A study of The Matrix for year 12 which includes suggested apps/websites for use with a BYOD class. Each task is linked to the key competencies of the NZ curriculum.

1. Analyse specified aspect(s) of studied visual or
oral text(s), supported by evidence
4 Credits
Christine Wells

2. Learning Outcomes
Gathering Processing
Identify and describe key aspects of
the text such as characterisation,
setting, themes, and visual and
verbal features.
Explain where key aspects are
demonstrated in the text.
Compare and contrast characters.

3. success criteria
Gathering Processing Applying
Demonstrate
engagement with the
film through viewing
and reading relevant
information.
Demonstrate
understanding of key
aspects through
discussion and written
answers.
Analyse key aspects
of the text and
demonstrate
understanding by
producing written
essays.
Create a digital
portfolio of study
notes.

4. 3 Act structure
1. Create a flow chart to show the progression of the
narrative. Include exposition, climax & resolution.
2. For each section, write a brief description from the
film.
3. Include a visual/verbal feature to represent each
section.
4
Thinking
Relating to others
Using language, text and symbols
Managing self
Participating and contributing
Suggested app:
Pureflow

5. close reading
5
Thinking
Relating to others
Using language, text and symbols
Managing self
Participating and contributing
What is
happening?
Character(s)
involved
Visual/verbal
feature
Director’s
intention

6. Getting to know the characters
Choose 3 characters and complete
a chart for each one.
Character
adjectives
Visual/verbal feature
What does the viewer
learn?
describing words or
phrases
costume & makeup
About the character or
their motivations
camera work, sound
and lighting
About human behaviour
in general
dialogue
About the world around
us
6
Thinking
Using language, text and symbols
Managing self
Participating and contributing

7. Characters & Challenges
Any information about the characters is important to the film.
Characters develop and change during the film as they face challenges
and conflict. Write a blog post to discuss the following:
1. Choose 1 character and describe a challenge in their life.
2. Explain how they coped with it (aim for 3 ways).
3. List 6 visual/verbal techniques which support your ideas.
4. What do we learn about the type of person she/he is?
5. Explain what the director wants us to learn from this character and how
they dealt with their challenges/conflict.
7
Thinking
Using language, text and symbols
Managing self
Participating and contributing

8. Compare and Contrast
1. Work in pairs to create a Venn diagram to show the similarities
and differences between 2 characters. Aim for 5 of each.
2. Choose 1 similarity and one difference and discuss what may
have caused this similarity or difference.
Character 1 Character 2
similarities
Thinking
Relating to others
Using language, text and
symbols
Managing self
Participating and
contributing

9. change in a character
1. Explain the outcome
Thinking
Using language, text and
symbols
Managing self
Participating and
contributing
1. Describe the
character at the
beginning of the
film.
1 3
2. Include
visual/verbal
features to
support your
description.
1. Identify and describe the
event or person that
influenced a change in the
character.
2. Explain how the character
changed.
3. Include visual/verbal features.
of this change. What
did the character
learn from this?
2. What does the
director want us as
viewers to learn from
this change?
3. Include visual/verbal
features.
2

10. Relationship development
Thinking
Using language, text and
symbols
Managing self
Participating and contributing
1. Identify an
important
relationship in
the film.
2. Describe this
relationship –
are they
friends, related,
enemies?
3. Identify any
visual/verbal
features that
support your
description.
1. Identify and
describe the
changes in this
relationship.
Does the balance
of power
change?
2. Describe a major
conflict in their
relationship.
3. Does one person
help the other in
some way? What
is the outcome?
4. Include
visual/verbal
features.
1. Describe the
relationship at the
end of the film. Do
the characters
respect one
another? Why/why
not?
2. Explain what the
director want us as
viewers to learn
from this
relationship.
3. Can this be linked to
human nature or the
world in general?
4. Include visual/verbal
techniques.

