Teaching Sequence

40 minutes	Part A: Understanding the concept of a story arc
10 minutes	Reflection

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

Part A: Understanding the concept of a story arc

Step 1.

Ask students to think of their favourite story (this could be a book, television show or film), and think specifically about the main character of the story, and what happens at the beginning, middle and end of that story. Hear from some students about their thoughts. Note commonalities between each student's recollections - namely that all stories have a beginning, middle and end. They can make a note on the Student Worksheet.

Step 2.

Guide the class to view and interpret the story arc diagram as it is framed in the TED-talk: 'What makes a hero?'

'What makes a hero?'- Matthew Winkler (https://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-makes-a-hero-matthew-winkler#watch)

Guide a discussion about the stories that students recalled in the previous step and how they apply to the concept of the Hero's Journey explored in this clip to help students relate to the concept. Students could summarise their thoughts on the Student Worksheet.

Part B: Tommy as the hero

Step 1.

As a class, watch sections of THE OASIS that feature Tommy.

THE OASIS Part 1 - (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40f2p5JQ57s&list=PL5D5EBAE4CF2F2D61) (Start at 6:16)

THE OASIS Part 5 - (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l3bQUgSTqE&list=PL5D5EBAE4CF2F2D61)

THE OASIS Part 9 - (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHJ4GL4zm2I&list=PL5D5EBAE4CF2F2D61) (Start at 4:39)

THE OASIS Part 10 - (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sMoEOmaipI&list=PL5D5EBAE4CF2F2D61) (Start at 6:02)

Step 2.

Provide each group with a piece of butcher's paper and some sticky-notes. Ask students to move their tables so that they can stand around the butcher's paper and collaborate to create their interpretation of Tommy's story arc. Then, in small groups, have students plot Tommy's story arc using the diagram referred to in the 'What Makes a Hero?' clip.

Ask students to draw the story arc diagram on their butcher's paper, and plot the significant actions of Tommy throughout THE OASIS against each point in the Hero's Journey (there may not be an event that matches each point). Then, ask students to use different coloured sticky-notes to describe an associated emotion that they assume Tommy experienced at each action. Students could access the relevant clips from THE OASIS on the Student Worksheet to refresh their memories of Tommy's actions and emotions.

Note: Tommy's personal journey features him battling to overcome addiction and the marginalisation he experienced at different points of his life - his story is real-life and not created by a person who is writing to a formula. It is with this in mind that students should understand that Tommy's experience may not fit neatly into the Hero's Journey.

Step 3.

Once complete, ask two students from each group to rotate clockwise around the classroom to view and hear the an explanations of the story arcs created by the other groups, which the remaining group members will explain. They can then take the different ideas from their classmates and review and improve their own group's story arc.

Step 4.

If possible, display each group's work in the classroom.

Reflection/Homework

Tommy is not a hero in the traditional sense, nor are his monsters/enemies. Using the evidence from the Hero's Journey story arc diagram created in this lesson, students could write a persuasive piece using the following prompt:

'Despite not falling into the traditional idea of one, Tommy is in fact a hero.'

Differentiated Learning

Extension - Students could plot the story arc of a different character from THE OASIS.

OR:

Students could respond to the persuasive writing task with a focus on a different character from THE OASIS.

Provisional Learning Support - Students could work in pairs to answer all the questions.

OR:

Students could respond verbally and use stills from the film as evidence for their assertions.

The Oasis - Mastering Narrative Writing - The Hero's Journey

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