Inanimate+Alice

 'Inanimate Alice' tells the story of Alice, a young girl growing up in the first half of the 21st century. You can begin reading her story by downloading this link and pasting it into a new " Inanimate Alice" folder on your computer. The story is also on this page following the notes for this lesson.  [|Inanimate alice episode 1.doc]
 * **__Session 1, 14th April__**


 * Introducing Inanimate Alice Text (print version)**

// To model, identify and apply reading strategies (inferring, questioning, wondering) to make sense of both printed and digital texts // || Modelling of questioning techniques – use //thinkaloud// to demonstrate questioning text. || · Discuss title //Inanimate Alice// – what do you think inanimate means? Are there parts of the word you recognise that can help you work out the meaning? · Read first section of text together – ask questions and wonderings and record these. (think aloud) · Students work independently on rest of the text - discuss and share of ideas · As a whole group record: v student questions, wonderings/thinking v inferences are beginning to be made (what evidence and background knowledge are you using) ||
 * **__Session 2__**

[|Episode one-digital story] // To develop critical literacy skills to compare and contrast strategies used when reading and writing printed and digital text types // || As a reader – how did you read the texts? Did you read each text differently? || · Watch //Inanimate Alice// (episode 1) – as a class. · Students independently watch episode one. Purpose for watching again is to compare and contrast the two texts (print and electronic) from the __reader’s point of view__. (use T chart to record ideas) · Students to reflect on the strategies they used as readers to make sense of both texts. · discussion in small groups on strategies used – how the strategies helped them to make sense of the text ||
 * Introducing Inanimate Alice __Digital__ Text**

 **Episode One** Read the beginning of her story: ** INANIMATE ALICE **

My name is Alice. I am eight years old.

My dad was supposed to be home from his trip two days ago. We’ve been waiting for him to phone.

He goes by himself in his jeep, while Mum and I stay at base camp.

We’re in China, far up north.

My Dad has a lot of equipment and he uses it to look for oil. Mum says, John knows what he’s doing, he’ll be back soon.

That’s what she said yesterday and the day before. But not today.

My mum and I stay at base camp.

My mum – she’s called Ming – paints and I draw. We do my school lessons and I play ba-xi.

This is Brad I drew him myself.

But today we are in our jeep and we are going to look for my dad.

The jeep has giant wheels and a big satellite transmitter on the roof, and you can drive pretty fast in it even though there are no roads.

It’s bumpy though, and when I turn my player on it registers all the new locations and goes a little wild. Maybe it will help us find my dad.

Mum keeps saying we’re going to look for wildflowers we haven’t seen before, but she’s driving to fast for that. Still, whenever I see a wildflower I point my player at it, and take a photo …

Then I mail the photos to my dad so he will know that we are on our way even if he doesn’t answer.

We drive for a long time. We’ve never done this before, gone to look for my dad.

// Things I’d like to be doing: // · // skateboarding // · // going for a swim at a pool with a friend and without my mum // · // playing ba-xi with a friend – online or off, I don’t care - and sharing the cheats // · // playing with a dog, maybe, though, that might be scary, because we don’t have a dog and I’ve never played with one before //

In the middle of my list, my mum interrupts me.

She tells me to turn off my player, its annoying her. She is frightened.

I am frightened too.

It’s getting darker.

The sky is humming.

The sky hums up here, I don’t know why, as though it’s electronic.

We keep driving, and its getting darker and darker, and the jeeps headlamps don’t make any difference at all.

I wish I could turn on my player and look at the drawing of Brad I made earlier, but I’m not allowed.

So I look out the window, though there is nothing to see.

// Things I would do if I lived in a town: // · // have a bike // · // ride my bike to the cinema // · // see Ba-xi movie in real play time //

Then I hear Brad’s voice in my head and he says “Go that way,” and so I say to my mum, “Go that way,” and she does.

And we see my dad.

We see his jeep and my mum shouts, “Where is he?” “Where is he?” Then I spot him running down a hill next to his jeep, waving a torch and he is jumping up and down as though he is afraid we might drive right past him without seeing him.

And when we reach him he tells us that his jeep broke down and there’s no signal here, not for miles around – he walked and walked trying to find one, but he couldn’t, how strange is that? – and that it’s a kind of miracle we found him, that my mum must have the instincts of a bloodhound, and that reminds me, so I say, Can I have a dog? and they both laugh and smile, but I know they’ll say no, we travel too much to have a dog, we are always on the move, always.

