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Unit: The Art of Being Funny: Grade: 8

This document outlines a lesson plan on the art of being funny. The 80-95 minute lesson has three parts: an introductory activity where students create mimes based on funny scenarios, a discussion of what makes things funny, and a webquest where students research and write comedy scripts. The lesson objectives are for students to describe humor, evaluate information respectfully, and participate respectfully in discussions. Formative assessment includes classroom discussion and defining comedy criteria. Summative assessment evaluates student responses to activities and debate participation.

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57 views

Unit: The Art of Being Funny: Grade: 8

This document outlines a lesson plan on the art of being funny. The 80-95 minute lesson has three parts: an introductory activity where students create mimes based on funny scenarios, a discussion of what makes things funny, and a webquest where students research and write comedy scripts. The lesson objectives are for students to describe humor, evaluate information respectfully, and participate respectfully in discussions. Formative assessment includes classroom discussion and defining comedy criteria. Summative assessment evaluates student responses to activities and debate participation.

Uploaded by

api-297610319
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Unit: The Art of Being Funny

Subject of Lesson
Length of Lesson
PLO Connections:
Language Arts
Big Ideas from the
New BC Curriculum

Comedy in media (TV, Film, Theatre, Video Game)


80-95 min + project work time (4 x 45 min classes?)
Language and text can be a source of creativity and joy.
People understand texts differently depending on their worldviews and perspectives.
Exploring text and story helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world.

Cross Curricular
Big Ideas:
Inquiry Questions

Lesson Objectives

(SWBAT)

Grade: 8

Exchange ideas and viewpoints to build shared understanding and extend thinking
Students will examine significant cultural achievements (Socials)
Artists often challenge the status quo and open us to new perspectives and experiences (Arts Education)
Creative growth requires patience, readiness to take risks, and willingness to try new approaches. (Arts Education)

Factual:
Why do people laugh?
Why do people laugh
when things arent
funny?

Conceptual:
Debatable:
What purpose does comedy hold in
Is humour a basic human need?
our lives?
What is the line between being funny and
How much of ourselves do we reveal
being offensive?
through comedy?
What does comedy reveal about our
times, our culture, and our place in the
world?
1. Participate in classroom discussion and group work in a respectful way.
2. Describe what humour is.
3. Use technology to assess and evaluate information with respect to their own opinions tied to respectful representation of
significant individuals and events in our society.
PROCDURE OU DROULEMENT

Time
(Min.)

20
min

Theoretical Technique Addition


Behaviourism: used by having group
incentives, modelling of desired task/behaviour
and cueing appropriate
actions/desired results
Constructivism: Students work to draw on
past experiences to connect to task
Developmental Theory: Students develop
intelligence by engaging in the acting out of

Teacher:
Hook:
Tableau activity. Question on the smart
board: What is humour? Give each
table group a funny scenario and have
students create a silent mime using
their bodies.

Students:
Students will participate in
group activity and work
respectfully together
Students play out their skit,
while those watching guess

Materials:

Paper with funny


scenario (number of
scenarios dependent on
number of groups

scenarios

10
min

20
min

30
min45
min

Behaviourism: modelling desired


behaviour and showing active engagement in
activity
Information Processing: students will
access previous knowledge
Constructivism: allows for the opportunity
for students to make personal connections to the
information
Developmental Theory: Students
participate at their level of development in the
discussion
Behaviourism: reinforcing on-task behaviour
and encouraging positive group intereactions
Information Processing: drawing on
previous knowledge to gain a new
understanding.
Constructivism: students participating in the
activity to effectively build and construct
knowledge
Developmental Theory: Students work
from their level of thought, to reveal their
understanding of the questions and respond
accordingly

Introduction:
Show them the video: Worlds
Strongest Girl (Just for Laughs: Gags)

Behaviourism: working individually to meet


the behaviour demands of the expectation.
Information Processing: students will be
asked to draw upon previous knowledge (even
back to knowledge that was constructed during
the lesson) and asked to justify (reflect upon)
their position with what they have learned.
Constructivism: the use of a Webquest
allows students to come up with their own
conclusions by following a series of different
videos and considering key questions.
Developmental Theory: Students can work
at their own pace through the Webquest,
exploring further if they so wish to, in order to
answer questions they may have encountered

Students watch the clip quietly


and discuss the question in

their table groups.

Have students share ideas,


with each table group
reporting out a response.

Just for Gags clip


Projector
Question written on a
board/projected

Pre-activity:
Presenting questions and mind
mapping.
1. What is funny to you?
2. What makes something funny?
3. What is the art of being funny?

Students will come up with key


concepts and answers,

creating a mind-map in their

table groups on a large sheet


of paper.
Have students report out
ideas.

Large sheets of paper


Markers
Optional: mind-mapping
online tool, such as
instaGrok

Activity: WebQuest Being Funny


researched. Get students set up on
devices in order to begin exploring
what the art of being funny, is.

Students will work individually


through the introduction and
first activity on their devices.

Webquest:
www.theartofbeingfunny
.weebly.com
iPads/ students
personal devices/
computer lab
Internet
Paper/blog for activity #
1 responses

Ask the question:


What makes this Gag so funny?

Activity #1:
Focus questions. Students pick two of
the following questions and respond to
them in depth with 5-6 sentences in
response to each question.
1. Why do people laugh?
2. Why do people laugh when things
arent funny?
3. What purpose does comedy hold in
our lives?
4. How much of ourselves do we

reveal through comedy?


5. What does comedy reveal about
our times, our culture, our place in
the world?

45
min or
more

30
min

Behaviourism: modelling desired behaviour


(participation groups)
Information Processing: calling on previous
knowledge/understanding and asking guiding
questions to build on new information
Constructivism: opportunity for students to
share what they learned in their inquiry and to
build on it together

Activity #2:
Students work either in a group or
individually to write a script for a Just

- Developmental Theory: Students can work


from their developmental stage to add to the
debate
Constructivism: mini-inquiry where students
are able to apply their new information to a
debate

Activity #3:
Individually, students reflect on the
following two questions:
1. Is humour a basic need?
2. What is the line between being
funny and being offensive?

Students work individually or


in groups to complete the
task.

Grading criteria
(http://theartofbeingfun
ny.weebly.com/evaluatio
n-criteria-a2.html)
Paper/devices to record
skits (ipads or
smartphones)

Students work individually to


prepare for the debate.

Paper or devices to
write down reflection for
debate

for Laughs: Gag. Students work to prepare


their script to be shared, by either prerecording the mime or performing it live.
Remind students to review the grading
criteria on the Webquest.

Students prepare a response in order


to engage in a whole class debate.
Wrap up of lesson:
(Links with objectives)

Students will have a minute to thank an individual in their group or their whole group for their contribution
Students will help create and review the criterion for positive participation

Evaluation:

Formative:
1. Students will engage in classroom discussion.
2. Students will be able to discuss criteria in relation to comedy.
3. Each group will provide a minimum of one suggestion for criteria.
Summative:
1. Students will be evaluated on their responses to each activity, including the initial questions, the skit they create, and
their participation in the debate.
In case of technical difficulties with devices, it is recommended that the computer lab be booked as a back-up plan for the
Webquests. Having students only act out their skits avoids technical recording issues as well.

Plan B :
(In the case of...)

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