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<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#FF6600" TEXT="#080000" background="16db85a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>                                                   <IMG SRC="1993a3d0.png" border=0 width="570" height="61" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  </B><B> </B></FONT><B>   </B><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Home"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Home">Home</A>   |   <A HREF="the_story_of_ed.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Story of Ed">The Story of Ed</A>   |   <B>Teachers' Page</B>   |   <A HREF="production_team.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Production Team">Production Team</A>   |   <A HREF="cast.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cast">Cast</A>   |   <A HREF="the_making_of_ed.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Making of Ed">The Making of Ed</A>   |   <A HREF="preview.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Film Preview">Film Preview</A>   |   <A HREF="screenings.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Screenings">Screenings</A>   |   <A HREF="willie_mays.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Willie Mays">Willie Mays</A>   |   <A HREF="links.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links">Links</A>   |   <A HREF="contact_us.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us">Contact Us</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FF6600" TEXT="#080000" background="16ed2e83.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="the_story_of_ed.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Story of Ed"><B><IMG SRC="162b4d80.jpg" border=0 width="180" height="216" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="the_story_of_ed.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Story of Ed"><B>The Story of Ed</B></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="teacher_page.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Teachers Page"><B>Teachers' Page</B></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="production_team.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Production Team"><B><IMG SRC="164b4780.jpg" border=0 width="180" height="120" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="production_team.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Production Team"><B>Production Team</B></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="cast.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cast"><B><IMG SRC="1e3b57f0.jpg" border=0 width="181" height="127" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="cast.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cast"><B>Cast</B></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="the_making_of_ed.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Making of Ed"><B><IMG SRC="1c8b5780.jpg" border=0 width="181" height="120" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="the_making_of_ed.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Making of Ed"><B>The Making of Ed</B></A></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1ccb5780.jpg" border=0 width="181" height="120" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Film Preview</B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="screenings.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Screenings"><B><IMG SRC="1deb5780.jpg" border=0 width="181" height="120" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="screenings.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Screenings"><B>Screenings</B></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="willie_mays.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Willie Mays"><B><IMG SRC="1edb5940.jpg" border=0 width="181" height="148" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="willie_mays.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Willie Mays"><B>Willie Mays</B></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="contact_us.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><B><IMG SRC="1cfb5cb0.jpg" border=0 width="181" height="203" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="contact_us.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><B>Contact Us</B></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="links.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><B>Links</B></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="169f34c3.gif"> <div> <I>Teachers' Page</I></div> <div>                         <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times" ><IMG SRC="21b765f0.png" border=0 width="374" height="95" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <bR> <div> The <I>Ed Meets His Maker</I> Teacher's Guide for 6th - 9th grade language arts, music and drama teachers is nearly ready for distribution.  The Guide has been developed in conjunction with middle school teachers who have used “Ed” in their classrooms and is part of a package including the original <I>Ed</I> short story, the <I>Ed</I> screenplay, film DVD, soundtrack CD, audition & out-take DVD and other materials.</div> <div> The following introduction from the Guide sets out the program's goals and strategies. </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>                                    Introduction</div> <div> <I><B>                           Teaching With Film</B></I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>Academic Goals & Strategies</U></B></div> <bR> <div>      <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" >     </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >It has been some time now since the proliferation of visual media in our kids' lives began to engender apprehension among parents and educators.  Yet, still largely overlooked amidst the concern over kids' immersion in music videos, web casts and pod casts, are the visual language skills developed as a result, and the opportunity that such skill development offers in the classroom.  </FONT></div> <bR> <div>           The use of film beyond that of the occasional adjunct to a lesson plan has validity if the active viewing and analytical skills that students have developed for visual images can be harnessed and applied to core curriculum objectives.  The study of the <I>Ed Meets His Maker</I> story-film pair is intended to accomplish that objective by pursuing two interrelated goals:  </div> <bR> <div> To improve reading and analytic skills through consideration of, and work with elements of the story including character development, theme and structure. </div> <div> To improve storytelling skills - both written and visual - by applying to written text the active viewing skills customarily used with film, and to film the critical thinking skills applied to literary interpretation.</div> <bR> <div> Achievement of these goals can be facilitated by discussion and exercises with story elements that are common to short story and film, as well as analysis of those elements that distinguish them.  In addition, activities relating to cinematography, music, and performance will help students reach these goals by enhancing understanding of an array of story components ranging from conflict to character development to mood.