Unit of Study - Pearson Schoolstorage.schoolnet.com/cfisd/LANG_3_A_Book Trailers_MAT_Overview and... · Prior to the unit of study, teachers should gather a variety of book trailers

Unit of Study:

Producing Book Trailers that Get

Readers Buzzing about Books

Cypress‐Fairbanks Independent School District endent School District

Elementary Language Arts Department, Grade 3 Elementary Language Arts Department, Grade 3

Cy‐Fair ISD Curriculum Department Producing Booktrailers that Get Readers Buzzing about Books

DRAFT – April 2012 Writing Workshop Unit of Study

Producing Book Trailers that Get Readers Buzzing about Books

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

Overview of Lessons ...............................................................................................ii

MINI‐LESSONS

What’s the Book Trailer Buzz All About? Exploring the Structure, Content, & Craft

of Book Trailers ..................................................................................................................... 1

Noticing the Way that Book and Movie Trailers Make You Feel .................................. 2

Learning from Up and Coming Mini‐Movie Makers: Evaluating the Qualities of

Student‐Made Book Trailers ............................................................................................... 3

Choosing a Book that Gets Readers Buzzing.................................................................... 4

Capturing the Story in a Nutshell ...................................................................................... 5

What’s Your Sales Pitch? Applying Persuasive Techniques to Influence Your

Audience ................................................................................................................................ 6

Producing a Book Trailer..................................................................................................... 7

Using a Storyboard to Plan the Book Trailer .................................................................... 8

Getting the Book Trailer Ready for an Audience............................................................. 9

Making the Book Trailer Using Technology Tools (2‐4 Days) ..................................... 10

On the Red Carpet: Celebrating the Book Trailer Premiere ......................................... 11

Cy‐Fair ISD Curriculum Department Producing Book Trailers that Get Readers Buzzing about Books


LESSONS INCLUDED IN THE UNIT OF STUDY:

The following is a list of lessons that are included in the Producing Book Trailers that Get Readers

Buzzing about Books unit. Each lesson has been assigned a number that correlates to a number found

in the upper right corner of each lesson card, which signifies a suggested sequence or progression of

the lessons. After analyzing the grade level expectations, district curriculum, and student needs,

teachers should customize the mini‐lessons for their students. The mini‐lessons are based upon the

grade‐level expectations found in the English Language Arts and Reading TEKS objectives.

Lesson Title Purpose

1

What’s the Book Trailer Buzz All About?

Exploring the Structure, Content, &

Craft of Book Trailers

Writers study the qualities of effective book trailers

to understand the genre and find craft moves they

would like to imitate in their own productions.

2

Noticing the Way that Book and Movie

Trailers Make You Feel

Writers analyze the design elements of movie trailers

and book trailers and pay attention to the feeling that

the words, images, and sound create.

3

Learning from Up and Coming Mini‐

Movie Makers: Evaluating the Qualities

of Student‐Made Book Trailers

Writers evaluate student‐produced book trailers to

determine ways to improve the qualities of their own

book trailers.

4

Choosing a Book that Gets Readers

Buzzing

Writers consider their audience and personal

interests when evaluating and selecting a book to

advertise in a book trailer.

5

Capturing the Story in a Nutshell Writers summarize the main character(s), problem,

and plot of a story without revealing the outcome of a

book.

6

What’s Your Sales Pitch? Applying

Persuasive Techniques to Influence

Your Audience

Writers use a variety of persuasive techniques to

influence the thoughts and actions of an audience.

7 Producing a Book Trailer with Idea

“Gems”

Writers select appealing ideas about their book to help

them produce a high‐quality book trailer.

8 Using a Storyboard to Plan the Book

Trailer

Writers use a storyboard organizer to design the

sequence of scenes in a book trailer.

9 Getting the Book Trailer Ready for an

Audience

Writers prepare their book trailer for an audience by

reflecting upon the design elements of a multimedia

production, including visual images, sounds, words,

movement, and timing.

10 Making the Book Trailer Using

Technology Tools (2‐4 Days)

Writers use technology tools to create original

multimedia productions that include visual images,

sound, and text.

11 On the Red Carpet: Celebrating the

Book Trailer Premiere

Writers share and celebrate their book trailer

production within a community of writers and

readers.

Materials: Commercial book trailers – see Appendix A The Scoop on Book Trailers slide show – Appendix B Characteristics of Book Trailers anchor chart – Appendix C Teacher and student writing notebooks Popcorn, director’s chair, movie clapboard, etc. (optional) Chart paper and markers

Note: Prior to the unit of study, teachers should gather a variety of book trailers for use throughout the instructional unit.

Introduce the genre with professional book trailers so that

students can notice the qualities of effective multimedia

productions. Often publishers have book trailers on their web

sites. Refer to the list of suggested book trailer sites found in the

appendix for recommended sites. For this lesson, teachers may

want to bring a small sample of popcorn to introduce the genre.

Movie props can also enhance the excitement for the new unit,

but they are optional. This lesson introduces the design aspects of book trailers during

the “teach” portion of the minilesson using Farmer George Plants

a Nation: http://youtu.be/M3Ump_0YOVQ

Teachers may also consider using Melanie Watt’s book trailers

of Scaredy Squirrel found on YouTube as another resource for

studying the portrayal of a character in book trailers:

http://www.youtube.com/user/WatchScaredySquirrel Students should be familiar with her character Al the salesman from the 2nd

grade book review unit of study. Mo Willems also has a unique

presentation of the Pigeon on his web site. Click on The Duckling

Gets a Cookie? video link:

http://pigeonpresents.com/grownup.aspx

Purpose: Writers study the qualities of effective book trailers to understand the genre and find craft moves they would like to imitate in

their own productions.

TEKS: 3.16 A, 3.16 B

Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point Capture students’ attention with a dramatic announcement that they are invited to participate in a series of “film‐making workshops” on creating “mini movie” productions known as book trailers. Their job today is to get an understanding of the

book trailer genre, so that they can begin to envision possibilities for their own multimedia production. Share a personal experience in watching an enticing movie trailer that caused you to want to see the movie. Explain that a book trailer is kind of like a movie trailer. The primary purpose of a book trailer is to “sell” a book to reading consumers. If desired, provide students with a small sample of popcorn to “whet” their appetite for the upcoming unit of study. Writers, the day has finally arrived for us to begin our new unit of study. You are invited to join me as we launch our mini‐movie making study of book trailers. (Relate a personal story about an engaging book trailer that caused you to want to see the feature film.) Book trailers are kind of like the movie trailers we see at the theaters or on t.v. The main purpose of a book trailer is to convince a potential reader that they have just got to read the book. Book trailers are also like tasty treats that “whet” our appetite for reading the entire book. Readers, today, we will study the design techniques a producer uses to “sell” a book by paying attention to the visual images, sound, words, and other elements found in captivating book trailers.

Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice Tell students that the Internet has provided a new way for writers and publishers to connect with potential readers. Book trailers are designed to capture a reader’s attention through the combination of visual images, sound, words, movement, and other design elements. Share the definition of a book trailer using the information found on slides 2 and 3 of The Scoop on Book Trailers slide show. Next, explain that students will view a professionally produced book trailer to help them understand the traits. The book trailer for Farmer George Plants a Nation by Peggy Thomas is especially effective for showcasing design elements. Use a think aloud process to point out design aspects: Opening Scene: A black background with simple white

text allows the reader enough time to process a short message about George Washington. Remind them that although he was a real person, the producer sets up the book trailer like a story, “There once was a farmer named George.” The next scene cuts to an illustration of farmer George looking at dirt in his hand. The picture appears to move in close to George’s face.

“He Had a Vision” Scene: The movement from the text to a close up of the eye is a clever use of zooming in on a subject. The producer made a unique link between George’s mental vision of a new land to his eye, which allows him to see actual physical things in the world.

Some of the phrases end with ellipses (series of dots) to signal to the reader that more information is to come.

The producer transitions from George’s life as a farmer to his contributions to the development of the new country, The phrase, “But George never forgot his farm,” is an example of an effective transition.

The music represents the Revolutionary time period, and it conveys a positive tone with its upbeat tempo.

Conclusion: “President George Washington helped create a new government. But FARMER George Planted a New Nation!” The producer connects ideas and uses capital letters to emphasize his point.

As you point out the features of the book trailer, record ideas about the qualities on an anchor chart similar to the one found on Appendix C. View another trailer and add traits to the chart.

Active Engagement: involve students by asking them to turn and talk listen, observe, and coach active involvement share an example of what you heard or observed Tell students that they will watch another trailer and pay attention to the design elements used by the producer. They can jot down their ideas in their writer’s notebook. After watching the trailer, ask students to turn and talk with a partner about the effective qualities that they observed in the book trailer. Listen in on the conversations. With the whole group, share some of the details you heard expressed by students.

Link: restate the teaching point explain how the learning can be used in the future

Explain that students will work in small groups to examine other book reviews during independent writing. Students will record their ideas on the Book Reviews: Tools of the Trade graphic organizer. Review the genre traits that students have discovered so far about book reviews. Remind them that writers who read a wide variety of book reviews will better understand the genre traits and the way that they are organized. This knowledge will make it easier for them to compose their own book review.

Possible Conference Questions: What qualities do you notice in the book trailers? How do

they impact the viewer? Which book trailers make you want to read the book? Why? Do you notice any patterns or similarities among the various

book trailers?

1 What’s the Book Trailer Buzz All About? Exploring the Structure, Content, & Craft of Book Trailers Minilesson: 1

y‐Fair ISD Curriculum Department Producing Book Trailers that Get Readers Buzzing about Books

RAFT – April 2012 Writing Workshop Unit of Study

C

D

http://youtu.be/M3Ump_0YOVQ

http://www.youtube.com/user/WatchScaredySquirrel



2 Understanding the Expository Writing Rubric (4s and 3s) Minilesson: Minilesson: 2 Noticing the Way that Book and Movie Trailers Make You Feel Minilesson: 2

Airplane scene: A flying airplane creates a transition to the next scene, which shows the puppy has grown and is now receiving training on learning how to be a guide dog.

Meeting the new owner: Around the 50 second mark, the scene is dark and the lights are turned on to reveal a blind man who is wearing dark glasses. The man shows his reluctance to embrace the guide dog. The music has changed and creates a “darker” mood.

Falling star scene: The sound and sight signify the changing relationship.

“Best friends” scene: The text cuts to the image of the dog licking the man’s hand. He pats the dog and smiles, signifying the beginning of their friendship.

Conclusion: The dog is showing how he is different by sticking with his owner and not running with the other dogs. The cherry blossoms signify spring – the start of something new.

Active Engagement: involve students by asking them to turn and talk listen, observe, and coach active involvement share an example of what you heard or observed

If necessary, view the movie trailer again. Have students share one scene with a partner and discuss how the scene made them feel. Have them note specific design elements that helped to create the feeling. If desired, show another movie trailer and ask students to jot down design elements that helped create a particular feeling for the viewer. Allow them to share their thoughts with a partner by describing the design elements and the feeling they created. Debrief with the whole group.


Writers, well‐designed movie trailers move viewers and help them get caught up in the emotion of a story. As we continue our study of book trailers, pay attention to the way specific scenes make you feel. We can use what we’ve learned to help us move our viewers in similar ways. Possible Conference Questions: How do the sounds, images, movement, text, and other

design elements work together to create a tone? What feelings does the movie trailer create for the viewer? Describe a specific design element from a movie trailer that

was particularly effective. Why was it effective?

Materials: G‐rated movie trailers

Characteristics of Book Trailers anchor chart Teacher and student writing notebooks

Chart paper and markers Note: Prior to the lesson, select at least 3 movie trailers appropriate for study. Determine which trailer will be used for modeling (teach), active engagement, and independent reading. Teachers may opt to abbreviate the lesson and view 1 movie trailer together to use as a comparison to book trailers. Alternatively, teachers may opt to move on to lesson 3 to study the qualities of effective student‐produced book trailers. A suggested movie trailer is Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog, which is being released in the summer 2012. The movie is based on a true story in which a golden lab puppy is trained to be a guide dog for a blind man who is reluctant to rely on him. Go to: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/quillthelifeofaguidedog/ Purpose: Writers analyze the design elements of movie trailers and book trailers and pay attention to the feeling that the words,

images, and sound create.

TEKS: 3.16 A, 3.16 B

Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point Recognize student effort by noting the positive behaviors and contributions students made during the introductory lesson to book trailers. Briefly recap some of the qualities and design elements that students learned about high‐quality book trailers. Connect the previous learning to what students will learn today in their examination of engaging movie trailers. Writers, I can see that you are taking your film study seriously. Your close study of the qualities and design elements of effective book trailers will help you produce creative, high‐quality book trailers. Yesterday, we learned that producers of book trailers use a variety of design elements to help them create a multimedia production that captures a viewer’s attention. Multimedia is a term that means the use of more than one form of media, such as text, audio, still images, animation, and video. By combining these elements, the producer hopes to make an emotional impact on a viewer. These design elements work together to create a mood. If a book is scary, the producer might use mysterious, spooky sounding music along with shadowy images or a sudden upclose look at

a startling visual. The book trailer fad is something relatively new, and producers learned many things about design elements by studying movie trailers. Today, we will examine the design elements of movie trailers and compare them to effective book trailers, so that we can learn ways to create interesting book trailers that grab a viewer’s attention and make them want to read the book.

Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice Briefly review the genre traits of book trailers using the Characteristics of Book Trailers anchor chart. Point out some of the high‐quality design elements that students observed in the different book trailers that were viewed. Discuss the purpose of a movie trailer and relate the idea that trailers usually have a slant or particular point of view from which the ideas about the movie are conveyed through images, audio, and text. Give some examples of different tones that movie trailers create. Writers, movie trailers are designed to make a potential movie‐goer want to see the full feature film. They give the viewer a “taste’ of the movie using a particular slant that helps create a tone. Introduce the movie trailer that students will watch. Explain that they will pay attention to the feeling that the images, sound, and words create. The information below highlights design elements in the movie trailer for Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog. Opening scene: Cute puppies are poised on steps with

their tails wagging signaling that their journey into the world is about to begin. The next scene shows the puppies’ back side as they look out the window and “ponder” their future. A mysterious, ethereal music plays in the background as each puppy’s “destiny” is determined.

“Not all puppies are the same” scene: The words appear on blank white page with cutaway scenes to multiple puppies showing affection for a woman.

“Some are destined to leave a mark” scene: The simple line of text cuts away to an image of a single puppy who has a unique marking.

Puppy behavior scenes: The tempo of the music changes to an upbeat tone. Scenes of cute puppies with typical puppy behavior (e.g., making a mess of toilet paper) are shown.

Choosing a puppy scene: The puppies are shown in the home of a family. The woman asks someone on the phone how she will choose a puppy to be a guide dog. When she calls the puppies, all but one puppy comes. He stays behind with the young man and is singled out for his connection to a particular person.

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/quillthelifeofaguidedog/

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/quillthelifeofaguidedog/



Materials: Student‐created book trailers

Characteristics of Book Trailers anchor chart Several “over the top” fashion accessories (optional)

Teacher and student writing notebooks

Chart paper and markers

Note: Prior to the lesson, select a few student‐made book

trailers to evaluate during the “teach” and “active engagement”

sections of the lesson. Teachers may also wish to have students

evaluate student‐created book trailers during writing workshop.

Dr. Mark Geary has several examples on his web site:

http://www.homepages.dsu.edu/mgeary/booktrailers/default.htm To help students understand poor design aspects of book

trailers, teachers may opt to dress up using several “over the

top” accessories. Prior to the lesson, record the criteria for

evaluating book trailers onto chart paper. Refer to the bulleted

list in the teach portion of the lesson.

Purpose: Writers evaluate student‐produced book trailers to determine ways to improve the qualities of their own book trailers.

TEKS: 3.16 A, 3.16 B

Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point

Make a connection between poor book trailer design elements

and “tacky” accessories by wearing too many accessories that

clash with one another. Writers, I’ve taken some lessons from Fancy Nancy and put on some of

my best accessories to give me that glamour girl (or GQ guy) look.

Don’t you love my new look? Allow students to express their disapproval. You may need to

prompt them by explaining that you are trying out your best

look for a particularly fancy setting such as an interview for a

summer job, going to church, or dining out at an expensive

restaurant. After students note that the look is too busy, let them

know that sometimes aspiring directors get carried away by

over‐accessorizing multimedia productions. Rather than aiming

for a classy, well‐designed book trailer, a novice producer

throws in all the tricks that he/she can. Instead of creating a

“Fancy Nancy” book trailer that grabs viewers’ attention, they

end up with something less than the best. Too many special

effects can detract from a book trailer and cause a viewer to

move on. We want to avoid the “Overly‐Accessorized

Olive/Otis” book trailer and stick with a few tricks to grab and

keep our viewer’s attention. Knowing when, where, and how to

apply design elements in a book trailer is the key to successful

creation. Today, students will examine and evaluate student‐

created book trailers, so that they can learn to apply design

elements more effectively.

Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice

Revisit what students have learned so far in their study of well‐

designed book trailers. Refer students to the Characteristics of

Book Trailers anchor chart. Explain to students that some

individuals make their living by reviewing and critiquing books

and movies. Usually, the professional movie critics and book

reviewers have extensive knowledge and training in the areas of

literature and/or movie production. The critics are paid to give

an objective evaluation of the quality of the story and video

production. The movie reviews can help people without the

expertise decide whether a movie or book would be of interest to

them. Share some of the qualities that make for an appealing

book trailer by sharing the information on the Book Trailer

Evaluation Criteria anchor chart. The book trailer reveals an interesting story.

The book trailer makes the viewer feel a strong emotion.

The book trailer uses clever, unique design elements.

The audio elements (music, sound effects, dialogue, &

narration) enhance the mood of the book trailer.

The visual images (still photos, animation) effectively

introduce the character(s), problem, &/or plot.

The text in the book trailer helps the viewer understand

important ideas.

Transitions and movement help the viewer shift easily from

one idea to the next.

The book trailer captures the viewer’s attention with an

effective beginning.

The book trailer keeps the viewer engaged in the story.

The book trailer closes by making the viewer want to read the

book. Tell students that you will use this list to help you judge the

qualities of the student‐made book trailer. Play a book trailer

made by students and then use the criteria to evaluate it. You

may wish to use a rating scale (excellent, good, fair, poor) to

discuss the various elements.


Tell students that it is now their turn to evaluate a book trailer.

As they watch the book trailer, have them make notes of the

strengths as well as the weaknesses. Then have students first

discuss the strengths of the book trailer. Listen in on the

conversations and highlight some of the findings with the whole

group. Next, allow students to share the weaknesses of the book

trailer with their partner. Once again, listen in on the

conversations. Debrief by calling attention to the weaknesses

and discussing what the creator might have done differently to

avoid those mistakes.


Writers, over‐accessorizing a book trailer with too many special effects

takes away from the message we want to convey and can cause a viewer

to lose interest. The adage, “Less is more,” reminds us to carefully

select the visual images, audio, text, and transitions we will use to

design well‐crafted book trailers. Allow students the opportunity to evaluate additional student‐

made book trailers during independent writing.

Possible Conference Questions: How does the book trailer make you feel? What design

elements helped create the feeling?

Does the book trailer use clever design elements? Give

examples of those elements.

How do the sound, images, and text work together?

Is the book trailer well‐organized? Why or why not?

Learning from Up and Coming Mini‐Movie Makers: Evaluating the Qualities of Student‐Made Book TrailersMinilesson: 3



Materials: Book Treasure Hunt slide show – Appendix E

Books We Love to Share with Others visual – Appendix D (1

per student)


Favorite books of students and teacher


Note: Prior to the lesson, teachers should gather a variety of books that they have enjoyed reading. Choose ones that exhibit

some of the qualities shown on slide 8 of the Book Treasure Hunt

slide show. Consider posting the different reasons (slides 2‐7)

that books appeal to readers in the classroom and use the visual

as an interactive book recommendation display. On sticky notes,

students describe books that exhibit the different attributes.