And we charge up Daddy’s jeep and before we set out in convoy I say, Let’s go to a restaurant to celebrate, which is kind of like saying Can I have a dog? only even less likely to happen, and they both look at me, and they look kind of sad, because they know I know there isn’t a restaurant to be found for at least 500 kilometres in any direction.

Okay, says my mum, that’s a great idea, we’ll go out for supper to celebrate. And I wonder what she means.

Third session: 21st April  · Listening actively · Building on to ideas · Providing evidence · Discussion of ideas || · Discussion in small groups – What is a narrative text? What is digital fiction? How is a digital text different from a print text? What elements do they have in common? (__writer’s point of view__) Group activity analysing and critically evaluating episode one and the digital elements. Examine the different modes of sound, visual effects and text and how they each and together enhance the story. · Watching Episode 2 after reading the text. Clarifications and wonderings are discussed. Does it fit our defined elements of a narrative || Discussion on the difference between known and inferred information. || · Independently re- watch episodes 1 & 2 – for the purpose of gathering information to answer the questions: § What do we know about Alice? § What don’t we know about Alice? § What do we infer? || INANIMATE ALICE. student notes. docx **INANIMATE ALICE** **Wednesday 21st April Session 3 activities before episode 2 is watched** Group activity: 1. Create a T-chart and analyse the difference between the digital and text versions of Inanimate Alice. Use dot points.
 * **__Session 3__**
 * What makes a narrative text? //To identify text structures and features comprehensively and transfer this into their own writing to create episode four// ** || Explicit teaching of discussion strategies
 * **__Session 4__**
 * Inferring //To model, identify and apply reading strategies (inferring, questioning, wondering) to make sense of both printed and digital texts// ** || Model using the text to confirm, extend, question ideas.

2. Notice that the music begins on the third screen. Why do you think it appears here? Turn your volume off (or turn the speakers off) and look at the third screen closely – what effect does the music have on the general tone of this screen?

3. On this road journey the arrows which allow the reader to proceed appear on the road. Why do you think they are placed here and not close to the text as in previous screens?

4. The house screen is in stark contrast to the preceding scene in terms of sound. This node is almost silent. What sounds do you hear? What do you think that noise is? What might it suggest about Alice’s home at the base?

5. The painting screen enables the reader to proceed to the next part of the story relatively quickly. If the reader waits, a painting evolves on the left-hand side of the screen. What do you see emerge? Do you notice a difference in the colours used for each layer of the painting that appears? 6. Midway through the narrative the reader and Alice must take photographs of all the wild flowers they can see. When you read the story for the first time, did you know you had to take the pictures or did you think it was only for Alice? How many flowers did you see? Was Alice’s mum driving too quickly for you to take photographs of all four flowers? Did the music help you concentrate? Why?

7. 8. Examine the final two screens of the story. How do the various modes help you understand that this is the end of the story (even if the words do not say: “the end”)?

Laccetti Inanimate Alice: Education Portal ©2007

** Student Resource 1 – The Digitally Literate Classroom: ** Now you have finished reading “Episode 1: China,” Inanimate Alice.  Write a short blog (or journal) entry to think about your reading experience. Be sure to answer the following:  What tips might you share with other readers for their first digital story reading
 * Reading Inanimate Alice, Episode 1 **
 * Student Reading Reflection. Work with a partner to analyse the first episode of Inanimate Alice. **
 * What I did **(Explain how you read the story – did your eyes scan each screen from left to right? How did you feel about the sound, images, and words that would appear all at the same time on certain screens?)
 * What I enjoyed **(Write about what you liked most about Episode 1)
 * What I found difficult **(Write about the most difficult part of reading Episode 1)
 * What really worked **(What was the best bit about the story and why)
 * <span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS-Bold; mso-bidi-font-family: TrebuchetMS-Bold; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Next time **<span style="font-family: TrebuchetMS-Bold; mso-bidi-font-family: TrebuchetMS-Bold; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">(What will you do when it comes to reading Episode 2? How will you prepare?


 * Follow Up: Work in your 3 literacy groups from earlier this week, to do some HOT. **

􀂙 **Critical Thinking:** Give an example from Episode 1 that demonstrates Alice’s comfort with technology. What other examples can you find to support this view? What message do you think the creators are trying to convey?

􀂙 **Summarizing:** What, according to the story, are some of the benefits of technology? How does the story persuade readers that this is the case?

