Title of Unit

Edward Scissorhands

Stag

One

Time

6 Weeks

e
Curriculum

English

Area

Frame
Developed

Stephanie Lee (2096434)

By
Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)

Overview
This unit is designed for a year 11 SACE stage one English class at country area school in South Australia. The school is
located 2 hours out of Adelaide and the students in this class are diverse, with varying degrees of literacy levels and learning
styles. There are students within this year 11 class of 22 students in total that are from foster homes, come from farming families
dealing with hardship & socio-economic disadvantage, In general, behavior management is quite low, with many of the students
wiling to work collaboratively and individually on tasks. Most students prefer group work as they are used to working together. I
have also included numerous amounts of in-class work as many of the students have limited access to a computer and the
internet. This unit is designed to be flexible and tailored further to support differentiation of tasks if required, whilst still meeting
the SACE requirements, by using strategies such as Blooms Taxonomy and RAFT (Role, Audience, Form & Topic). It is aimed that
through this unit, students are confident in film analysis that they understand that directors make deliberate choices to make
meaning, what makes us human and that through film; we can analyse and critique our own society & culture. It is also aimed
that students are able to produce work that shows that they have learnt and grown throughout the unit.
Learning Requirements
1.Demonstrate clear and accurate communication skills through reading, viewing, writing, composing, listening, and speaking.
2.Clarify, extend, and develop their ideas and opinions through critical engagement with texts and language.
4.Identify and analyse ideas, values, and beliefs, and recognise how these are shaped.
Assessment Design Criteria
KU1 Knowledge and understanding of the ideas, values, and beliefs explored in texts.
KU2 Knowledge and understanding of the ways in which the creators and readers of texts use language techniques and
conventions to make meaning.
An1 Analysis of the connections between personal experiences, ideas, values, and beliefs, and those explored in a text.
Ap2 Use of evidence from texts to support conclusions.
Ap3 Ability to locate, record, analyse, use, and synthesise knowledge.
C1
Accuracy, clarity, and fluency of expression.
C2
Use of an appropriate style and structure for the audience and purpose when composing texts.
Big Idea
How can we use film to understand our own society and culture?
Understandings

Essential Questions

Overarching Understanding

Overarching

Through film, we can learn and understand things

about our society.
Directors make purposeful choices to enhance and
make meaning.
Everyone needs to feel like they belong.
Related Misconceptions

How can we use film to

understand our own society
and culture?
What makes us human?
Why do humans feel the need
to conform? What happens
when we dont?

Not everyone wants to belong.

Directors do things without a purpose.
Film is just used as a means to entertain.

Knowledge
Students will know

Topical

What features make Edwar

uniquely human?
What inspired Tim Burton t
make this movie?
Is Edward a human or is he
a monster?
Does Edwards
scissorhands enable or
disable him?

Skills
Students will be able to

Key terminology specific to film and film analysis (e.g.

camera shots, misc.-en-scene, etc.).
The correct form and features of a film review.
Analyse and make connections to come to their own
meanings and conclusions.

Analyse, record, recall and synthesise knowledge.

Write with accuracy and clarity for a specific purpose.
Work in groups to share and listen to ideas.
Conduct senior level research to respond to questions.

Assessment Evidence (Stage 2) Performance Task Description

Assessment task one: Text analysis (Film Review): Students are asked to write a film review on Edward Scissorhands.
Their review must be suitable to be published in a newspaper and it must be 800 words long. If students choose it can be produce
as a 6 minute oral presentation to just the teacher. Students will be given 3 weeks to work on this, with 4 lessons dedicated to
working on this in class time. Early in the unit, students will be given a quick review sheet in order for them to record their instant
ideas. The week after, students will be introduced to the task and will be given back their quick response sheet. They will then be
able to use that as a basis to build upon their ideas.
The aim of this assignment is to get students to analyse, record, recall and reuse their knowledge of the film in order to
produce a review that uses evidence from the film to persuade an audience whether they should or should not see the film.

