Outcomes

Francis Greenway High School

Stage 5 EnglishDracula unit

Duration: 10 weeksYear 9 unit

Note to teachers: highlights of the project

This unit was enthusiastically received by the 3 Year 9 classes who trialled it. From the first lesson the students were actively engaged, enthusiastic in their discussion and willing to extend their skills and knowledge. Students who had been reluctant participants in the learning process in previous units were often the first to hand in their tasks and assignments and volunteered in discussions for the first time.

All students were more comfortable with the concepts of context, representation and genre by the end of the unit. Their written and verbal skills were also extended and they are now more confident in their ability to analyse a range of texts to gain meaning.

The teachers who created the unit also enjoyed the process and would often share their ideas and activities and classroom experiences on a deeper level than previously. Other teachers have also been involved in the discussions and it has allowed the whole faculty to start thinking more actively about what we expect from our students as well as planning for the new syllabus. Sharing of tasks, discussion on expectations and product were extremely beneficial.

One of the values of the unit is that it can be easily transferred to other horror texts/films so you can use a variety of texts found in the book room. The unit while focussed on Dracula could easily be used with other Horror classics as the concepts explored and the tasks issued would be easily adapted to other texts such as Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Frankenstein. There are abridged versions for all these texts for the lower ability students and plenty of material to support the unit. A unit focussing on ghost stories, traditional and contemporary, would also work using this basic structure of this unit.

There is a wealth of material out there to use on this unit and would allow it to move in a variety of directions. The internet, English textbooks, DVD bonus material etc mean that developing ideas is not difficult in fact, there is so much you need to be very clear on what you want from the unit or it could go for the whole year and be bigger than Ben Hur!

Important note if you are planning to use this unit you should check to see what religious and cultural beliefs your students hold. We had several students whose faith discouraged the studying of horror and evil characters. We approached these students and their parents well before the unit was set to start to see what would be of concern and how they could be accommodated. By focussing on the power of good and faith and highlighting the positive lessons of these texts we were able to allay most concerns, and where not alternative tasks were set (see Handouts), especially during the film study. We found that these students actually added value and cultural insight into the texts and that the students were comfortable in expressing their beliefs. Their ideas and values were accepted by the other students and, in some cases, their acceptance as part of the group was enhanced by a greater understanding of where they were coming from.

With the M rated films you will also need to abide by the DET ruling re the viewing of such films. With the unit being studied in Year 9 some students could still be fourteen, so you would need to change your selection to fit into this requirement and/or only show selected scenes. Studying this unit in the second semester will alleviate this problem for most classes.

You can access the DET video memo at: http://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/administrative/legal/useofvideo/PD20020043.shtml

How this project has developed understanding of the new English syllabus and aspects of the Quality Teaching framework:

Working on this unit allowed the participants an opportunity to look closely at the outcomes, content and objectives of the syllabus and really get our head around what we needed to do, not only in regard to this unit but to programming for Stage 5 in general. It was also nice to be able to start actively developing units, in line with the new syllabus, that helped with giving students the knowledge and skills they needed to be better prepared for the demanding expectations of the Stage 6 syllabus.

The Quality Teaching framework was invaluable as a framework when planning this unit. We started with a desire to engage all our students by using texts that most students of this age are interested in and have an opinion on. They all had something to bring to the unit in the form of background and cultural knowledge and these ensured many substantive conversations as a result!

Further, we deliberately aimed at placing high expectations on all our students, regardless of ability, by challenging the students to move beyond the surface of the texts and in the nature of the tasks set during the unit. The deliberate teaching and using of metalanguage and higher order tasks were a focus of the unit and again the students rose to the challenge; and explicit criteria ensured that they were able to succeed at assessment tasks proving the value of the Quality Teaching Framework.

Using the frameworks in planning all aspects of the unit and making sure our expectations were clear right from the start certainly aided in the success of our unit and will encourage other teachers to use the frameworks in conjunction with the syllabus outcomes to plan further units of work.

Other ideas to support future implementation:

This unit could be used as is or you could split the unit and do at separate times or only use the sections of the unit dealing specifically with Dracula. You would not need to do the Horror introduction or Representing Dracula sections for the unit to be successful.

As was said earlier there is a lot of material out there that fits with this unit. So there are a lot of tangents you could follow to change the unit to mean the needs, interests and skill focuses relevant to your school/class. Get on the internet, look through your book room and library, go back through your textbooks and you will find other materials and examples that would be effective in this unit.