􀂙 **Evaluating:** Episode 1 of Inanimate Alice makes use of a variety of modes such as sound, image, text as well as demanding reader participation. In what way are these modes related? If you had to choose a single mode that adds the most to the story, which would it be? Explain your answer.

Download this word version of the table below. <span style="font-family: Verdana-Bold; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">As you re-read Episode 3: Russia, Inanimate Alice, analyse and write about what is happening in the story. <span style="font-family: Verdana-Bold; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Write at least one idea or piece of information each time an arrow (which links to the next part of the story)appears on a screen. The first one has been done for you.
 * ==5th May viewing episode 3. Watch episode 3 independently and record reading strategies you used, as a reader, to better understand the text.== ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana-Bold; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Close Reading Log **

or INFERENCE
<span style="font-family: Verdana-Bold; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> The speed of the music suggests there will be some action soon. || 19th May =Discussion questions about episode 3, in table groups:= =Question 1: What were the major strengths and weaknesses of the main characters in the story?= =Question 2: How would you describe the setting of the story?= =Question 3: How would you describe the mood or atmosphere that was created by the characters, the setting and the events of the story?= =Question 4: What were the major conflicts/problems in the story and how were they resolved?= =Question 5: What were the images, sounds and inter-actives and how did they enhance ( make better) the text?= =Question 6: How would you rate this story on a scale of 1 to 5 (1=poor, 5=Okay, 10=excellent) in comparison to episodes 1 and 2?= =Give reasons why.=
 * **<span style="font-family: Verdana-Bold; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Alice is 13 years old. **
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana-Bold; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">There is an image of a doll. **
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana-Bold; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The music speeds up. ** || <span style="font-family: Verdana-Bold; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana-Bold; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">She’s a teenager but maybe a little lonely as she still likes to play with dolls.

This tool will help you create a venn-diagram. http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/venn-diagram-circles-a-30032.html
 * ===13th May NAPLAN TESTING===

Inferences about the text and story in episode 3.
|| // To identify author’s craft, style and techniques and apply to own writing of digital fiction // || Analyse author’s, techniques, style and intent Analyse how a text evolves and changes || Watch episode 3 as a group ... discussion on what it means to view this episode “as an author” Students work in groups to discuss a specific focus (critical literacy elements ) and present responses back to class · Text structure (What is similar about the way the text is structured across all three episodes?) · Changes (What differences are there in three texts? Can you identify any patterns in these differences?) · Storyline (What elements/themes can you identify that are common to all three episodes?) · Author’s craft (What techniques and strategies has the author used to create this text?) ||
 * ==19th May- Group view of episode 3 and analyse as an author before writing own episode in Japan.== ||
 * ** Viewing of episode 3 **
 * || **If we were writers .....**

// To identify author’s craft, style and techniques and apply to own writing of digital fiction // // To explore the production of multimodal texts // || Identification of text structures and features that __impact on them as writers__

Identification of visual elements that __impact on them as creators__ || Decision making re working partners - discuss what is involved in working together and factors that should be considered when making choices about who to work with (this has been discussed previously and students were aware that they had to make final decisions in this session) Viewing Episode 3 as a group – focus on visual and structural elements Working partnerships discuss ... · What do you know about how the text is structured? How will this impact on the decisions you make as a writer? · What do you know about the visuals? How will this impact on the decisions you make as a creator? Share and record responses as a whole group Working partners - Begin brainstorming options for Episode set in Japan– using knowledge of story and text structure. || // To identify text structures and features comprehensively and transfer this into their own writing to create episode four // // To identify author’s craft, style and techniques and apply to own writing of digital fiction // || Where does episode four fit into a sequence of episodes? Can we justify the choices we have made as writers?
 * **Being writers .**

What makes a good narrative – What makes a good digital narrative? Use of these discussion points to construct an assessment rubric || Students focus on writing episode in Japan – at this stage important that focus is on writing the actual text rather than creation of the digital episode. Have available as reference points · text versions of previous episodes · charts and posters that have been created

Conferencing with writing partnerships – questioning and discussion focus on decisions made as writers not on content or storyline eg: · Accountability of decisions made as writers · Accountability of thinking in relation to episodes 1,2 &3 Yumi to present a powerpoint presentation which identifies important places/settings and characteristics related to living in Japan-culture, dress, food, festivals etc. ||
 * http://www.digitaldialects.com/Japanese.htm This is an excellent site for basic information about the Japanese language.

Use this rubric to assess your Japanese MPS episode.