Assessment task two: Text analysis (Text response essay): Students are asked to write a 800 word essay to one of the
following questions:
- Does Edwards scissorhands enable or disable him? Explain.
- In what ways is Edward more human than most of the people he encounters?
- Explain how the contrast between these two worlds depicted in the film adds to our understanding of the story and the themes
being communicated.
- Why and how could Edward Scissorhands be classed as a fairytale?
Students have 3 weeks to work on this assignment, with 5 in class lessons to work on it. They are to follow an essay structure with
an introduction, conclusion and paragraphs. Students who struggle with the essay structure and conventions will be given
worksheets to help them remember. Drafts will also be looked at least once a week for every student. Just to check that each
student is making progress and are heading in the right direction.
If negotiated by the teacher, students are able to present this assignment as a 6-minute oral presentation that is to be presented
to the teacher.
The aim of this assignment is that students are able to develop and express their own ideas and understandings about a particula
topic. These understandings are to be backed up by evidence from the movie and from secondary sources.

Other Evidence
-

Pre-assessment task: The Lost Thing. This quick task is done in order to check students knowledge on film analysis, film review
3-2-1 exit cards: Used at least once a week to check for understanding. They can also be addressed at the start of the lesson a
a discussion prompter.
Blooms Taxonomy: To give students learning choices based on interest and learning preferences.
Tim Burton research task: Students are to research the director, Tim Burton, in order to
Film response quick task: This will be done to see what students know. It will also be helpful for them to record their instant
ideas to aid them when they come to working on their film review later on.

Resources used
ACMI. (2010). The Gothic Imagination of Tim Burton. Retrieved from www.acmi.net.com.au:
http://www.acmi.net.au/media/102407/the-gothic-imagination-of-tim-burton.pdf
ACMI. (n.d.). www.acmi.net.au. Retrieved from Edward Scissorhands: Teacher Resource.:
https://www.acmi.net.au/media/477677/ACMI-Ed-Resource-Edward-Scissorhands.pdf
Clarke, J. (2008). All Too Human: Edward Scissorhands. Screen Australia, 93-98.
missmorganenglish. (2013, June 5). Resourses and worksheets for Edward Scissorhands. Retrieved from Miss Morgan English:
https://missmorganenglish.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/resources-and-worksheets-for-edward-scissorhands/
Learning Plan (Stage 3)
Monday (9.10-10.40)
Wee
k One

Wee
k Two

(01) Pre-assessment
Overview: Students are to
watch and respond to Shaun Tans
short film, The Lost Thing. Data
collected will be used to judge
what students know and what they
dont, in order to tailor the rest of
the unit.

(05) Tim Burton

Overview: Students will be
introduced to the films director,
Tim Burton. They will be asked to

Wednesday (1.40-3.10)
(02) Watching the
movie
Overview: Students
are to watch the movie,
Edward Scissorhands.
-3-2-1 exit card:
3 things you liked
about the movie, 2 things
you want to learn more
about through this movie
and 1 question you have.

(06) Characters
Overview: Students
are to be given a cultured
card with a character in

Thursday
(12.30-1.10)
(03) Responding
Overview: Class
starts off with a quick
discussion about the
film: characters,
themes, genres, etc.
Next, students are to
complete an initial
response to the film.
This could be valuable
when they come to write
their film reviews later
on.

(07) In-depth
analysis
Overview: As a
class, we will conduct an

Friday (10.4011.30))
(04) Introduce
Assignment One: Film
Review
Overview: See
assignment one details.
At the start of the lesson
have a whole class
discussion about what a
film review should look
like and what features it
entails. Then, as a class,
we will run through
looking at a film review
together. After, introduce
students to assignment
one and they can begin
working on it for the
remainder of the lesson.
(08) Work on
assignment One: Film
Review
Overview: Student

conduct some individual research

and record what they have
discovered by answering the
questions.

it. Students are then

asked to get into a group
with the other people in
the class with the same
character. Here students
are to discuss and answer
the questions. Then,
students get into colour
groups. In the colour
groups, each student
would have studied a
different character. Each
student is then to become
the expert while other
students take notes.

in-depth analysis of 3-4

scenes.
-3-2-1 exit card:
3 things you
learnt today, 2 things
you enjoyed and 1
question you have.

are to work on their

assignment. They are to
hand up a draft of what
they have done so far at
the end of the lesson.