Stage 5 Focus Outcomes

A student:

1

responds to and composes increasingly sophisticated and sustained texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis and pleasure

2

selects, uses, describes and explains how different technologies affect and shape meaning

3

selects and uses language forms and features, and structures of texts according to different purposes, audiences and contexts, and describes and explains their effects on meaning

4

transfers understanding of language concepts into new and different contexts

5

experiments with different ways of imaginatively and interpretively transforming experiences, information and ideas into texts

6

thinks critically and interpretively using information, ideas and increasingly complex arguments to respond to and compose texts in a range of contexts

7

investigates the relationships between and among texts

8

demonstrates understanding of the ways texts reflect personal and public worlds

9

questions, challenges and evaluates cultural assumptions in texts and their effects on meaning

Resources

Texts:

Dracula, retold by Mike Stocks, Usborne Classics, 2002, ISBN 07460 4724 X

Dracula, Bram Stoker, Puffin Classics, 1994, ISBN 0 14 036.717 9

English Elements 1, Guest, Eshuys, Crawley and Lewer, Jacaranda Wiley, 1997 Unit 15, Fun with Horror

English Elements 2, , Guest,and Eshuys, Jacaranda Wiley, 1997

Flights of Fantasy 1, J Reid and K Reddan, McGraw-Hill, 1989 Surprise! Surprise!

mETAphor, November 1997, Issue 4. Horror! Horror! by Bill Simon and Jane Slatttery

mETAphor, March 1996, Issue 1 Dracula Unit by Paul MacDonald

mETAphor, May 1997, Issue 2 The Figure in the Shadows by Paul MacDonald

Websites:

Viewing and re-viewing Dracula unit, Enhancing literacy in secondary English, LIG August 2002: http://www.qtp.nsw.edu.au/qtp/files/elise/project6/context.html

Vlad the Impaler: http://www.vladtheimpaler.com/

Dracula lesson unit: http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/dracula/

Thumbnails of various editions of Dracula texts: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/102-1584619-8811343

Dracula movie posters: http://www.allposters.com/gallery.asp?aid=821043350&c=c&search=16881

Dracula posters: http://209.150.104.196/horror/dracula/posters/

Transylvania online: http://www.transylvania-castles.com/

Draculacastle.com: http://www.draculascastle.com

The real prince Dracula: http://www.royalty.nu/Europe/Balkan/Dracula.html

Videos/DVDs:

Dracula, 1931, with Bela Lugosi

The Road to Dracula (PG)

Bram Stokers Dracula, 1992, Francis Ford Coppola (M)

Michael Jackson Number Ones, Epic Records, 2003 (G)

Scream, directed by Wes Craven, Miramax Films 1996 (it is MA but we only used the small section on what happens in a horror story that is appropriate)

Making Van Helsing (G)

The Lost Boys (M)

Buffy vs Dracula, Season 5, Episode 1, Twentieth Century Fox (M)

Content

Assessment for learning

Quality Teaching elements

Introduction

What made you scared as child? Personal response then share with class. What do the objects of fear have in common?

What makes you scared now? Personal response before sharing with the class. Have the fears changed? Why?

Read the poem, Night Horrors (Elements 1, p243). Discussion, then answer the following questions:

What atmosphere is created in the first three lines? How?

What was the child scared of?

How were the snakes described? What did they think of the images?

Why the linking of snakes to Satan?

What is the effect of the alliteration of the s?

Why do you think the mother is described as a sorceress?

Did you think it was an effective poem at describing a nightmare?

What do your nightmares consist of?

How do you react when you are scared? Personal reflection, then shared with class. Why do we react the way we do? Discussion of fight or flight reaction as well as why our bodies respond the way they do to fear.

Additional activity

What are phobias? What phobias are there? Research phobias and report findings to the class.

Substantive communication

High expectations

Background knowledge

Cultural knowledge

Narrative

Characteristics of horror texts

Horror settings

Brainstorm some of the places horror stories typically occur in eg graveyards, old castles etc. List ideas on the board. Do these settings have something in common that makes them perfect for horror stories?

Homework: choose one of the settings and try to describe it so it sounds scary and spooky.

Share descriptions. What did they like about each others efforts? What words, symbols and images (eg, metaphors and similes) were effective in creating a sense of danger, of things being not quite right?

Use of the five senses and why this helps to create effective atmospheres and settings.

Adjectives, verbs and adverbs: their effectiveness in creating the desired tone.

Brainstorm, using homework pieces as a starting point, to create a list of appropriate vocabulary to use in a horror story.

