Good Practice Case Study
Richard Hale School
School No 245
Enabling Students to Develop their Understanding of Christian Teachings through the Interpretation of Film
Date: |
20th July 2011 |
Subject Coverage: |
Religious Education |
Key Stages: |
KS3 |
Author: |
Tom Brownlee and Laura Cole
Tel: 01992 583441 |
Print versions:
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Printable
Case Study:
Scheme of Work:
The resources can be downloaded from the Scheme of Work at the end of this page |
School Web Site: |
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It is well established practice for teachers to use popular media clips to make teaching points. As well as providing a welcome addition to the teacher’s toolbox, popular media texts can provide dramatic and memorable stimuli for discussion and exploration.
Scenes from Million Dollar Baby and Minority Report are often used to access ethical dilemmas such as assisted suicide and the purpose of punishment, respectively. Students enjoy the active process of ‘reading’ film and TV dramas, which they find revealing and stimulating.
This project takes this a step further by basing the entire scheme of work around the study of a single film, Pay it Forward (dir. Mimi Leder, 2002). The scheme tasks students to examine key elements of the film – character, setting, narrative, imagery, cinematic technique and message – from a religious education perspective and to consider the core message of loving one’s neighbour.
Pay it Forward is available on DVD from online stores.
What would you do to change the world?
While Pay it Forward cannot be termed a ‘religious’ film per se, a close reading of it will enable students to engage with issues such as prejudice, Christian love, forgiveness and reconciliation, symbolism and allegory, sacrifice and martyrdom, through a variety of activities, including discussion, mime, art, reviewing and research. The scheme pushes students to cross over into using their skills from a number of curriculum areas such as Citizenship, Drama, Art and Design, Media Studies and English, with the students producing a film review for their assessment task.
From Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4
The ideas drawn out of the Pay it Forward scheme can form the basis for further development through the GCSE Religious Studies curriculum. For example, the OCR syllabus for Ethics 2 includes the topic of Religion and the Media, which has been a popular choice for students and teachers in recent years. The Pay it Forward scheme of work examines the influence of the media on audiences and the concept of allegory in the study of media texts, two of the elements of the Religion and the Media topic. Similarly, this case study covers aspects of Philosophy of Religion such as goodness and evil as well as Religious Ethics issues and topics.
The definition of the word “parable” is to “lay next to or compare”. A parable might be described as a story with a hidden message that only “spiritually opened” ears can hear. The parables thus are word pictures through which Jesus attempted to communicate the truth. In a sense Pay it Forward might be regarded as an extended parable for the television age.
Pay It Forward Scheme of Work for KS3 Religious Education
Lesson Questions
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Objectives |
National Curriculum Links |
Activities |
Resources |
What do we like and what don’t we like about the human race?
Why might people think the world is a big disappointment?
What can we do to change the world? |
To be able to:
- Consider why the world may be a ‘big’ disappointment
- Explain how we might be able to make the world a better place |
3.17, 3.18, 3.20 |
Starter – Questions about what we do and don’t like about the human race.
Watch the film and pause at the following points for the discussion questions in the PowerPoint:
4mins 22secs (after car crash)
12mins (end of first classroom scene)
28mins 22secs (after judge leaves the courthouse for wedding)
Complete question tasks from the PowerPoint about why the world might be a disappointment and what could be done to improve things.
Plenary – Discussion: What are students’ thoughts about the film so far and what do they think of Trevor’s idea? |
Pay it Forward DVD
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What are our initial impressions of the characters?
Are these accurate?
How do our opinions change as the film progresses?
What do we think about the concept of paying it forward? |
To be able to:
- Explore the idea of ‘Pay it Forward’
- Evaluate the role of the different characters in the pay it forward process |
3.18, 3.20, 3.21 |
Starter – Discussion: What is our first impression of the characters and is this fair? How do our views change as the film progresses?
Watch the film from scene 9 (28mins 31secs) – Pause for discussion after Trevor has explained the idea of pay it forward to his class at (32mins 25secs). Discuss what students think of the idea, will it work, why/why not?
Continue watching the film for approx. 25mins.
Complete the character profile worksheet to explore the impression of the characters so far.
Plenary – Discussion: Do people’s opinions about the characters vary in the class; share thoughts with partner and then feedback to the class.
Homework: Complete the character profile sheet |
Pay it Forward DVD
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What is a parable?
How are the parables of Jesus reflected in the film Pay it Forward?
Why could pay it forward be considered a modern parable? |
To be able to:
- Explain the religious messages in Pay it Forward
- Make links between the idea of paying it forward and the teachings and actions of Jesus |
3.1, 3.5, 3.9, 3.11 |
Starter – Read the quote from Nelson Mandela, discuss what it means and make links between his ideas and the work of Jesus and Trevor
Discussion about what is a parable and what students already know about Jesus’ parables.
Use the Good Samaritan parable as an example.
Divide into 6 groups allocating a parable to each group to read. As a group the students need to read the parable and then work out how it could relate to the idea of Pay It Forward. Complete the worksheet.
Share each parable as a class and fill in the grid with the information from the groups.
Plenary – How/why can pay it forward be considered a modern parable? |
While we strongly suggest you use bibles, if these are not available then you can use the Biblical Passages sheet
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What is symbolism?
What is an allegory? |
To be able to:
- Explain the symbolism used in Pay It Forward
- Explain what an allegory is and apply it to the film |
3.11, 3.12 |
Starter – Identify the meaning shown in the different symbols, this can be a discussion in pairs or recorded on mini-whiteboards. Feedback to the whole class.
Key word definitions – in pairs try to come up with definitions.
Read definitions and copy into exercise books.
Discussion about some of the famous allegories in books and films e.g. Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia
Allegories involving Jesus – make links to Superman and Trevor and discuss how these two could be an allegory of Jesus
Continue watching the film from scene 20 (1hour) until scene 29 (1 hour 33 mins). Whilst watching students should be thinking about the themes, Christian teachings and messages that the film is trying to get across. |
Pay It Forward DVD
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What is sacrifice?
What would you be prepared to sacrifice for things you believe in?
How is sacrifice shown in the bible?
How does the idea of sacrifice link to pay it forward? |
To be able to:
- Explore why sacrifices were used in the Old Testament as a way of atoning for sin.
- Examine reasons why Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice who stopped the need for animals to be killed. |
3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5, 3.8, 3.9, 3.13, 3.14, 3.18 |
Starter – What would you be prepared to sacrifice for different situations? Share with a partner and then as a class.
Copy key terms into books.
Read Genesis 22:1-19 – The sacrifice of Isaac
Answer questions in books.
Watch the end of Pay It Forward with Trevor’s death.
Plenary – Discussion about how the idea of sacrifice links to the film.
Homework: Find examples of film reviews for teenagers and make a list of things they include |
Bible
Pay It Forward DVD |
How do you write for an audience?
How do you express your views of a film clearly? |
To be able to:
- Write a film review about Pay It Forward
- Explain the religious themes, teachings and possible messages in the film
- Explain the use of film techniques
- Identify religious imagery, including symbolism and allegory
- Identify an audience and write for them |
3.7, 3.11, 3.20, 3.21 |
Starter – Share the film reviews that have been researched for homework and gather a list on the board of common ideas that are included in a film review.
Read the how to write a film review sheet as a class along with the level criteria.
Read the exemplar work.
Write own reviews using the writing frame and other sheets for support.
This task will take at least 2 lessons.
Extension: Design a film poster for Pay It Forward which shows some of the religious themes which are present in the film. |
Model work from students sheets:
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