This task puts pupils in the position as evaluators of a BBC film: BBC Bitesize – Watch: What did the ancient Greeks do for us?
Instead of taking everything the video says as gospel, pupils have to predict which aspects of Greek legacy they think the film should cover and then the depth to which they should be covered. They then write these down on the table provided as RS1, using the first column to list the aspects and the second to say how important they think it is. This translates into them writing Lots, Average, Little in terms of how much time they think the short 1m 42sec video should devote to that particular aspect.
Having discussed pupils’ ideas as a while class, the focus then turns to watching the film. Rather than trying to write everything down, pupils can sit back and simply look at the big picture of what is being covered. Using the third column pupils write down how much time the film ACTUALLY gave over to the different aspects. This then creates tension between what the pupils know and what the film is telling them to think.
To resolves this, ask the pupils to write a short letter starting Dear Producer…, to the producer of BBC film clip saying how it could be improved if another 60 seconds were added to it. In this way pupils feel that their opinions matter.
Notes on the film
Interestingly the film devotes a lot of time (relatively) to democracy and the Olympics, less to language, and hardly any to Maths, Sculpture, Music, Science and Medicine and almost as much to the humble alarm clock.