Teachers may opt to create partnerships for the book trailer

making process. If so, students will need to select a book they

have both read, so that they are familiar with the storyline.

Teachers may want to direct students to focus their book trailer

on a picture book.

Purpose: Writers consider their audience and personal interests when evaluating and selecting a book to advertise in a book trailer. TEKS: 3.16 A, 3.16 B, 3.17 A


Display slide 1 of the Book Treasure Hunt slide show. Relate a

time when you were searching for a good book to read. Talk

about the challenges you experienced in your search for a

compelling book. Tell how you felt when you finally found a

book that you couldn’t put down. Describe some of the reasons

that you found the book engaging. Connect the idea that finding

a good book is like a treasure hunt. Explain that when you read a

good book you like to share the “literary gem” with your

friends. At times, you think about the friend(s) who would most

likely enjoy reading the book. Tell students that writers consider

their audience when they choose good books to share with

others. Inform students that today they will evaluate the books

they have read and select one that they will feature in their book

review. As they examine their books, students should think

about the individuals who are most likely to find the book

appealing. Writers, everyone enjoys a good story. It’s a rare book that grabs our

attention and compels us to stay up late until we finish it. (Relate a

time when a book captivated you.) Good books can be hard to find.

It helps when you have friends who have similar taste to yours. When

we find a good book, we need to pass along the treasure to other readers.

Today, we will begin thinking about the book gem that we will feature

in our book trailer. We want to find a book that appeals to our viewers

and one that keeps our interest as well.


Tell students that selecting the book you will feature in your

trailer can be tough, because you have read several books that

you like. One strategy that can help in the selection of a book is

listing the reasons that you like different books and thinking

about your audience. Explain that there are many factors that

cause readers to “fall in love” with a book. Another strategy that

can help us in our decision‐making process is to think about the

audience that will likely watch our book trailer. Asking

ourselves whether the book would appeal to them provides us

with insight on the interests of our potential viewers. Introduce some of the different reasons that books appeal to

readers by using slides 2 – 7 of the Book Treasure Hunt slide

show. As you share each reason, show students a copy of a

favorite book that exhibits the quality displayed on the slide.

Share a few details from the text that showcase the attribute and

then describe a reader that would find the book appealing. The

qualities and corresponding slide numbers for the first three

reasons are shown below. Slide 2: Memorable Characters

Slide 3: Interesting Problem, Setting, and Plot

Slide 4: Topics or Issues that Interest Us


After you have shared the first three reasons, ask students to

turn and talk to a partner about a book that exhibits one of these

qualities. Listen in on the conversations and confer as needed.

Use the same modeling process for the next three factors found

on slides 5‐7. Slide 5: React with Strong Feelings

Slide 6: Surprising Details or Suspenseful Scenes

Slide 7: Well‐Written Craft Moves Allow students to share a book with a partner that exhibits one

of the qualities that were just discussed. Listen in on the

conversations and confer as needed. Next, remind students that

successful writers choose topics they “love.” This helps them

sustain interest throughout the writing process, and it allows

them to communicate ideas clearly because they are

knowledgeable of the topic. Model the process you would use to

select the book that you will review. Choose your top two books

and ask students which one they would most like to read. Have

them turn and talk to a partner and describe which book is more

appealing to them. Listen in on the conversations. Then allow a

few students to share their ideas about each book. Conduct a

poll to see which book is most appealing for your students.

Explain that you will consider their ideas as you make your final

decision.


Tell students that during independent writing, students will

examine their favorite books by looking through their writer’s

notebook and inside the books. They will select their top two

books, and they will share them with a small group. The small

group will provide students with feedback on the book they find

most appealing. Recap the key ideas from the mini‐lesson by

reminding students that writers consider their audience when

choosing a book for their review.

Possible Conference Questions: What factors make your book appealing? Which trait(s) does the book exhibit? What evidence from

the book supports that idea? Which book do you think readers would most enjoy

reading? Why?

Choosing a Book that Gets Readers Buzzing Minilesson: 4



Capturing the Story “in a Nutshell” Minilesson: 5

Materials: Story in a Nutshell slide show – Appendix F

Nutshell (optional)

Familiar book used for teacher modeling

Book review of familiar book

3‐5 additional familiar mentor books

Teacher’s and students’ favorite books



Note: Prior to the lesson, select a familiar book to use for

modeling the process of designing a book trailer. This lesson use

Melanie Watt’s Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend to model how to

sum up a story succinctly without giving away the plot. Students

will practice summarizing their story, so that they can use the

key details to help them craft their own book trailer. Teachers

may wish to have students work in partnerships to summarize

the book that will be featured in the book trailer.

Purpose: Writers summarize the main character(s), problem, and plot of a story without revealing the outcome of a book.

TEKS: 3.16 A, 3.16 B, 3.17 A


Tell students that successful producers of book trailers know

how to capture the key details of a story without giving away

the ending. The key details tell a reader who and what a story is

about, which helps them understand the gist of the story. Writers, we have found some amazing book gems, and I am looking

forward to seeing you craft a well‐designed book trailer to entice your

classmates to read your great book. To help us clearly present our ideas,

we have some important work to do. We need to shrink our story and

select a few juicy morsels to tempt our reader to read the book. It’s

important that we don’t give too much a way. Relate a time when someone relayed an unfamiliar book or story

and gave away the ending. Describe how the experience made

you feel and explain whether it caused you to lose interest in

reading the story for yourself. Clarify the meaning of the word

spoiler – information about the plot of a movie, book, or t.v.

show that “spoils” a person’s sense of surprise or suspense about

the outcome. Ask students to imagine how they would feel if

they were watching a book trailer that “spoiled” the outcome of

the story. Inform them that producers of effective book trailers

know how to summarize the important ideas in a story without

giving away the ending. Today, students will examine ways to

effectively summarize their story “in a nutshell.”


Show the nutshell and slide 1 of the Story in a Nutshell slide

show. Explain the phrase, “in a nutshell,” by explaining that it

means to summarize something in as few words as possible. You

may wish to clarify the concept by comparing it to a nut, which

is a small seed (a brief summary of the story) that has the

potential to grow into a much larger plant (all the details of the

story). Writers, you may have heard someone say that they are summing up a

story “in a nutshell.” That means they are trying to summarize

something in as few words as possible. Review the information on the slide and explain that

summarizing the “who” and “what” a story is about without

revealing a story’s outcome will provide a viewer with enough

information to make sense of what the book is about.. Make a t‐

chart on chart paper similar to the one shown below. Use the

familiar book to model how to summarize a story by thinking

aloud about the main character. Record the information in the

“who” column. Then model how to determine what the story is

mainly about and record the information in the “what” column.

