teacher’s resource: a cat in...

Teacher’s Resource: A Cat in ParisLevels 1 & 2, P6 to S2 Curriculum for Excellence links: Literacy across learning, English Language, Modern Languages French, Expressive Arts, and RME

Created by Joy Christie

Discovery Film Festival: Sat 22 October - Sun 6 November 2011discoveryfi lmfestival.org.uk

© Dundee Contemporary Arts 2011With support from DCA Cinema and DCA Community & Education Team

Introduction

Discovery Learning Resources give you exciting classroom activities to enhance Curriculum for Excellence delivery. This resource provides you with a film synopsis, things to help prepare your class for seeing the film, follow up activities and useful references. We hope that you and your pupils have fun and enjoy learning with this resource.

They are created by classroom teachers and education professionals. Each resources aims to:

• support and extend working with film in the classroom

• help prepare teachers for a class visit to a Discovery Film Festival film and to extend the impact of that visit

• develop confidence in Moving Image Education approaches and working with 21st Century Literacy/moving image texts

Each resource is free and available to download from discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk/resources or via the Discovery Film Festival area on GLOW, which can be found within the Dundee 21st Century Literacy Group.

Introduction to using film in the classroom

Moving image can transport children into imaginary lands and diverse cultures and helpthem gain greater understanding of the world around them.

Through the discussion of moving image texts (film), children are also able to express emotions, feelings and opinions about characters, their situations and the choices they make, relating them to their own lives, but safe in the knowledge that they are discussing imaginary situations.

Listening and talking skills are also greatly improved, which in turn leads to a greaterwillingness to read other forms of story, and to create narratives of their own.

This resource gives you a series of fun classroom activities supported by the relevant CfE Experiences & Outcomes statements, all relate directly to the film viewing experience of A Cat in Paris – it is a beautiful and engaging film that offers learning opportunities for Levels 1 &2 across the curriculum.

Charming and visually unique, this is a warm and humorous film gives a nod to the stylised wit of the Pink Panther cartoons and employs fun wordplay which is great for young language learners.

Joy Christie

01 / discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk

Synopsis

A Cat in Paris (Une vie de chat)Directors: Jean-Loup Felicioli et Alain GagnolFrance 2010 / 1h10m

This is an animated film in French with English subititles and lasts for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Dino the cat leads a double life. By day he is a loyal tabby to Zoé, a police officer’s daughter. By night he joins the nocturnal adventures of Nico, an actual cat burglar, with a big heart.

Zoe has not spoken a word since her dad was murdered by gangster Victor Costa. One night she follows Dino as he slinks off to join Nico, only to stumble across Costa’s gang. The chase is on as they slip across the rooftops of Paris, ending with a thrilling finale on top of Notre Dame.


Before your visit to the cinema

Activity 1. Study the poster advertising the film

I can make comparisons and explore connections between spelling patterns in English and the language I am learning. MLAN 2-11b

Translate the French and then in groups discuss why you think the translation is different from the title given to you in English.

The review using the following link will tell you the reason behind this. The review can be found at www.variety.com/review/VE1117944240/

i) Exploring the film poster designWhy is the writing in yellow and why do you think this writing font has been used? (to make it stand out in contrast with the black background, to look like lights on inside houses at night time, possibility of something in this story happening at night etc)

To show my understanding across different areas of learning, I can identify and consider the purpose and main ideas of a text and use supporting detail. LIT 2-16a

What else can you see on the poster? Who do you think the main characters are and put them in order of importance of parts you think they have to play in the film and justify your reasons.

To show my understanding, I can comment, with evidence, on the content and form of short and extended texts, and respond to literal, inferential and evaluative questions and other types of close reading tasks. ENG 3-17a

ii) Thinking about characterWhy do you think a cat was chosen to play the main part? Why not an animal such as a dog, a bird or other?

