Open to all Middle and High School Classes

Division I – 6^th – 8^th grade

Division II – 9^th – 12^th grade

Due: April 15, 2013

Table of Contents

1. The Challenge
2. Range of Activities
3. Process
4. Essential Questions
5. Student Outcomes
6. Evaluation Rubric
7. Curricular Goals

The Challenge

April 2013 is both National Humor Month and National Poetry Month. Soooo, this Meridian Stories Challenge attempts to honor both!

Create a comic skit – two to four minutes — that successfully communicates the basic rules that govern three different kinds of poetry.

• The three different kinds of poetry are up to the team (or teacher, if desired).
• The skit must communicate three defining characteristics of each poetic form.
• The skit can be about any topic of your choosing.

Comic skits are generally characterized by the following:

• Small Number of Characters: Since skits are generally very short, they don’t have too much time to develop character. Therefore, they usually feature only two or three characters.
• Exaggerated Features: For the same reason as above – very little time to develop and communicate character – the characters are often slightly exaggerated, which, in a comedy, can also service the humor.
• Plot Structure: Skits, like any story or scene, need to have a beginning, middle and end. If we look at this like a scene, then the following definition may help you structure your narrative. Citing the work of Jack Bickham in the Wikipedia entry on ‘scenes’, the characteristics are:
  • Statement of a goal
  • Introduction and development of conflict
  • Failure of the character to reach his goal, a tactical disaster.

While not all scenes or skits follow this pattern, this can serve as a helpful starting point on which your team can layer the elements of a comic scene.

• Setting: Most skits take place in a single setting or location. The team may choose any setting or location that they want with one exception: the classroom. The sketch cannot be ‘a class’ or set in any kind of formal educational setting.
• Format: A skit can take any form. It can be a newscast, a documentary, a sitcom, a game show, a mystery…there are numerous video formats that your skit can parody or embrace.

Deliverables include:

• The video of the comic poetry skit (this is the only Meridian Stories deliverable)
• The script

Range of Activities

• Exploration of various poetic genres and their defining characteristics
• Exploration of comedy, and how to write and produce it
• Character and Scene creation
• Scriptwriting
• Video  – Pre-production, Production, Post-production
  • Costumes, Set, Directing, Acting, Memorization, Video Editing, Audio Editing

The Process

During Phase I, student teams will:

• Identify the three forms of poetry that will form the basis of the content in the skit. Additionally, identify which three defining characteristics for each of three poetic forms that you will communicate in your skit. Be sure to clearly and succinctly organize this content because this is the material around which you will brainstorm your comic skit.
  • We recommend submitting your three choices above, as well as their defining characteristics, to your teacher for direction and comments.
  • Study media-based comedy. We recommend that your team look to current media sources – from Nick or Disney sitcoms to appropriate sketch comedy shows – to get a deeper understanding of how this medium communicates comedy. When watching these videos or TV shows, what makes you laugh? Why does it make you laugh? Take notes and this may help to inform some ideas for your own skit.
    • Comedy is often related to humor that is sexually, culturally or ethnically based. This Challenge will not accept any material that:
      • Is sexual in any way;
      • Denigrates or demeans any part of the population; or
      • Is generally offensive or uses inappropriate language.
      • Brainstorm your skit. While there are numerous brainstorming approaches (see Meridian Tips below), the questions below direct your team to begin with the content itself. It essentially asks you to consider this: what, in the content itself, is funny?
        • What are the unique characteristics of your poetic choices that might lend themselves to comic situations?
        • Pick several examples of each genre of poetry and starting reciting those examples to each other. Recite them quickly and slowly, dramatically and without emotion. Does anything comical emerge from this exercise?
        • Consider how the three different forms of poetry might match up to three different character types.
        • By the end of Phase I, you should have a creative approach in place for your skit. Once this is settled upon, we recommend submitting a synopsis of your creative approach to your teacher for comments and direction.

 

Meridian Stories provides two forms of support for the student teams. Media Innovators and Artists – This is a series of three to four minute videos featuring artists and innovative professionals who offer important advice, specifically for Meridian Stories, in the areas of creativity and production. Meridian Tips – These are short documents that offer student teams a few key tips in the areas of creativity and production.   Recommended review, as a team, for this Challenge include:
Media Innovators and Artists	Meridian Tips
On Directing Comedy – Davis Robinson On Scriptwriting and Comedy – Kent Pierce On Acting – Janet McTeer On Film Producing – Tom Pierce	“Creative Brainstorming Techniques” “Video Editing Basics” “Sound Recording Basics” “Producing: Time Management”

During Phase II, student teams will:

• Write and finalize the script. This will take several drafts and discussions amongst the team. With each draft and discussion, be sure to read aloud your work. This will help your team to consider new ways to make it livelier and funnier.
• Pre-produce the shoot. This involves securing the location; dressing the location with set pieces and props as necessary; agreeing on the costumes and setting up the remaining logistics of the shoot.
• Rehearse the piece. Comic skits are a very challenging genre. Comic skits… about poetry are even more challenging! Rehearse. Play around with different readings and approaches. Pay close to attention to timing – a lot of comedy is intricately tied to timing (as you will have discovered when you were researching comedy skits on TV and the Internet).
• Shoot the comic skit.