Write the following on board or overhead:

I stood in front of the castle then opened the door. When it opened I could smell a bad smell. I walked inside. I could see nothing but heard a sound. I stopped for a while then moved further into the room. The smell was getting worse.

Discussion: is this effective as a horror story? What is missing? Using vocabulary list students rewrite the passage making it more frightening and more effective as a piece from a horror story. Share writing with the class. What was effective and why?

Horror characters

Students brainstorm some typical horror characters, eg ghost, witch, vampire, etc. (see Elements 1).Why do they think the heroes usually dont have special powers or gifts while the villains do?

Students choose one of the horror characters to write a description, describing their physical appearance as well as movement, voice, powers.

Handout 1: Horror story assignment

Students are to write their own horror story, or part there of. They are to make sure they create a spooky tone by making their writing descriptive (using adjectives, verbs and adverbs) and by using the senses. The story should have some elements of the checklist as well as including at least one villain and one hero/heroine.

Encourage students to share their stories with the rest of the class.

Horror plots

Brainstorm what usually happens in a horror story.

Discussion starters:

How do they usually start?

What happens in the course of the story?

What difficulties do the heroes usually face before they defeat the evil villains?

How do the stories end?

How to survive a horror story/movie list ideas from their own reading and viewing. What do characters need to do to survive the evil situations they find themselves in? Compare to Handout 2: How to survive a horror movie.

View the small section from Scream where they describe what happens in a horror story:

Did they include the ideas mentioned?

Could they think of examples that support/disprove their ideas?

Examine the importance of innocence and purity (eg virgins, no sex, no drugs, etc) in horror stories.

Discuss how changing values have changed this expectation to some extent.

This is a good time to introduce the term context and its effect on text composers and responders.

Watch Michael Jacksons Thriller video clip:

What does it do that is typical of horror films and stories?

Story lines?

Characters?

Events that occur?

What do film-makers use to create tone and atmosphere instead of adjectives, imagery etc? Think lighting, music, camera angles and special effects.

Analyse these in reference to sections of the video clip.

Create a horror checklist of things that you would expect to see in a horror story (i.e. makes it a horror rather than an example of the murder mystery or thriller genres).

Debate as to which ones are most vital list in order of importance.

This checklist to be used after their reading of different stories and with evaluating their own writing

Horror symbols

What are symbols? What symbols are typical of horror stories and movies? Brainstorm and list on board.

Buffy montage symbols characteristic of the horror genre, in particular vampires. What can they identify? Introduction of the idea of classic what makes something classic? Is it just something that is old or is it something more? Montage shows links between classic text and contemporary texts. Familiar images which link the contemporary characters (American) with the past (British).

Horror setting: descriptive paragraph

Passage rewrite

Character description

Handout 1: Horror story assignment and marking guidelines

Metalanguage

Background knowledge

Explicit quality criteria

High expectations

Historical context of Dracula

What do students think of when they hear the name, Dracula?

What do they know about vampires?

What do they look like, what do they wear?

What do they do?

What special powers do they have?

Where do they live, etc.

Share ideas create a list for them to copy down into their books.

Read the two articles on vampires from mETAphor. Answer the questions after discussion. What new information did they find out if any?

Discussion of belief into vampires (link back to articles) and how long that belief has been around.

Vlad the Impaler: Internet research task. Go to selected web sites and answer the following questions:

Who was he?

What did he do that made him so notorious?

Where did he live and when?

How did he die?

Other relevant information.

Discussion of their findings on Vlad. Why do they think he has been seen as the inspiration for Dracula?

Context explain term. Write definition. Show meaning and how it can be used with the novel, Dracula historical, social etc. Link to notes and research on vampires and Vlad. Read introduction to the abridged version as it sets the context of the novel nicely both the context of society in which it was written and of vampires as a horror character.

Brief profile on Bram Stoker personal context. Use Bram Stokers Dracula video shown on SBS.

Summary of research into Vlad the Impaler.

Deep knowledge

Deep understanding

Metalanguage

Background knowledge

Cultural knowledge

Studying Dracula

Look at the front covers of Dracula the abridged version that we will be reading in its entirety and the original version which they will get sections to read and compare.

1. Abridged version: discussion on choice of colour, font and size of lettering, images positioning, subject matter. What is it suggesting the story is about? What emotions are we meant to attach to it?