An example is shown for the book, Scaredy Squirrel Makes a

Friend.

WHO (Characters) WHAT (Problem & Plot)

Scaredy Squirrel is an

animal with OCD issues

WHO is

afraid to venture out in the

world in order to make a

friend. Practice modeling how to determine the “who” and “what” a

book is mostly about by summarizing 1 or 2 other stories that are

familiar to students.


Share another familiar book and ask students to summarize the

“who” and “what” of the story with their partner. Listen in on

the conversations and confer as needed. With the whole group,

ask a few students to share their summary. Remind students that

our purpose for the book trailer is to entice readers to read a

book. Therefore, it’s important that we do not give away the

outcome. Furthermore, remind students that it’s important to

include enough details to help the viewer understand the story.

If necessary, allow students to practice summarizing another

book with their partner.


Recap the big ideas shared during the mini‐lesson about

summarizing a story. Explain that during independent writing

students will apply what they have learned about summarizing

a book by determining “who” and “what” a story is mainly

about. As students work with a partner, they should pay close

attention to the way the writer introduces the character(s),

problem, and plot. This will help them when they develop their

book trailers. Additionally, students should summarize their

own book by recording the “who” and “what” the story is

mainly about in their writer’s notebook.

Possible Conference Questions: Who is the main character of your story? What problem is the character trying to solve? What are some of the important events and details? How will this information help your reader understand the

story?



What’s Your Sales Pitch? Applying Persuasive Techniques to Influence Your Audience Minilesson: 6

Materials: What’s Your Sales Pitch? slide show – Appendix G

The Most Interesting Man book trailer

Commercials featuring a familiar product (optional)

Teacher’s and students’ favorite books



Note: The goal of a book trailer is to help readers make

decisions about the books they will read. This lesson blends

persuasive techniques with book trailers. Additional information

regarding persuasive techniques can be found on the web site:

http://medialiteracyproject.org/language‐persuasion

However, for the purpose of this lesson, it is recommended that

teachers focus on a limited number of techniques. In addition,

teachers may opt to show a few commercials of familiar

products to help students better understand a variety of

persuasive techniques. Prior to the lesson, select a familiar book

that you can use to model the process of generating ideas for a

book trailer. The next several lessons will use Melanie Watt’s

Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend in the “teach” portion of the

lesson.

Purpose: Writers use a variety of persuasive techniques to influence the thoughts and actions of a reader.

TEKS: 3.16 A, 3.16 B, 3.17 A


Provide students with examples from their everyday life where

persuasive techniques are used (e.g., commercials, billboard

signs, sales people, etc.) Tell students that successful writers use

these same persuasive techniques to influence the thoughts and

actions of readers. Relate a personal story in which a sales pitch

was highly effective and caused you to purchase something that

you may not have purchased under normal circumstances.

Describe the strategies that were especially effective in moving

you to action. Connect the idea to the strategies that multimedia

producers use to create enticing book trailers that persuade

readers that they “must” read the book. Explain that today’s

lesson will help students learn strategies they can use to

convince their readers to “buy into” their book.


Display slide 1 of the What’s Your Sales Pitch? slide show and

discuss the meaning of a sales pitch – a line of talk or strategy

that attempts to persuade someone to take action. Explain that

there are many strategies that sales people use to influence the

thinking of potential customers. Tell students that you will share

a few strategies that they might consider trying out in their book

trailer. Briefly highlight the selected persuasive techniques from

the slide show and explain them to students by giving examples.

These persuasive techniques are included in the slide show: 2:

Propaganda, 3: Promises, 4: Dares, 5: Testimonials, & 6: Flattery.

Tell students that they will watch the book trailer called The Most

Interesting Man, and they will look for the producer’s use of

persuasive techniques. After showing the book trailer, point out

some of the strategies that are used. The book trailer attempts to

make a connection to The Most Interesting Man in the World

commercial through similar music and the description of the

amazing qualities of the mysterious person. The subliminal

message is that the reader will be interesting too, if he just reads

the book about Al Foxword. It does use celebrities to make the

reader think that Al is cooler than all the other individuals.

Association, humor, and repetition are used

As you share some of the different persuasive techniques,

provide an example of how that might look in your review. Be

sure that students understand that the persuasive techniques

must include information from the book. Record your ideas on

chart paper using a t‐chart similar to the one shown below.

Examples for Melanie Watt’s Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend are

shown below.

Idea from the Book Persuasive Technique

Scaredy Squirrel is a different kind of friend.

He has issues.

Dare to be different – one of the few, the proud, the chosen

friend of Scaredy Squirel.

(Propaganda)

Allow students the opportunity to suggest ideas by turning and

talking to a partner about an idea from the familiar book.

Continue to add ideas to the class book trailer anchor chart.


Next, explain that students will now take a turn and talk with a

partner by describing how they might use a persuasive

technique in their book trailer to influence the thinking of their

reader. Listen in on student conversations and confer as needed.

With the whole group, share a few of the ideas that you heard.


Inform students that during independent writing today, they

will take time to look through their writer’s notebook and the

book to find interesting details that they might include in their

review. Students will record the ideas in a t‐chart similar to the

one that was modeled during the Teach portion of the lesson.

Then students will try out one or more persuasive techniques

using the details from the book. Recap the key ideas from the

lesson and remind students that good writers use a variety of

persuasive techniques to influence the thoughts and actions of

their audience.

Possible Conference Questions: What details from the book would your reader find

interesting?

How do you want your reader to feel after reading your

review? What strategies could help you influence your

reader?

How can you use a persuasive technique(s) to communicate

ideas from the book`1qaz ?



Materials: Butterfly net or similar object to represent “capturing” the

tastiest parts of a story (optional)

Capturing Idea Gems: What’s in Your Book Trailer Net? visual – Appendix H (1 visual per student)

Butterflies with Idea Gems – Appendix R (optional) Creating a Photo Story Book Trailer Checklist – Appendix J

(1 per student)



Note: Prior to the lesson, teachers may wish to print and cut

out the Butterflies with Idea Gems to use as a symbolic

representation of capturing great ideas about a book.

Additionally, an enlarged copy of the Creating a Photo Story

Book Trailer Checklist is a recommended resource for guiding

students through the process of making book trailers. Librarian

Michelle Harclerode (www.booktrailersforreaders.com) has

created a Prezi presentation called “How to Make a Book

Trailer.” It has excellent tips and resources, including embedded

videos that teachers may want to use in this lesson: 2 different

student‐produced videos & 2 minute review video of Photo

Story (use in next lesson). The Prezi is available on her web site

as well as the Prezi site: http://prezi.com/9xvvonltejxn/how‐to‐

make‐a‐book‐trailer/

Purpose: Writers select appealing ideas about their book to help them produce a high‐quality book trailer.