Wee
k Three

(09) Setting
Overview: This lesson we are
to be looking at the setting of the
movie & what effect the two parallel
settings have upon the overall
meaning of the movie.
As a class, we will discuss the
following:
-Describe the two worlds
depicted in Edward Scissorhands.
-How do lighting, colour and
shape influence our understanding of
each of these worlds? Explain.
-How are these two worlds
connected between Kim & Edward?
-When Tim Burton described the
suburb in which he grew up, he said
that there was no sense of history, no
sense of culture, no sense of passion
for anything. How does this
description apply to the town in
Edward Scissorhands?
-3-2-1 exit card.

*Hand back students drafts

Wee
k Four

(13) Theme: Being Human

Overview: Class begins with
an outline of a human drawn on
butchers paper stuck on the
board. Students are asked to write
on a sticky note a trait or
characteristic that they see as
something that makes a person
uniquely human and place it on
the paper. We will then have a

(10) Theme:
Difference & Conformity
Overview: This
lesson we look at why
humans feel the need to
conform and why we are
scared of difference.
We will start class
by looking at a current
issue concerning fear of
difference (e.g. racism,
boat people, etc.) Ask
students why these
people are different, why
we might feel scared of
them, and what we can
do to address this issue.
Then have
students individually work
on a task. They pick a
character and explain
how they are either
conforming or being
different. Have each
person relay what their
information to a partner
of their choice.
-3-2-1 exit card.
(14) Genre
Overview: Class
begins with a class
discussion about what
genres we see in the
movie and how and
where they are very
evident. Then, Ill split the
class into three random
groups which each have a

(11) Work on film

review
Overview:
Students are to work on
their assignment.

(12) Work on film

review
Overview: Student
are to work on their
assignment
*Assignment One
due at the end of the
lesson unless an
extension has been
already granted*

(15) Introduce
assignment two: Film
response
Overview:
Students are to be
introduced to their
second assignment. See
performance task
description 2.

(16) Work on
assignment two: Film
response
Overview: Student
are to work on their
assignment.

discussion about if and how we

see these characteristics or traits
relate to Edward or other
characters. Then, I want to explore
the concept of monsters. What
are they? How is something
monstrous? As a class analyse
how we define what a monster is
and the media portray monsters.
-3-2-1 exit

piece of butchers paper

and a genre. Each group
will answer a specific set
of questions provided by
the teacher, which is to
be recorded on the paper.
At the end of the activity,
one group member from
each group is to tell the
rest of the class what
their group discussed.
Then, students are to pick
a movie that is either a
fairytale, gothic or teen
movie & explain how that
film shares features with
Edward Scissorhands.
-3-2-1 exit card.

Wee

(17) RAFT: Role, Audience,

Form & Theme.
Overview: Students are to
pick one of the four choices on the
RAFT task sheet. By doing this,
each student will be able to pick
an activity that interests them. All
the students who picked the same
activity will be grouped together,
as this way they can help each
other and it makes it easier for the
teacher to know which students
are doing what task.

Wee

(21) Blooms Taxonomy

Overview: Students work on
Blooms taxonomy tasks.

k Five

k Six

(18) Blooms
Taxonomy
Overview: Students
will be given a blooms
taxonomy worksheet to
work on. Students will
naturally pick tasks that
suit their interests,
learning styles &
readiness level. It is
expected that students
complete at least 3 of
these tasks in class time
and for homework. For
each extra task
completed, students will
earn students a raffle
ticket into the class draw,
where they have the
opportunity to earn 1st,
2nd or 3rd prize.
(22) Blooms
Taxonomy
Overview: Students
work on Blooms
taxonomy tasks.

(19) Work on film

response
Overview:
Students are to work on
their assignment.

(20) Work on film

response
Overview: Student
are to work on their
assignment

(23) Blooms
Taxonomy
Overview:
Students work on
Blooms taxonomy
tasks.
-3-2-1 exit card

(24) Work on film

response
Overview: Student
are to work on their
assignment.
*Assignment two i
due at the end of the
lesson unless an
extension has been
granted prior to today*
Students are to
also write a short
statement outlying what
they enjoyed, what they
did not, was this task
worthwhile, how can it b
improved, and just

general feedback.