2. The original: how is it different? Think colour, subject matter, fonts, etc.

3. What audience do they think the two novels are aimed at? How have the visual choices supported their decisions?

Start reading the abridged version. At the end of page 13, read a discussion on what has happened, characters and hints towards vampires and evil incidents being the focus of the rest of the text. What hints are there about Dracula being a vampire thinking about it from the point of view of a person reading it at the time it was first written (i.e. who doesnt have the cultural knowledge of Dracula as we do today). Why is Jonathan in Transylvania? Why do they think Stoker chose Transylvania as the setting of his story? Look at map and find where it is. How does the author create a sense of fear and imminent danger in his writing?

Divide class into small groups and allocate a page each from the text, e.g. pp 812. Identify all the verbs, adjectives, adverbs, similes and metaphors in their selected section. How do they add the atmosphere, mood, tone? Rewrite the passage, p9, half way down (even though the roads were ) without the adjectives. How has the passage changed with their removal? What is the effect? Add identified words to their glossary. Link back to work on creating horror stories.

Extension activity: create a storyboard for the scene where the coach is travelling to the Borgo Pass and is met by Draculas carriage, trying to recreate this atmosphere visually.

Read the original first diary entry section dealing with the same incidents, pages (note the change in perspective and writing structure before they begin). Students read the section where they arrive at Borgo Pass and Jonathan is moved onto the other carriage and whisked away as well as when he first meets Dracula. In pairs, students are to compare the two versions. What is the same: ideas, sentences, images, for example; and what is different: word choice, depth of description, different incidents, for example. Share findings with group and write a class summary. Why do they think the abridged version has changed so much of the original? Think from the point of view of historical and literary contexts as well as intended audience. Which did they actually prefer? Which one created the most effective atmosphere of imminent danger and fear?

Continue reading the first chapter. What extra information do they get that confirms Dracula is a vampire? Why is Jonathan there? What does he do when he realises he is trapped? Start a character description of Dracula supported with quotes. Continue to add to this as they keep reading.

Read carefully the section pp 1517. What are the three women? What were their plans for Jonathan? Who stopped them and why? Now read the same section form Stokers original. What is different between the two readings? Hopefully they will get the seductive nature of the brides of Dracula and their actions, and Jonathans reaction to them, as well as the baby in the bag being left out. Discuss why these changes would have been made in the abridge version audience, cultural values?

Analyse the two versions of Jonathans attempt to kill Dracula pp 66, 7073 (1923). Which is more successful and why?

Predictions: try to make predictions as to the course of the plot. Use the textual hints to construct logical or reasonable predictions about the story, e.g. does Harker make it out of the castle unscathed? Why do you think there are 50 boxes and where do you think they are being taken? What is the purpose of Mina at this point in the story?

Introduction of Mina and Lucy: what characteristics do they convey? Innocence, purity of heart, friendship, etc. Why has Harkers fate been left unclear at this stage?

Shipwreck at Whitby

What happened? What clues are there that Dracula was on this ship? Look at original versions newspaper article. How is this information conveyed in the abridged version?

1. What starts happening to Lucy after the shipwreck?

2. Who is Jack? Who does he call to help cure Lucy?

3. Van Helsing character description. Why do you think Stoker makes him European? Why is he a scientist link to historical context.

4. How does he try to save Lucy? When do you think he realises she has been attacked by a vampire? What measures does he take to protect her? Why do they ultimately fail?

5. Mina goes to Jonathan what has happened to him? Write journal entry describing his escape from the castle.

6. Introduce irony. Look at Minas letter on page 59. What is ironic about her last few lines? Note other examples of irony as you go through the text. Get students to explain what is ironic in their own words.

7. How does Dracula get into Lucys room to attack her for a final time?

8. Who discovers that Dracula is in London? What do they do with the information?

9. How does Van Helsing know that there is a vampire in London? Possible activity write the newspaper article he reads from. Why do you think he feels its Lucy not another vampire doing the attacks?

10. Why dont you think that jack and Arthur can see that this is all the work of vampires? How does Van Helsing convince Jack then Arthur of the truth?

11. Look at the chapter, The Graveyard. How does the composer show how much Lucy has changed since becoming a vampire? Why do you think it must be Arthur that kills her once and for all? Activity Students to predict what will happen next. Why do they predict what they do?

12. Why doesnt Van Helsing see Lucys death as an end to the matter? What must they do to finish it completely?

13. Why doesnt Mina go with them to Carfax? What could happen as a result of her being left alone? What warning is implied in the chant from one of the patients in the hospital? Note: this is said by Renfield, one of Jacks mentally ill patients that has a more major role in the original version by Stoker. Students could do work on this aspect of the novel why is in the story? How is he used by the composer? Why is he left out of the abridged version until p 96?