During Phase III, student teams will:

• Post-produce the skit, including the visual and sound editing of the final piece.

Essential Questions

1. What are three different forms of poetry and their defining characteristics?
2. What is comedy, on the page and in production?
3. What is involved in writing an original scene with your own characters, plot and dialogue?
4. In developing, prepping and shooting an original comic scene, what did you learn about the relationship between words (dialogue), images (setting and character) and music/sound to create effective storytelling?
5. How has immersion in the creation of original content and the production of digital media deepened the overall educational experience?
6. How has working on a team changed the learning experience?

Student Outcomes

1. The student will have a clear understanding of three different poetic forms and their defining characteristics.
2. The student will have a visceral understanding of the key elements involved in creating comedy.
3. The student will have a clear understanding of the key elements that go into making a short narrative through their work in the area of character development, plot development and script writing.
4. The student will understand how to tell a story visually through a mixture of video, music and sound.
5. The student will learn that using video media to effectively communicate character and story reveals new layers of narrative understanding and meaning.
6. The student will have an increased awareness of the challenges and rewards of team collaboration.

Evaluation Rubric – Comic Poetry Skit

CONTENT COMMAND – Clear understanding of the three poetic forms and the comedy genre
Criteria	1 – 3	4 – 7	8 – 10
Three Poetic Forms	The three poetic forms are not presented clearly	The three poetic forms are evident and integral to the scene	The three poetic forms are presented clearly and used creatively to propel the scene forward
Poetic Forms: Defining Characteristics	The defining characteristics of the three different poetic forms are not presented clearly or fully	The defining characteristics of the three different poetic forms are covered	The defining characteristics of the three different poetic forms are presented clearly and fully
Comedy	The scene is not funny	The scene has several funny moments, revealing some understanding of the comic genre	The scene is premised on a humorous conceit, executed well and reveals a solid understanding of the comic genre
STORYTELLING COMMAND – Effective use of narrative elements to communicate content
Criteria	1 – 3	4 – 7	8 – 10
Character Creation	The characters do not contribute to the appeal or enjoyment of the skit	The characters are interesting and appropriate for the skit	The characters are compelling and perfectly suited to the skit
Dialogue	The dialogue does not service the comic skit effectively	The dialogue propels the comic skit effectively	The script uses language effectively to reveal character, surprise and evoke humor
Creative Premise	The creative premise does not successfully integrate the poetic content in a humorous and engaging way	The creative premise successfully integrates the poetic content	The creative premise successfully integrates the poetic content in a humorous and compelling way
MEDIA COMMAND – Effective use of the media to communicate character, story and genre
Criteria	1 – 3	4 – 7	8 – 10
Acting	The acting is lacking coherence and discipline for the skit to be effective	Some of the acting is good, intermittently contributing to the skit’s success	The acting is consistently funny and engaging
Visual Elements: Setting, Wardrobe and Props	The choice of visual elements did not effectively support the skit’s intent	The visual elements were well chosen and supportive of the skit’s intent	The visual elements were thoughtfully curated and perfectly suited to the skit
Editing and Music	The video feels patched together and the overall use of music and sound effects detracts from the skit	The video generally flows, and the use of music and sound effects generally support the intentions of the skit	The video is well edited and timed to deliver the comedy. The selective use of music and sound effects enhance the comedy inherent in the skit

21ST CENTURY SKILLS COMMAND (for teachers only) – Effective use of collaborative thinking, creativity and innovation, and initiative and self-direction to create and produce the final project.
Criteria	1-3	4-7	8-10
Collaborative Thinking	The group did not work together effectively and/or did not share the work equally	The group worked together effectively and had no major issues	The group demonstrated flexibility in making compromises and valued the contributions of each group member
Creativity and Innovation	The group did not make a solid effort to create anything new or innovative	The group was able to brainstorm new and inventive ideas, but was inconsistent in their realistic evaluation and implementation of those ideas	The group brainstormed many inventive ideas and was able to evaluate, refine and implement them effectively
Initiative and Self-Direction	The group was unable to set attainable goals, work independently and manage their time effectively	The group required some additional help, but was able to complete the project on time with few problems	The group set attainable goals, worked independently and managed their time effectively, demonstrating a disciplined commitment to the project

Curricular Goals

The Comic Poetry Skit Challenge addresses a range of curricular objectives that have been articulated by the new Core Curricular Standards – English Language Arts. Below please find the standards that are addressed, either wholly or in part.

 

Core Curricular Standards – English Language Arts Standards

Standard	8th	9th/10th	11th/12th
W3   WRITING   Text Types and Purposes	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
W4   WRITING   Production and Distribution of Writing	Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience	Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.	Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W5   WRITING   Production and Distribution of Writing	With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.	Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.	Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
SL1   SPEAKING AND LISTENING   Comprehension and Collaboration	Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher- led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.	Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.	Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one- on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL5   SPEAKING AND LISTENING   Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas	Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.	Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.	Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
L3   LANGUAGE   Knowledge of Language	Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.	Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.	Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
L5   LANGUAGE   Vocabulary Acquisition and Use	Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.	Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.	Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.