Explain how information from multiple representations of a topic contribute to understanding of the topic (Inclusive Big Idea #7)

Reading Literature

Grade 8: English Language Arts

Inclusive Big Idea #7: Explain how information from multiple representations of a topic contribute to understanding of the topic

Standard: Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors. RL.8.7

• Anchor Text: Use an anchor text such as The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Watch one of the film versions or listen to an audio version of the text and compare and contrast the book with the other version. Learn more about accessing grade-level text in this TIP Sheet.
• Venn Diagram Study: To create a deeper understanding of the difference between how a story is presented in two different contexts, read or listen to a story, and then view a movie based on the story. Compare the experience of the two different ways by completing a Venn diagram. Learn more about graphic organizers in this TIP Sheet.
• Grand Conversations: To delve deeper into the differences between stories presented in text and those presented on film, read or listen to a book that has had a movie made from it. Next, have a conversation about the similarities and differences. Questions to consider asking include:
  • What happens in the book that doesn’t happen in the film?
  • Are the characters you read about in the story represented as you envisioned in the film?
  • How does the film help you understand the feelings/thoughts of the character?
  • What version most impacted your understanding of the theme?
• Act It Out: Students can participate in role playing/performing the texts that they have read. After, they can discuss what aspects of the story they were able to convey through their performance and what they found challenging.

For example, one possible barrier for students is if information is presented in only one way, such as text or audio.

Ideas to reduce this barrier could include:

• offer flexible format for the size of text, images, graphs, tables, or other visual content
• offer alternatives/supports to text such as objects, partial objects, tactual representations
• make sure there is adequate contrast between text or object and background
• provide options for students to adjust the volume or rate of speech or sound
• follow accessibility standards (NIMAS, DAISY, etc.) when creating digital text

Use these Inclusive Strategies to help reduce barriers.

• What are "Story Elements"?
  • Story elements are, essentially, the parts of a story. These elements develop the actions or events in the story in a logical way to enable readers to easily follow the text.
  • Students can compare the presentations of a story through different media, such as illustration or words.
• What are Some Essential Elements?
  • characters- the individuals in the story
  • setting- the location and time period where the story takes place
  • plot- what happens in the story and should a clear beginning, middle, and end
  • conflict- the problem in the story; the plot in a story should be centered on the conflict
  • resolution- the solution to the problem or conflict
• How Can I Incorporate Multimedia Storytelling?
  • Readers can gather information about a story through multiple forms of media.
    • Text: the words in a story describe characters, settings, and events.
    • Illustrations: represent story elements through drawings, pictures, or other forms of artistic representations.
    • Audio: uses sound effects, music, or lyrics to help convey information about the story.
    • Dramatic performance: a play of film representing the events of the story. Characters are represented by actors and costumes, and settings must be recreated by scenery.

Common Student Misconceptions

• Story Elements: Students often miss aspects of story elements when summarizing a text. In addition, some texts are considered “inconsiderate” texts and do not provide enough to allow students to fully understand all story elements and must fill in the gaps with prior experiences and personal preferences, leading to problems with comprehension. For those texts, consider providing background information and additional opportunities for text to self connections.
• Characteristics of Different Media: Stories can present the same information in different ways from other media. While stories use words to describe aspects of characters, settings, or events, these elements can be represented visually through other media.

Links Across Content Areas

• Social Studies: Read a historical fiction text and then watch a documentary about the same topic and compare/contrast.

Seventh Grade: Explain how information from multiple representations of a topic contribute to understanding of the topic (RL 7)

Eighth Grade: Compare and contrast elements of texts (RL 9)