14. Is the scene at Carfax, pp 89-92 effective in regards to being a horror story? Why? What does the composer use to evoke fear in the characters and the reader? Link back to fears listed at the start of the unit.

Handout 3: Dracula assignment.

Allow some time in class to work on it but majority done at home. Give specific criteria for each choice once students have decided which tasks they wish to do (not supplied here).

1. Look at pp 96100. Who is Renfield? Why is he dying? What has he done that scares them so much? When they get to Mina what do they find? What is the significance of Dracula bleeding? How is Dracula described, especially in terms of his reactions. What is the significance of the cross burning Mina?

2. Add more detail to Draculas character description. What do his actions towards Lucy, Mina, Renfeld tell us about him? What about the fact that he has more than one property in London: what does this tell us about him?

3. Look at the chase back to Transylvania. Why does Dracula go back there? How do they know how to find him?

4. What job does Van Helsing have? Why does he do these jobs while Jonathan especially is charged with killing Dracula? Link back to the killing of Lucy.

5. Revisit Horror checklist : what elements does Dracula have? Does this make it a good horror story?

6. Did they enjoy reading the novel, why, why not? What were they expecting from it given the image of Dracula? Did they prefer the abridged or original version of the story? Why, after extended analysis do they think it is labelled a classic?

Themes: what do they think the novel is saying is important? Think science, faith, loyalty especially. Find quotes to support those ideas group work and present to class.

Social context and moral coda. Use the theme work to discuss the following: Horror stories reflect the values and fears of that society. What was valued and feared in Stokers time? What do our present day horror stories tell us about our values and concerns? Does this and other horror stories reinforce the safety of the moral code?

Analysis of the visual features of the two covers and discussion of their effect and purpose on the responder.

Extension activity: Look at other book covers from different ages and countries. What images have they chosen and why?

Extension activity: storyboard a scene

Handout 3:

Dracula assignment

Theme report

Extension activity storyboard of choice

Deep knowledge

Deep understanding

Problematic knowledge

Substantive communication

High expectations

Cultural knowledge

Explicit quality criteria

High expectations

Student direction

Representing Dracula

Before watching the films analyse the video covers, on overheads, and look at the layouts, symbols, use of colour, etc. What does each suggest will be the focus of the movie? Who is the intended audience? What do they have in common?

Watch the original 1931 version of the movie (or scenes especially the start). How does it create the spooky atmosphere? Think use of shadows, close ups on the faces, use of music etc. Why the use of light on Draculas face? What do they think of Lugosis portrayal of Dracula? Why does Renfield play such a major role in this version? Discussion of how special effects and colour have changed movies (and audiences expectations).

Writing a review on the movie Use the reviews found in mETAphor (1997) for structure.

Watch selected scenes from the 1991 version of Dracula link to scenes selected in the original. What is similar/different to the ways they have created atmosphere? What is Dracula as a character like in this version? Which do they prefer?

Presents the terms intertextuality and appropriation. Link these to the following two texts.

Show Buffy vs Dracula (Series 5). Look at the opening montage. What elements link it to the novel and the vampire myths? How is Dracula portrayed in this text? Is it similar to/different from the other portrayals we have seen so far? Do they think the target audience for Buffy has had any influence on the way Dracula has been portrayed? What links are there to the novel: information on Dracula, themes, ending, etc. Who is the Van Helsing character? (Buffy). Looking at social context of this text, why is this appropriate?

View The Lost Boys. How has it interpreted the vampire myth? What similarities are there with the other texts, especially the novel? How has it changed due to changes in genre and target audience?

Discussion of the movie Van Helsing: how has it used and changed the image of Dracula? Show discussion from director on what he was trying to do with this character.

Final task: the portrayal of Dracula across the generations. Students use their notes and discussions on the various film texts to write a report analysing the image of Dracula over time. Students should tie this to their study of historical and social contexts.

Reflection on unit. What have they learnt knowledge, skills? What have they enjoyed? What didnt they like?

1.

Handout 4:

Movie reviews

Dracula through the ages essay

Deep knowledge

Deep understanding

Higher order thinking

Metalanguage

Substantive communication

English Stages 4-5April 2005Page 1 of 15

NSW Department of Education and Training

Curriculum Directoratehttp://www.curriculumsupport.nsw.edu.au/english/

English Stages 4-5April 2005Page 15 of 15

NSW Department of Education and Training

Curriculum Directoratehttp://www.curriculumsupport.nsw.edu.au/english/