I can show my understanding of what I listen to or watch by responding to literal, inferential, evaluative and other types of questions, and by asking different kinds of questions of my own.LIT 2-07a

iii) Thinking and talking about ‘genre’You can view the film trailer at www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7e07c52VWg Which genre/s do you think best fits your first impression of this film from the poster an trailer and why?

Action Adventure Comedy Western Science fiction Crime & Gangster Drama Historical War Musical/Dance Horror

I can show my understanding of what I listen to or watch by responding to literal, inferential, evaluative and other types of questions, and by asking different kinds of questions of my own.LIT 2-07a


After your visit to the cinema

Activity 1. Explore the character of Zoe

Look at the fi lm images from the link below and fi nd the ones of Zoe. Why do you think Zoe, the girl doesn’t speak? What point in the fi lm did you fully understand why?

To show my understanding, I can respond to literal, inferential and evaluative questions and other close reading tasks and can create different kinds of questions of my own. ENG 2-17a

View images from the fi lm at:www.cinemaclock.com/pictures/sco/Halifax/43147/1306261820/A_Cat_in_Paris.html

i) Try and put yourself in Zoe’s shoes in English and in French Explore how you think she’s feeling in the picture. Draw thought bubbles around her and try to write some detailed thoughts about how she’s feeling and why?

Can you write any of the simpler ones in French? Two have been done for you – one in French and one in English.

04 / discoveryfi lmfestival.org.uk

Explore how you think she’s feeling in the picture. Draw thought bubbles around her and try to write some detailed thoughts about how she’s feeling and why?

Two have been done for you – one in French and one in English.

Two have been done for you – one in French and one in English.

Claudine takes good care of me but I’d much rather have more time with my mother…

Je suis triste

ii) Extension activityYou could read books that have been written to help children cope with death in the family. Here are a couple to help get you started:Saying Goodbye to Daddy by Judith Vigna and Goodbye Mousie by Robie H Harris.

As I write for different purposes and readers, I can describe and share my experiences, expressing what they made me think about and how they made me feel. ENG 2-30a

I can share my developing views about values such as fairness and equality and love, caring, sharing and human rights. RME 2-05b


Activity 2. Explore the film art design and ‘cat’ theme

During the film there are many deliberate tricks the film maker has used to play along with the cat theme.

Look at the trailer again and click again on the link that shows images from the film. What do you notice?

Try and draw one or two of the characters and from the pictures and spot clues that link the il-lustrations to cats.

Inspired by a range of stimuli, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through activities within art and design. EXA 2-05a

i) Goodies and baddies

‘A Cat in Paris’ is action packed and fast moving. There is a comedy element which comes from the ‘baddies’ and also the little dog who is made a fool of in the film too.

In your pairs, list as many cartoons and animations as you can with similarities to ‘A Cat in Paris’ such as cartoons with ‘baddies’ who always end up hurt in the end or specific animals who are always smarter than other ones.

I can make notes, organise them under suitable headings and use them to understand infor-mation, develop my thinking, explore problems and create new texts, using my own words as appropriate.LIT 2-15a

ii) ‘Cat’ phrases and sayings in our language

The word ‘cat’ has existed in the English language since around 900 AD. During the film there are many references to words and phrases which use the word ‘cat’. Can you think of any?

On the attached worksheet there is a list of words, phrases and sayings centred on ‘cat’. Write or draw what you think they mean. Drawing them can be great fun but make sure you work out their meanings too! Any you are really struggling with use a dictionary or computer to help you get the meaning.


A Cat in Paris worksheet

To show my understanding across different areas of learning, I can identify and consider the pur-pose and main ideas of a text and use supporting detail. LIT 2-16a

Cat got your tongue?

A cat in gloves catches no mice

Cat burglar

It’s raining cats and dogs


Cat o’nine tails

Catnap

Catty remarks

Catwalk

There are many more – did you find any?


Extension activityAs a class you can play ‘The Minister’s Cat’ game which is good for developing adjectives and is great fun.

All players sit in a circle, and the first player describes the minister’s cat with an adjective be-ginning with the letter ‘A’ (for example, “The minister’s cat is an adorable cat”).

