This document describes an assignment where students live tweet their reactions to watching the movie "Gladiator" in class. Students create separate Twitter accounts for school and use a common hashtag to follow and respond to each other's tweets during the movie without interrupting the film. The teacher may also tweet prompts to focus tweets on specific aspects of the movie. After viewing, students write a short review of the film comparing it to their history lessons on Ancient Rome. The goal is for students to authentically communicate their real-time perspective, practice online discussions, and evaluate what they see in the movie.

1. Authentic Learning
John Ritzdorf

2.  This lesson can be used for movies, books,
presidential debates, athletic contests, school plays,
etc. that go along with the current topic of study.
 The teacher has students create a separate Twitter
account for school, and the students live tweet their
reaction to the assigned event.
 The students can follow what classmates are saying
by everyone using the same hashtag. This allows
communication to take place back and forth during
the event without interrupting it.
“Live Tweet an Event”

3.  The teacher can also create prompts for students to
focus on one area of the event (ex. A teacher could
tweet a prompt such as: “Today, tweet about 2 things
you’ve seen that we discussed in class
#gladiatorRMS” to keep the responses on task.)
 The example I will use is in 7th Grade World History.
 My cooperating teacher and I showed the movie
“Gladiator” after a unit on Ancient Rome.
 The assignment for these students would be to live
tweet while watching the movie in class.
Summary cont.

4.  Educational Technology Standards
 6.NC.3.1 Identify careers in various technology areas.
 6.CP.1.1 Identify the reasons for using technology tools
for interpersonal interactions.
 Social Studies Standards
 6.W.1.7. (Analysis) Summarize the political, economic,
and social changes that occurred during the Middle
Ages.
SD Standards Addressed

5.  Communication and Collaboration
 Technology Operations and Concepts
 Creativity and Innovation
ISTE NETS Standards addressed

6.  This assignment is authentic because a number of
professionals in different careers “live tweet” events
as a part of their job.
 Examples: Teachers at workshops, newspaper writers
at a controversial trial, sports reporters at an athletic
event, updates from a school board meeting, people
listening to a motivational speaker, etc.
Authentic Learning

7. This assignment constantly encourages communication
throughout its duration. Students communicate through
tweeting their reactions to the movie, and are able to follow
and reply to what others are saying by using the same
hashtag (ex. “#gladiatorRMS”).
Students could agree, debate, react, and reply without
interrupting the playing of the movie. As a bonus,
conducting an assignment this way ensures that all students
are “heard,” not just the louder students who like to speak
out in class.
Communication

8.  After the movie is over, students will write a short
(well, long compared to their live tweeting!) overall
reaction to the movie. Some good elements to have
them include in this “review” are:
 Was it realistic compared to what we studied?
 How did your feelings about (pick a character) change
throughout the movie?
 Was there an overall lesson in this movie?
End Assignment

9.  Computers for all students and teacher
 DVD
 Internet access
 A way to project the movie
Materials and Technologies

10.  After completing this activity, students will:
 Have a better understanding of how to use Twitter as a
resource
 Learn to respond to prompts
 Get practice participating respectfully in online
discussions
 Improve their ability to evaluate and describe what they
are seeing
Intended Learning Outcomes

11.  Monday: “Life of a Gladiator” handout
 Tuesday: “What Kind of Gladiator Are You?” handout
 Discuss the different types of gladiators and what made
them unique
 Show different types of armor.
 Assignment: “What Kind of Gladiator Am I?” Use the
handouts to write about the kind of gladiator you would
be.
 Wednesday – Friday: Watch “Gladiator” and do live
tweeting activity
Timeline

12.  Formative
 Set a minimum number of tweets required per class
period watching the movie
 Did they do this?
 Were the tweets focused on the movie?
 If there was a teacher prompt, did they reply to it?
 Were responses to classmates respectful?
 Maximum daily point total = 10 pts.
 Summative
 Hard copy of movie review
 20 pts.
Assessment Plan