TEKS: 3.16 A, 3.16 B, 3.17 A


To grab students’ attention, display a butterfly net or related

object and make motions as if you are trying to capture a

beautiful butterfly. Tell students that you are trying to “capture”

great ideas to help you in the design of your book trailer. Writers, we are growing inch by inch in our understanding of how to

design a high‐quality book trailer. A great book trailer starts with one

small idea “gem.” Finding the perfect idea is a little like hunting for

butterflies. When you spot a beautiful one, you carefully sneak up on it

and scoop it gently into your net. You can enjoy the beautiful creature,

but eventually you have to let it go. That’s kind of like a great idea.

Once you’ve “captured” an interesting thought about the design of

your book trailer, you have to play with it and let your imagination go.

Today, we will decide on the angle we want to use for our book trailer,

and we will think ahead about all the important work we have to do to

create our irresistible book trailers. They don’t just happen over night.

Good book trailers take time to grow.


Use the butterflies or the Capturing Idea Gems: What’s in Your

Book Trailer Net? visual to discuss the focus of a seed idea that

will allow you to “grow” a book trailer. Give an example of the

different angles you could take to create a book trailer using 1 or

more of these elements. The examples provided use Melanie

Watt’s Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend.

Choosing an Idea Gem for a Book Trailer

Design Focus Possible Use in Book

Remarkable Character Quality

Use Scaredy Squirrel’s fear of imperfection, dangerous animals, & germs

Favorite Scene Focus in on Scaredy Squirrel’s first encounter with the “dangerous” dog

Memorable Lines or Words

Use the warnings of what not to do when encountering a dangerous animal – “DO NOT show fear. DO NOT show your fingers. DO NOT make eye contact. DO not make any loud noises. If all else fails, PLAY DEAD.”

Illustrations or Design Elements

Use the “WARNING!” sign (always at beginning of Scaredy Squirrel books) at the beginning of the trailer to tell the viewer that Scaredy Squirrel insists that everyone use some sort of germ‐free product before viewing the book trailer.

Amazing Author’s Craft

Scaredy Squirrel books begin in a similar way by telling a fact about the character & giving a reason for it (e.g., Scaredy Squirrel doesn’t have a friend. He’d rather be alone that risk encountering someone dangerous.”

Unforgettable Message

“A little risk is worth the reward.” Scaredy Squirrel finds that when he overcomes his fears, there’s usually a good result.

Allow students the opportunity to turn and talk to a partner

about other ways to focus the book trailer that is being modeled.

Next, teachers may opt to use parts of the How to Make a

Booktrailer Prezi to review the work expectations for the book

trailer. Otherwise, use the Creating a Photo Story Book Trailer Checklist to discuss the various steps involved in producing the

book trailer. Reiterate the importance of the careful planning

involved in making the book trailer.


Tell students that it is their turn to think about a design focus for

their book trailer. Have them choose one of the elements found

on the anchor chart and describe how they might use it to create

a design focus for their book trailer. Listen in on the

conversations and provide feedback as needed. Debrief with the

whole group by sharing a few of the idea gems that you heard

students share with their partner.


Reaffirm your confidence in students’ abilities to design an

engaging book trailer. Explain that during independent writing

students will explore a focus for the design of their book trailer.

They should be prepared with at least two different ideas that

can be shared and discussed in a small group. Near the end of

the workshop block, organize students into small groups and

have them share both ideas. Ask the listeners to provide

feedback and share which idea intrigues them the most. At the

end of the workshop, bring students together to share their

design focus for the book trailer.

Possible Conference Questions: How might you use one of the design focus elements to

create your book trailer? What are some of the character’s most memorable qualities?

How could you use the qualities in a book trailer? What is one of your favorite scenes in the book? How might

you use the scene in a book trailer?

Producing a Book Trailer with Idea “Gems” Minilesson: 7

y‐Fair ISD Curriculum Department Producing Book Trailers that Get Readers Buzzing about Books


C

Materials: Storyboard Plan graphic organizer – Appendix K or L

(1 per student) Sample Book Trailer Storyboard for The Most Interesting Man – Appendix M

Teacher and student writing notebooks Chart paper and markers

Note: Prior to the lesson, create a draft of a storyboard for a possible book trailer featuring the book that has been modeled in the “teach” portion of the lesson. There are a variety of storyboard organizers available on the web. Choose one that works for your students and feel free to customize it to match the particular needs of individuals. For third‐graders, Photo Story is generally an easier option than Windows Media Maker, which allows for video. This series of lessons will focus on using Photo Story. Individuals who want ideas on using Windows Media Maker may refer to the resources associated with the technology lesson in the grades 4 and 5 PSA writing unit. If necessary, students may require an additional day to for creating their storyboards.

Purpose: Writers use a storyboard organizer to design the sequence of scenes in a book trailer.

TEKS: 3.16 A, 3.16 B, 3.17 A

Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point Recognize students for working hard to find the “just right” idea gem to help them grow into a book trailer. Tell students that great productions don’t just happen. The best book trailers are well‐planned. Explain that producers of animated films, commercials, and other movies use a storyboard to organize their ideas. A storyboard shows what visual images, sound effects, narration, or dialogue will occur in each scene. Writers, you can be proud of your efforts to find the “just right” idea about your book. I can tell that you are ready to plant those seeds and grow an incredible book trailer that will

entice your viewers to read your book. We’re one step closer to producing our book trailers, but first we need to do some careful planning. The best book trailers don’t just happen. Producers invest time and effort into planning each scene of a book trailer using a graphic organizer known as a storyboard. A storyboard is “a panel or series of panels of rough sketches outlining the scene sequence and major changes of action or plot in a multimedia production.” Storyboards allow a producer to think about the images they want to show in each scene, along with any special effects or sound. Producers also need to think how they will help the viewer move from one scene to the next. We know that transitions are important in writing, because they connect ideas and help the reader understand what the writer is communicating. Transitions are equally important in multimedia productions. Today, we will learn strategies for organizing our book trailer using a storyboard.

Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice Explain that there are many different kinds of storyboard organizers that can help producers plan a book trailer. Tell students that a storyboard is a rough draft of the book trailer plan. Simple sketches are appropriate. Display a copy of the Sample Book Trailer Storyboard for The Most Interesting Man. Explain that the storyboard includes a combination of photographs for the background and clip art for the characters. The final production included scanned images of Al Foxword in the final scenes. The images of Al were cut out and physically pasted onto the photograph backdrop. Then the new scene was scanned into the computer to create a separate image file. These images were then imported into Photo Story. The scenes that have WordArt text were grouped together in PowerPoint and saved as separate image files. The text at the top of the page is the narration for each scene. Some scenes do not have narration. The words and visual images on the non‐narrated slides are intended to create an emotional response from the viewer. Next, share the storyboard you created for the familiar book modeled in previous lessons. Explain the process

that you used to plan each scene. Describe the rationale for the inclusion of various effects, including images, sound, words, and other effects. Furthermore, when students put together their production, they will need to think about the timing and movement they want for each scene.