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B> </B></I><I><B><U>Ed Meets His Maker</U></B></I><B><U>: a Unique Teaching Tool</U></B></div> <bR> <div> In <I>Ed Meets His Maker</I> a young boy takes control of his life and makes it better.  The story's message of empowerment is meant both for young people who may be suffering in isolation like the main character, Albert LaChance, and for others who might wish to understand and perhaps even help an Albert whom they know. </div> <bR> <div> <I>Ed Meets His Maker</I> is a versatile teaching tool for a single class or a two-week unit, and it offers unique advantages to the teacher using film in core curriculum.  Though the film has a total run time of 14:40, it is a “complete” story that lends itself to the same structural and thematic analysis as a feature length film, but without imposing nearly the time and logistical demands.  And, it offers the same opportunity to apply a variety of language skills and strategies, and the same invitation to interdisciplinary study as does a feature film. </div> <bR> <div>  Another unique aspect of <I>Ed</I> is its “behind-the-scenes” aspect.  My comments as the original story writer, adapting writer and director of the film are intended to engage students more intimately in the creative process and thus stimulate their own creativity.  The students are invited to apply critical thinking not only in analyzing the story, screenplay and film, but also in evaluating choices that I and others made in the collaborative process that is filmmaking.  </div> <bR> <div> Other features such as interviews with key production team players including multi-Emmy Award winning composer Brian Keane and award-winning director of photography Tim Bellen are also intended to engage students with insights not just about filmmaking, but about making <I>this</I> film; a perspective not commonly available to middle school students.  </div> <bR> <div> Aside from its social theme, it is our hope that the study of “Ed” will help make another point as well: that storytelling is <I>important</I>.  And the reason that is so is precisely that there <I>are </I>themes to the story; that the events in it, and in any other worthwhile story, are imbued with the order and meaning that too often is missing in life. And who better to feel the need for such order and meaning than adolescents and pre-adolescents struggling to understand ever more complicated events and emotions!  Students change forever as readers and thinkers when they recognize the way themes make literature in all mediums timeless commentaries on the human experience, and therefore on their own lives as well.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>The Guide</U></B></div> <bR> <div> Certainly, the analysis of Ed's theme and its applicability to student viewers relates to a social initiatives area of study.  This Guide and the enclosed materials however are intended to make <I>Ed</I> a useful teaching tool in three additional areas: language arts, music and drama, both separately and in combination.   </div> <bR> <div> The teachers of those disciplines who use this Guide will have varying degrees of familiarity with screenwriting and filmmaking.  Thus the “Story Telling in Film” portion of the Guide contains some basics of screenwriting, adaptation and cinematography along with a glossary of filmmaking terminology; enough to permit meaningful instruction without straying too far from the goals described above.  And for those wanting additional material, a filmmaking bibliography and resource directory is provided. </div> <bR> <div> This Guide is divided into four parts, each dedicated to one of the four areas of study mentioned above.  Each of the included chapters contains suggested questions & activities designed to create meaningful and enjoyable connections between student and material.  </div> <bR> <div> Needless to say, (but I can't help myself) the separation of areas of study in this Guide should not discourage the unique opportunity for any interdisciplinary project that underlies this film and story.  Indeed, it is our hope that the students' experience in studying “Ed” will be enriched by combining areas of study. </div> <bR> <div> To this end, a number of the suggested activities have interdisciplinary potential, beginning with a comparative analysis of the short story and film.  That analysis can be undertaken solely as a language arts project.  Or, it can run the gamut of the four disciplines, beginning with discussion of theme in the context of social initiatives, moving to the analysis of story structure as a traditional language arts lesson, segueing into the world of filmic storytelling with the study of adaptation, and continuing through discussion of the impact of film technique, music composition and performance.</div> <bR> <div> Many other interdisciplinary activities lend themselves to this project as well, such as students performing alternate “Ed” scenes that they have written; students scripting a sequel to “Ed” and producing a video based on the script; and, the ultimate learning experience - students putting to music scenes or monologues they have written themselves. </div> <bR> <div> I should add that the suggested activities have been designed with fun in mind; indeed an assumption upon which this project is based is that kids enjoy watching movies - especially in school!  </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>The </U></B><I><B><U>Ed Meets His Maker</U></B></I><B><U> Middle School Premiere</U></B></div> <bR> <div> Before writing the Guide, we needed to be confident that kids would enjoy <I>this</I> movie.  So we tested <I>Ed</I> <I>Meets His Maker</I> in my hometown of Fairfield, Connecticut with eighth grade language arts students who studied the short story-film pair, and with sixth graders who viewed and analyzed the film.  It was the degree to which these students - and their teachers - were engaged with <I>Ed </I>that sealed the deal for us in proceeding with this learning through film project.</div> <bR> <div> At the outset, we were gratified to hear how much the students enjoyed both the story and film, and that the film compared so favorably with those they were accustomed to seeing in school.  The interaction of the film's young characters felt real to the kids watching it, and the themes clear and relevant without being preachy.  Finally, we were happy to see that the humor in the film was accessible to, and appreciated by not only the young viewers but their teachers as well.  </div> <bR> <div> This last observation was especially gratifying, as <I>Ed</I> was written and produced with a multi-generational audience in mind, from eleven-year-olds to their Baby Boomer grandparents who can actually remember 1959.  And while we harbor no pretensions that <I>Ed Meets His Maker</I> is the lifesaver for young people submerged in electronic imagery, we'd like to think it's a step in the right direction.     </div> <bR> <div>                                     Laurence Sarezky       </div> <div>                                                                                                                                           <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Fairfield Connecticut</FONT></div> <div>                                               </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>