Key Vocabulary
When instructing your students with this curriculum and teaching them about PSAs, it is important that they understand the terminology used. For example, if they don’t know what “PSA” stands for, they’re likely to be confused about the whole endeavor! Making a film is a technical, artistic and, in this case, a somewhat investigative process, so it is crucial that your students know the words used. This will help them better communicate with mentors, prepare for a career in film, build their skills and successfully execute this project!
In the glossary and throughout this curriculum, we have defined some of the key vocabulary students will need to know as they work on this project. In addition to this list, be sure to find accurate definitions for any other terms of which the students do not know the meaning.
The best way to ensure your students fully understand and can use the key terminology of making a PSA (or any film for that matter) is to have them do the following steps:
Read the definition
Ensure they fully understand the definition, including all the words within the definition
Tell their understanding of the definition to you or another student, ensuring that they grasp all of it
Make sample sentences with the term until they feel comfortable using it
Application
This educator's guide is not rote. It is a tool for your use to assist your students. You are not required to do all lessons in sequence. You can teach only the lessons that are needed for your students. It is even written in such a way that you could give the lessons to a student or group of students and let them teach themselves by watching the videos and following the lesson or lessons in sequence.
Since students will be applying what they learn, and because film is itself an audiovisual medium, it is important to provide your students with examples of the things you go over with them, and urge them to try out these skills for themselves. When you define PSA, show them one. When you go over what a stunt is, play segments of movies that use these or act one out. Encourage your students to practice filming in real-life, sketching storyboards, and writing scripts.