11. Essay Topics
Thinking
Using language, text and
symbols
Managing self
Choose ONE of the following questions and write at least 400
words.
1. Analyse how the beginning AND ending of a text show an
important change in a character or individual in a text you
have studied.
2. Analyse how a character or individual is influenced to make
decisions in a text you have studied.
3. Analyse how the growth of a relationship affects the climax in
a text you have studied.
Publish on Wordpress

12. Setting
Thinking
Relating to others
Using language, text and symbols
Managing self
Participating and contributing
• Setting may include reference to time, place, historical or social
context, or atmosphere.
1. Work in pairs to identify the 3 main settings in the text.
2. Choose 1 and create a brainstorm of adjectives to describe it.
3. Locate 3 visual/verbal features and images from the film that link to
3 of your adjectives.
Suggested app:
PicCollage

13. Setting & Effect
Thinking
Using language, text and
symbols
Managing self
Participating and
contributing
1. Explain the effect that the setting has on the life of the
protagonist.
2. Imagine how the setting would affect you. Write a blog post
to describe how you would react to the setting.
3. Explain what you think the director wants us to learn about
the protagonist by placing him in this setting.

14. atmosphere
Create a short presentation to:
1. Describe the atmosphere in the film.
2. List 3 ways that the atmosphere is developed –
think about lighting, sound and colour.
3. Explain how the atmosphere helps the viewer to
understand the film.
Thinking
Using language, text and symbols
Managing self
Participating and contributing
Suggested apps:
Educreations
Prezi
iMovie

15. Themes
Thinking
Relating to others
Using language, text and symbols
Managing self
Participating and contributing
A theme is a broad idea, message, or moral of a story. The
message may be about life, society, or human nature. Themes
often explore timeless and universal ideas and are almost
always implied rather than stated explicitly.
1. In pairs, brainstorm a list of possible themes.
2. For each theme, locate a YouTube clip for the relevant
section of the film where the theme is shown.
3. Post on your blog with an explanation of how this clip
demonstrates the theme.

16. Theme and meaning
1. Choose one theme and discuss the meaning of your theme. What
does it mean exactly?
2. Explain how this theme may be seen in today’s world.
3. What does the director want us to understand about this theme?
4. Identify any social issues that may be related to this theme. For
example, health issues; power and violence related issues.
Thinking
Using language, text and symbols
Managing self
Participating and contributing

17. Theme & characters
1. In pairs, choose 2 themes and list the characters that are
linked to each theme.
2. Explain why you linked each character to the theme.
3. Include a visual/verbal feature for each.
4. Explain what you think the director wants us to learn about
these characters by using this theme.
Thinking
Relating to others
Using language, text and symbols
Managing self
Participating and contributing

18. Theme in action
In pairs, choose one of the following activities to complete:
1. Choose a part of the film that shows one of the themes in action and
create a short cartoon to show what happens. Include dialogue from
the film.
2. Create a collage of visual/verbal features from the film that are linked to
the themes.
3. Create a poster portraying the themes. Split your poster into sections,
each section will be for each theme. Include characters & dialogue in
the relevant section.
Thinking
Relating to others
Using language, text and symbols
Managing self
Participating and contributing
Suggested apps:
Comic creator
Pic Collage

19. Symbols
Thinking
Relating to others
Using language, text and
symbols
Managing self
Participating and
contributing
A symbol is a person, place, or thing comes to represent an abstract idea or
concept -- it is anything that stands for something beyond itself.
1. Create a Pinterest board for symbols.
2. Choose 3 and explain what each one’s significance is, where it is seen in
the text and which theme and character it is linked to.
3. Explain why the director included each symbol. What does he want the
viewer to learn or think about?
Suggested app:
Pinterest

20. Essay Topics
1. Analyse how symbols are used to develop an idea in the text you
have studied.
2. Analyse how successful a text you have studied has been in
influencing you to think differently about an issue.
3. Analyse how important techniques are used to engage our emotions
in a text you have studied.
4. Analyse how atmosphere is established and maintained in a text you
have studied.
Thinking
Using language, text and
symbols
Managing self

21. Assessment schedule
Achievement
• Analyse specified aspect(s) of studied written text(s), supported by evidence.
Achievement with Merit
• Analyse specified aspect(s) of studied written text(s) convincingly, supported by
evidence.
Achievement with Excellence
• Analyse specified aspect(s) of studied written text(s) perceptively, supported by
evidence. 21