City of God Study Guide

Click on the image for a link where you can download a useful Study Guide on City of God. It's not very advanced (you received a similar one on Bullet Boy before you went on study leave) but it's good for refreshing your memory.

Try to do some of the activities that are suggested as this will make a change from essays and essay plans (and I'm sure you've done dozens of those already!).

Bowling for Columbine on TV

Set your DVD recorders/PVRs (or VHS recorders for those still in the 20th Century) for Bowling for Columbine. Details as follows...

Tues 23 May, 9pm
More4 (available on Sky, Cable and Freeview)

There is a short Michael Moore season on the channel this week. Try to record/see one of his other films too if you can...Farenheit 911 (Monday 22nd, 9pm) or Roger and Me (Wednesday 24th, 9pm).



Also, once you've found the channel you might like to know that they are currently broadcasting the second season of another of your Module 2 texts...Curb Your Enthusiasm (every Sunday at 9.30pm or 10.10pm, depending on which listings guide you read). It is worth checking out a few extra episodes so you can spot some of the conventions more clearly and the way the humour works.

Module 2 Revision/Preparation

Your revision/preparation for Module 2 should be...

• Read through all notes, handouts and past essays on the key texts...

1. Film & Broadcast Fiction - 'Bullet Boy', 'City of God', 'Curb your Enthusiasm', 'Eastenders'.
2. Documentary - 'Bowling for Columbine', 'Big Brother', 'Man With a Movie Camera', 'Triumph of the Will'.

This includes all the general handouts on documentary, soaps and sitcoms, etc. - particularly those that you've been given this week that have a range of activities for you to consider.

• Make new notes on each key text (above)...your own mini-revision guides, focussing on the Key Concepts for each one.

• Re-read Module 2 revision pack.

• Revision of MIGRAIN - key questions to ask, keywords/glossary + film language worksheets.

• Read through all 'Film & Broadcast Fiction' & 'Documentary' past questions.

• Write essay plans for as many different questions as possible.

• Complete as many timed essays as you can (45 minutes/question).

Please post up as comments on here a record of the practice you have done- it will be useful for people to share ideas about how to approach certain questions and an opportunity to ask Macguffin to explain anything about any of them.

And don't forget - you can bring any timed essays in over the next one and a half weeks of school to show to your teachers before the exam on Thursday June 8th at 9am (straight after the Module 1 exam). ARRIVE 15 MINUTES EARLY!!

Module 1 Revision/Preparation

Your revision/preparation for Module 1 should be...

• Revision of MIGRAIN - key questions to ask, keywords/glossary + film language worksheets.

• Read through all Module 1 class notes, practices and handouts.

• Re-read Module 1 revision pack.

• Timed practice - MIGRAIN analysis of a range of two-minute (or less) moving image sequences...

1. extracts, title sequences and opening sequences from any genre of TV programme or film (soap, sitcom, documentary, news, gangster, thriller, etc.).
2. TV adverts and film trailers.

It is vital that you practice under exam conditions - spend 15 minutes note-taking/planning (watch the extract three times during this period) and then one hour writing your answer.

If you are short for time then you can always just do the 15-minute MIGRAIN note-taking exercise on some days but try to do this as often as possible (every day?).

Please post up as comments on here a record of the practice you have done - it will be useful for people to share ideas about what texts are good to try and an opportunity to ask Macguffin any questions about any of the Key Concepts.

And don't forget - you can bring any timed essays in over the next one and a half weeks to show to your teachers before the exam on Thursday June 8th at 9am. ARRIVE 15 MINUTES EARLY!!

Mentor Evaluation

For 12C & 12D students...

So you've evaluated the benefits of using blogs when working on the Practical Production - and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive so it looks like they're here to stay. Now it's time to ask whether having student media mentors to advise and support you with your coursework was a good idea or not. It's not the first time we've employed students in this capacity but the whole scheme was greatly expanded this year whereby either Danny, Chiraag or Sofia from Year 13 were on call every day, both before and after school, to troubleshoot for you and offer you assistance. Was it worth it?

Please answer the following questions as fully as possible, providing concrete examples where you can. Remember to put your name at the end of your posting so we can check off who has completed the task and reward the most detailed responses (credits at the very least). The deadline for completion is Friday 19th May...

1. How did the media mentors help with your practical production/editing?

• Did they offer useful advice?

• Were they polite and professional?

• Were they supportive and encouraging?

• Did they have the right level of technical expertise?

• Had they received the right amount of training?

2. Do you think you did better in your practical production through having had the mentors' support?

3. Do you think next year’s Year 12s would benefit from having media mentors? Is it a good idea?

4. What could be improved about the mentoring system?

5. Would you be interested in being a media mentor? Why?

Blog Evaluation

For 12C & 12D students...

Now that you've completed your Practical Productions, we would like you to reflect on the whole process. This will allow us to think about how you (and future students) can best be helped in the future. In particular, we need to evaluate the impact of using blogs when preparing for coursework.

Therefore, could you please answer the following questions as fully as possible, providing concrete examples where you can. Remember to put your name at the end of your posting so we can check off who has completed the task and reward the most detailed responses (credits at the very least). The deadline for completion is Monday 15th May...

1. How easy was it to set up your Practical Production blog and to get used to posting things on it? Were you given enough support in doing it? What other help would have been useful?

2. How did the blog help with your research, preparation and planning? Did the blog motivate you to do more and better research? How? Why?

3. In what ways was the blog a useful tool for keeping in touch and communicating with group members?

4. How often (honestly!) do you check the Macguffin blog? (Remember, it should be at least twice/week).

5. Was it useful being able to see and access everyone else’s research and planning through their blogs?

6. How do you feel about the fact that your teacher can keep a close check on your progress through accessing your blog? Is it too intrusive and controlling or is it encouraging and supportive?

7. How useful have the comments been that you received from…a. Macguffin, b. other students.

8. How would you evaluate the quality of your blog? What could you have done better?

9. Do you think you will get a better final grade for your practical production through having used a blog?

10. Which are the best three blogs? Why?

11. Do you think next year’s Year 12s would benefit from setting up a Practical Production blog?

12. Are there any negative aspects to preparing for the Practical Production using a blog?

13. What could be done to improve teaching and/or learning in future through blogs?

14. Are you happy that we are planning to use blogs for your 3000-word Independent Study coursework in Year 13 (that you'll be working on individually)?

15. Overall, are you pleased that we used blogs? Has it been interesting and enjoyable? Why? Why not?