"But until we do know for certain whether our messing around in Time can make a big roar or a little rustle in history, we're being careful" (75).
While first helping us to visualize the simultaneously prehistoric (i.e. jungle) and futuristic (i.e. antigravity Path) setting, this lesson prompted us to think critically about the quality and fallibility of plot elements, specifically the safety features that Time Safari, Inc. implements. We identified potential areas of weakness in the Time Safari, Inc. safety precautions and presented improvements that we could make to them. Continuing our work with Greek and Latin elements from past units, we looked at the Latin prefix "ANTI-" to lead into predictions about how the antigravity Path would look - and thus contribute to the setting - and to lead into how one of the safety features actually works - and thus how it could potentially malfunction. A semantic web and a follow-up discussion validated this critical stance toward Time Safari's safety measures by stirring up thought about the inadequacies of real-life safety features and protection systems, like flu shots and seat belts.
Vocabulary Latin Element: ANTI-
Continuing our work with Greek and Latin elements from prior units, we looked at the Latin prefix "ANTI." By brainstorming example words that began with that prefix, we filled out the graphic organizer to the right. On a teacher-made chart, we looked at the root words, discussed their meanings, and then added the prefix "anti" and described what happened to the meaning of the word to hypothesize the specific meaning of the Latin element. We grounded the Latin prefix immediately in text through the "ANTI-GRAVITY path" in Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder." Through our newly established knowledge of the Latin element, we led into the next visualization activity by hypothesizing how the path would look in the video and graphic novel panel.
ANTI (Latin): Against; Opposite of
"ANTIGRAVITY METAL"
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Watch from 0:25-0:57.
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Merging the Prehistoric Jungle with Futuristic Elements Setting Visualization After discussing how we would expect the Path to look if it were just a "gravity" path against its true nature, an "anti-gravity" path, we watched a short video clip from the movie trailer of "A Sound of Thunder" (a cinematic adaptation that deviates immensely from the short story) and looked at several graphic novel panels from Richard Corben's 2003 adaptation to confirm our hypotheses on how the Path would be portrayed. We also looked at the video and graphic novel to gain a sense of the suits, time machine, and sterilization process. So keep your eye out for those elements too! For a better sense of the setting, watch the trailer to the right from 0:25 to 0:57. It brings to life the sterilization process of the body suits, the oxygen helmets, and the antigravity Path. So watch with all of those text elements in mind! In class, we quickly sketched the antigravity Path and Eckels after watching the clip and flipping through the graphic novel panels. Although only several graphic panels were used in this lesson, you can find the entire graphic novel on the "Student Resources" page under "Supplemental Materials."
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Setting: when and where a story takes place. Accountability: to be held responsible for something; to accept the consequences and/or responsibilities of an action or decision.
Conservation: the wise management of natural resources, including the preservation of habitats and wildlife.
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Writing Activity: Questioning Time Safari, Inc. Fool Proof? - Rewriting Time Travel Safety Features After looking at the Path from a setting perspective, we examined it - among the various other safety features that Time Safari, Inc. implements - in terms of its adequacy. Just like the semantic web brainstorming proved society's inadequate measures to thoroughly safeguard us from disease and criminal activity and protect us from ever coming to harm, we hypothesized potential design flaws in Time Safari, Inc's "man behind desk" intimidation tactic, sterilization process, body suits, antigravity Path, etc. Therefore, in a writing activity, chose a Time Safari Inc, safety feature from the bulleted list on the worksheet, discuss its purpose and how it works, and then present a potential improvement that could be make by thinking about how it could possibly malfunction in its current form. |