Teaching compare and contrast is a fundamental skill in helping students understand both literature and film. Engaging resources, like animated shorts, can make the learning process enjoyable and memorable. This lesson plan focuses on how to teach compare and contrast using the animated short The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.
Compare and Contrast Mini-Lesson
Introduction
Show the trailer for The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore [0:47] to grab students’ attention. Discuss their initial impressions and predictions about the story.
Engage students by asking questions like, “What do you think the film is about?” and “What kind of themes or messages might it convey?”
Objective for Teaching Idea #1
Students will learn to compare and contrast using The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by identifying similarities and differences in characters, settings, and plot elements.
Objective for Teaching Idea #2
Students will learn to compare and contrast the book and movie versions of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by identifying similarities and differences in characters, settings, and plot elements and discussing how the changes impact the story’s theme and overall message.
Using Graphic Organizers
Introduce the graphic organizers that will be used in this lesson:
- Venn Diagram: ideal for visually showing similarities and differences between two subjects
- Double Bubble Map: useful for detailed comparisons with multiple characteristics
- two Venn diagrams
- The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore book vs. movie
- The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore vs. The Wizard of Oz
- three double-bubble maps
- The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore video vs. book
- The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore vs. The Wizard of Oz
- Mr. Lessmore vs. Dorothy
Compare-Contrast Lesson Activities
Step 1: Watch the Animated Short
Show The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore [15:07]. Encourage students to take notes on key elements such as characters, settings, and significant events.
Step 2: Dividing Students Based on Familiarity with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
To maximize the effectiveness of this lesson, divide students into two groups based on their familiarity with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Students familiar with the movie can complete Teaching Idea #1, while those not can complete Teaching Idea #2. This approach ensures that all students can participate fully, as showing the full movie of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is not part of the lesson.
Teaching Idea #1
Discuss with students how The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore shares similarities with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Discussion Points:
- Storm as a Catalyst: Both stories begin with a storm that transports the main characters to a new, fantastical land.
- Use of Color: Both stories use color (black and white vs. color) to signify different worlds and stages of the journey.
- Journey and Encounters: Compare the characters each protagonist meets on their journey and how these encounters aid their personal growth.
- Return Home: Discuss how each character finds their way back home and what they learn from their experiences.
Be sure to provide these handouts for students to complete during or after the discussion.
Teaching Idea #2
Compare the book The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore to its animated short film. Discuss how the book and the film convey the story differently.
If your library has this book, students can read it independently. If the book is unavailable, show the video storybook reading of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore [6:58]. This excellent video shows pages from the picturebook while a narrator reads the story to the audience.
Discussion Points:
- Narrative Differences: Identify differences in the narrative structure between the book and the film. How do these differences affect the storytelling?
- Visual vs. Textual Elements: Discuss how the film uses visual elements to convey emotions and themes compared to the descriptive language in the book.
- Character Interpretation: Compare how characters are portrayed in the book versus the film. What are the key differences in their depiction and development?
- Themes and Messages: Analyze how the themes and messages of the story are presented in each medium. Are there any significant changes or enhancements?
Be sure to provide these handouts for students to complete during or after the discussion.
Additional Activities
Activity 1: Character Analysis
Use a Double Bubble Map to compare the main characters, Mr. Morris Lessmore and Dorothy, focusing on their characteristics, their challenges, and how they overcome them.
Activity 2: Art Project
Students create a storyboard for a new scene in The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, illustrating how Mr. Morris encounters new characters.
Evaluation
Assess students’ understanding of compare and contrast by reviewing their completed graphic organizers and participation in discussions. Additionally, evaluate their creative writing and art projects based on their ability to identify and elaborate on similarities and differences between the films.
Conclusion
Wrap up the lesson by discussing the importance of compare and contrast skills in understanding literature and film. Highlight how these skills help recognize themes, character development, and plot structures.
Incorporating comparisons between books and movie adaptations can deeply enhance students’ understanding of the narrative structure, character development, and thematic elements. Using The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, students can explore how different media convey stories and how these interpretations impact their comprehension and appreciation of literature.
In this free sample from Using Animated Shorts to Teach Reading and Writing Skills, printables are included to compare the book to the video and The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore to the movie version of The Wizard of Oz, which inspired the film. An answer key for the second option is included.
What people are saying about the full unit…
Michelle
“This has been a great resource to help with reinforcing concepts taught and super easy to incorporate into mini lessons. I love that all the videos are linked and the vast array of different activities to support understanding literary elements. Highly recommend!”
More Samples from the Teaching Reading with Animated Shorts Series
See the product that inspired this post.
The organizers in the mini-lesson are samples from Teaching Reading Skills with Animated Shorts Part 2.
2 comments
I wanted to get the iPad app for this book, but understand it is not available in the US app store. Would you have any idea where to get it?
Author
When I was looking for the iPad app, I couldn’t find it in the US either. I wish you luck! It looks fantastic.