Ask students to think about one scene they would like to include on their storyboard. Have them describe the visual images, words, sound, music, and other effects that they feel would enhance the scene. Tell students to share their ideas with a partner and explain the rationale for the inclusion of each element. Listen in on the conversations and provide feedback as needed. After the partner talk, share a few of the ideas you overheard with the whole group.


Distribute copies of the storyboard organizer that students will use to create their book trailer plan. Explain to students that they will organize their book trailer by creating a storyboard to help them plan each scene carefully with the appropriate effects. Remind students that each element included in the book trailer needs a reason for being there. The adage, “less is more,” will help them craft effective book trailers. Near the end of the workshop time, have students share their storyboards with a small group and gather feedback.

Possible Conference Questions: What feeling do you want to create with the scene(s)? Describe your scene. What visual images, words,

sound, music, or other effects are included? What do you hope to accomplish with the inclusion of these effects?

Using a Storyboard to Plan the Book Trailer Minilesson: 8



1

Materials: Ready, Set, Publish! slide show – Appendix I Storyboard Plan graphic organizer – Appendix K or L (1 per

student)

Putting on the Ritz song (optional) There’s a Spider in My Bedroom student‐produced book trailer Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau book trailer Have I Got a Book for You (Most Interesting Man) book trailer

Note: This lesson helps students consider various design elements for using the software application Photo Story by

examining how they are used in three different book trailers.

Teachers may want to play a festive song such as Putting on the

Ritz to set the tone for the decisions and the work that students

will begin in producing their book trailers. A video version of

the song with Fred Astaire dancing is available on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/IFabjc6mFk4 As students work on the book

trailer, keep in mind the importance of using photos and images

that do not violate copyright. Generally, no more than 10% of a

book can be used for educational purposes.

Purpose: Writers prepare their book trailer for an audience by reflecting upon the design elements of a multimedia production,

including visual images, sounds, words, movement, and timing.

TEKS: 3.16 A, 3.16 B, 3.17 C, 3.17 D


If desired, play the song, Putting on the Ritz, as students gather to

the floor for the minilesson. Commend students for their efforts

in designing their book trailer storyboards. Explain to them that

they still have many design decisions to make. Each decision will

either enhance or detract from their goal of influencing their

viewers in the book trailer. Writers, it’s time to put on the ritz and add the pizzazz to our book

trailers. The phrase, “putting on the ritz” means to get dressed up as if

you were going to a fancy event. Well, writers, it’s time to dress up our

book trailers with special effects and different design elements.

Although we already have done considerable work, we still have many

important decisions to make in the design of our book trailer. Today, we

will look at a few book trailers to help us make decisions about the

design elements of our own book trailers.


Show slide 1 of the Ready, Set, Publish! Power Point, and tell

students that they will use their storyboards to help them

produce the book trailer using the software application, Photo

Story. Share the idea that book trailers are powerful vehicles for

conveying information and influencing the thoughts and actions

of viewers. To maximize the impact on viewers, it is important to

keep the design aspects in mind as the book trailer is being

produced. Introduce the different elements that book trailer

producers reflect upon by showing slide 2. Then briefly

highlight the key questions for each design element by

discussing the questions found on slides 3 – 6. Next, explain to

students that they will examine the format and design elements

found in three different book trailers. As students examine the

trailers, have them think about how they might use some of the

ideas in the design of their own book trailers. Introduce each

book trailer and point out unique design elements. Briefly

highlight the methods used to create the book trailers. Book Trailer 1: There’s a Spider in My Bedroom used scanned

images from the book that students read together in small

group with their teacher, Stephanie McCarty. After making a

plan and script, the students used a microphone to narrate

the book trailer. Music was added to reflect the mysterious

mood of the book.

Book Trailer 2: Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau used

images and text created in PowerPoint to allow more control

over the placement of the text. Librarian Bettie McGinness

first created the scenes in Power Point, grouped the text and

visuals together, and then saved the object as an image by

right‐mouse clicking and selecting “Save as.” The JPEG files

were then uploaded into Photo Story and music was added.

Book Trailer 3: Have I Got a Book for You (Most Interesting

Man) used photographs and clip art. The visuals were

grouped together and saved as an image in PowerPoint.

Additionally, scanned images of the character Al Foxword

were cut out and placed onto printed photographs. Then the

scene was scanned once more into the computer. The files

were uploaded to Photo Story. Music and narration were

added.


Allow students the opportunity to reflect on the various design

elements used in the book trailers and ask them to share with a

partner and idea they might try out. Have them share the design

element and the reason why they feel it would help them

effectively portray ideas about the book. Listen in on the

conversations and provide feedback as needed. Debrief with the

group by sharing a few of the ideas you overheard.


Recap what students have learned about selecting design

elements that will help them effectively produce the book trailer.

Explain that students will begin locating the visual images and

other resources they will need to produce their book trailer

during independent writing. Near the end of workshop, have

them share their storyboard and the design ideas they plan to

use in a small group. Encourage them to listen and consider new

ideas as they feedback from one another.

Possible Conference Questions: What is the mood or “feeling” of the book?

How will you grab and keep your audience’s attention?

What persuasive techniques will you use to “sell” your

book?

What kind of visuals will you use – photos or illustrations?

What text, if any, will you use on each slide to engage the

reader?

How will you order your slides to present your ideas?

How will you narrate the slides to share ideas about the

book?

What kind of music, if any, will you use to create the mood

of the book?

How will your transitions add to the overall effect you want

to create?

2

What information will you include on your title slide?

Do you want to include “director” information about

yourself at the end of the show?

Minilesson: Minilesson: 9 Getting the Book Trailer Ready for an Audience Minilesson:


Making the Book Trailer Using Technology Tools 10 Minilesson:

TEKS: 3.16 A, 3.16 B, 3.17 B, 3.17 C


Materials: Creating a Photo Story Book Trailer Checklist – Appendix

J (1 per student) Storyboard Plan graphic organizer – Appendix K or L

(1 per student) Book Trailer Rubric – Appendix Q (1 per student) Computers Note: The production of the book trailers will require 3‐5 days. This minilesson focuses on crafting a book trailer

using Photo Story, which is available for download on PC computers. However, teachers may use another software program to publish the book trailers. Additional information regarding the creation of a Photo Story presentation may be found in the following materials: Microsoft Photo Story help document – Creating Multimedia Video Files Using Microsoft Photo Story 3

Harvesting Pictures for Photo Story help document YouTube tutorial, Creating Book Trailers in Photo Story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6Oxf_6lmVs. Photo Story Review Video (2 minutes):

http://prezi.com/9xvvonltejxn/how‐to‐make‐a‐book‐trailer/

Modeling how to add images, text, narration, music, and transitions to the Photo Story presentation should occur in different minilessons. A suggested sequence is shown below. Focus on these different steps during the teach portion of the lesson. 1) Collect and organize pictures into a folder. 2) Create a new story, sequence pictures, and add text. 3) Set the motion and add transitions for each slide. 4) Record narration and sound effects. Prior to the lesson, teachers should confer with students to determine the different kinds of visual images and other effects that students will need to produce their book trailers. Students may need access to a camera to take pictures or a scanner to scan images for scenes in the book trailer. In addition, teachers may gather images and add them to a folder that is accessible to students.