Each player then does the same, using different adjectives starting with the same letter. Once everyone has done so, the first player describes the cat with an adjective beginning with the letter ‘B’. This continues for each letter of the alphabet.

Activity 3. Read & re-write a review of the film

Here is a review of the film www.variety.com/review/VE1117944240/

In the first review it states that; ‘Clocking in at 65 minutes, this rather boilerplate tale of a Parisian child and her kitty-cat burglar could have worked as a short or series episode, but stretches itself too thin despite pleasant imagery and a jazzy score.’

Rewrite this sentence using different words as much as possible. Do you agree with what they have said. If so why, if not why not?

To show my understanding across different areas of learning, I can identify and consider the purpose and main ideas of a text and use supporting detail. LIT 2-16a


Activity 4. Modern Languages: Following instructions in French

I can listen to and show understanding of familiar instructions and language from familiar voices and sources. MLAN 2-01c

Visit this link for instructions in French and a resource sheet about making a flip book of a scene from the film: www.uneviedechat-lefilm.fr/doc/flipbook-une_vie_de_chat.pdf

The main instructions are easy to follow, but use these translations if needed.

Vocabulary:Travaux manuels – handicrafts, things to make

Pour fabriquer un folioscope ou flip-book – to make a flip-book

A imprimer – to print

A decouper – to cut

A agrafer – to fasten

Feuilletez et les images s’animent – leaf through and the pictures will animate themselves


Activity 5. Modern Languages: Describe and discuss images from the film

Using your Promethean board, click on the following link: uneviedechat.crdp-lyon.frand discuss the various stills from the film and the contexts surrounding them.

In partners, the children have to make up phrases and sentences in French that could accompany the pictures and add things of their own which may fit in e.g. Victor Costa’s age etc. Here are some words, phrases and sentences to help you.

Vocabulary:Je m’appelle Dino – My name is Dino

Je suis un chat – I am a cat

Je m’appelle Nico – My name is Nico

J’ai vingt-neuf ans – I am 29 years old

J’habite a Paris – I live in Paris

Costa et ses acolytes sont eux – Costa and his accomplices are also aussi hors-la-loi law-breakers.

Nico est gentil – Nico is nice

La maman de Zoe est commissaire de police – Zoe’s mum is a police commissioner.

Un cambriolage – a burglary

Le parfum de la dame en mauve – the perfume of the lady in purple (Claudine)

Dans la nuit – in the night

J’aime ma fille – I love my daugher

Mon papa a été tué – my dad was killed

Je suis garde – I am a security guard

I can participate in familiar collaborative activities including games, paired speaking and short role plays. MLAN 2-05b


Activity 6. Make an acrostic poem

Make an acrostic poem about either one of the characters in the film or a word that sums up part of the film. To make it more challenging, try and use some French words in the poem. e.g.

C – chat, Dino est un chat noir

A – agrafer, to fasten

T – tuer, to kill

If you find this too difficult try making an acrostic in English, using vocabulary learned from the film and just putting in a few words in French if possible.

There are lots of poems about cats on this website: www.catquotes.com/catpoetry.htm

I can make notes, organise them under suitable headings and use them to understand information, develop my thinking, explore problems and create new texts, using my own words as appropriate. LIT 2-15a


Evaluating this resource

We hope that you found this resource useful and appropriate. We welcome film reviews, letters from pupils, documentation of classwork and your feedback; email them to [email protected] or post them to Discovery Film Festival, DCA, 152 Nethergate, DD1 4DY

Would you make a good Discovery Film Festival Case Study?

We are seeking a number of simple Case Studies in how teachers have used or are using Discovery films in the classroom across Curriculum for Excellence and across the Levels.

Any case studies that we develop would be intended for presentation on GLOW, the Creativity Portal and on Discovery Film Festival and participating venues’s website. We have a simple template to be completed and are keen to have classwork and documentation included.

If you would like to be a Discovery Case Study please email [email protected]


teacher’s resource: a cat in...

Documents