Classroom

[dks]

Firstly, yes, I'm still alive--my job has officially swallowed me whole--secondly, I wanted to say that this movie will be such an asset in the classroom. I'm in the midst of completely re-structuring the Romantics unit for my students--they're such a different student population from where I used to teach, so I am finding I will need to re-do everything to suit. We are about to begin Coleridge on Monday; we will be reading and studying the man (Keats) after spring break in another couple of weeks and I cannot say in mere words how great it will be to use Bright Star in the classroom for a visual reinforcement when we read and study him! Also, they will really get to sink their teeth into it by getting an opportunity to watch period costumes, mannerisms, demeanors, etc...of course, this film cannot be used to teach the biography of his life--seeing as that is not what it is, but there are clips that will help them better understand some of his poetic philosophies--like the "working the lake out" scene, for instance...

I used Polanski's version of "Oliver Twist" to help reinforce Blake's "Chimney Sweeper" poems and it was fantastic--the orphan workhouse boys' mistreatment and their horrific living conditions--so well illustrated in the film. My students were shocked that things like public housing and government assistance were not available to the poor in 19th C. England--I had to explain to them that the upper class really viewed the poor as a punished (not to mention diseased) race of people!

Anyway, I'm steeped in work right now--I hope to post more weekly...not that my dribble matters, but I really do always miss this place!

[BrokenLyre]

Let us all know how the kids respond to your classroom showing of Bright Star. That sounds great dks! I would love to sit in that class and hear you speak of Keats and the movie

[dks]

Thanks, BL. I will! We just finished Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner"--I used the second "Pirates of the Carribean" movie to help reinforce some lines and images from the poem--the movie takes ideas straight from it, including the dice game for souls

[Raphael]

What age group do you teach dks? I think Ben's recitals of Ode To A Nightingale and La Belle Dame would be perfect to play in the classroom.

[Cybele]

Thanks, BL. I will! We just finished Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner"--I used the second "Pirates of the Carribean" movie to help reinforce some lines and images from the poem--the movie takes ideas straight from it, including the dice game for souls

I had no idea about "Pirates of the Caribbean!"
I guess now I'll have to rent the video, eh?