Purpose: Writers use technology tools to create original multimedia productions that include visual images, sound, and

text.

Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point Tell students that their hard work will pay off today, because they are ready to produce their book trailers, so that they can be shared and enjoyed within their community of readers and writers. Review with students the work that has taken place thus far to explore the book trailer genre, generate ideas for the book trailer, and plan the multimedia production. Explain that there is still plenty of hard work to be done, and one thing that helps a person when they have a big project involving multiple steps is a checklist. Describe a time when you used a checklist to help you complete the necessary steps for a big project such as moving, preparing for a trip, or getting ready for the start or end of school. Tell students that you will use the Creating a Photo Story Book Trailer Checklist to ensure you complete all the necessary steps in producing a book trailer.

Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice Point out to students that they are now ready to begin step 2 – producing the book trailer with Photo Story – on the Creating a Photo Story Book Review Trailer Checklist. Use the Book Trailer Rubric to highlight your expectations for the project. Tell students that it is important to do one step at a time. After one step is completed, students will move on to the next step. Day 1: Model the process students will use for collecting and organizing their pictures into a folder. Refer to the help document Harvesting Pictures for Photo Story for steps on saving pictures from the Internet to a designated location. Day 1 or 2: Model how to create a new Photo Story for students. Refer to the document Creating Multimedia Video Files Using Microsoft Photo Story 3 for tips. Show students how to arrange the images in order, add text, and add

effects to pictures. Remind students to save the project. Day 2 or 3: Show students how to open the project they began on the previous day by selecting “Edit a project.” Model how to add narration to the Photo Story. Refer to the help document and video. Day 3 or 4: Model how to customize transitions and motions to the pictures. Additionally, show students how to add sound effects and/or background music to the project. When the project is ready to publish, show students how to save the story for playback on a computer.


In pairs, have students summarize what they learned about PhotoStory. Listen to the conversations and provide reteaching, if needed. Debrief by recapping the key ideas that students learned regarding Photo Story.


Each day tell students to use their storyboard and checklist during independent writing to help them develop their book trailer and monitor their progress. Provide time for students to create their book trailer on the computer.

Possible Conference Questions: What kind of mood do you want to create to match

the mood or tone of the book? What visual images – photos or illustrations – will

help you share scenes from the book? How will your overall design of the book trailer

capture the interest of your audience and cause them to want to read the book?



Materials: Red carpet premiere props such as red bulletin

board paper for a walkway, fake microphone for news reporting, etc. (optional)

Festive music such as Hooray for Hollywood (optional)

Star Student Certificate slide show ‐ Appendix P ‐ (1 per student)

Learning New Tricks through Film Study graphic organizer – Appendix O (1 per student)

Template for Designing Book Trailer Awards – Appendix N & slide show


Note: To add a festive element for the book trailer “premiere,” decorate your presentation area with a red carpet. Use props such as dress‐up clothes (e.g., top hat, tie, boa, tiara, jewelry) to allow students to share their book trailers in a playful way. As each new film is shared, have students walk onto the red carpet, and role‐play being a reporter interviewing the Hollywood celebrities. Consider playing music prior to the premiere to get students in the mood. A video with movie star images and the song Hooray for Hollywood is available on YouTube: http://youtu.be/bcskYeT0LOE Prior to the lesson, teachers may want to reproduce copies of the Star Student certificate to present at the book trailer premiere. At the conclusion of the premiere, present students with original awards signifying their accomplishments in designing the book trailers. Use the blank awards template for this purpose. There are multiple ways to share the book trailers. Teachers may invite another class or have students share their book trailers to a small group using a rotation system. Half of the students can share their book trailer, while the other students rotate among the groups to view the videos. Mid‐way through the workshop, students can swap the roles of presenter and audience. Teachers may adapt the Book Trailer Rubric to evaluate students’ work.

Purpose: Writers share and celebrate their book trailer

production within a community of writers and readers. TEKS: 3.16 A, 3.16 B, 3.17 E

Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point Compliment students for their achievement in producing their book trailer. Explain that it is a special day of sharing and celebrating with one another. Congratulations, Writers and Promising Film Producers! Welcome to our special premiere of the amazing book trailers. It’s an exciting day, indeed, as we get ready to share and celebrate the completion of our prized book trailer productions. Today, we will enjoy one another’s original creations and provide each other with feedback.

Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice Remind students that an important quality of being a good writer is taking the time to study and learn from other writers. As students share their book trailers today, explain that they will continue their film‐making study by noticing the qualities that are especially effective in their classmate’s book trailers. Provide each student with a copy of the Learning New Tricks through Film Study graphic organizer. Review with students the qualities of effective book trailers and relate those to the different categories shown on the graphic organizer. Next, describe the process your class will use to provide one another with feedback. Reiterate the importance of providing positive, specific feedback. Model how you would provide feedback by showing the book trailer you have produced or

model providing the feedback with another book trailer. Show students how you could add ideas to the Learning New Tricks through Film Study graphic organizer.


Ask students to practice providing positive feedback by describing a specific quality from the book trailer. Have them turn and tell their partner as if he was the individual receiving the feedback. Listen in on students’ conversations. Share a few of the positive ideas that you heard.


Recap the process you will use for sharing the book trailers and providing feedback. Remind students that they are also to take note of the effective qualities that they observe in their classmates’ book trailers. During independent writing, provide time for students to share their book trailers and give one another feedback. At the end of the workshop, ask students to share one thing they learned from studying their classmates’ book trailers. Present students with their Star Student certificate and give out original awards for students’ work, if desired.

Possible Conference Questions: How’s it going? What is one new idea that you learned by

watching your classmates’ book trailers? If you could revise your book trailer, what is one

thing you would do to make it more effective?

11

Did your book trailer have the impact on your audience that you thought it would have? Why or why not?

On the Red Carpet: Celebrating the Book Trailer Premiere Minilesson:

Unit of Study - Pearson Schoolstorage.schoolnet.com/cfisd/LANG_3_A_Book Trailers_MAT_Overview and... · Prior to the unit of study, teachers should gather a variety of book trailers

Documents