Language Arts Challenge 

“The Lottery” –

Reimagined 

Submission Due Date: March 26, 2021 

Designed for Middle and High School Students

 

Table of Contents The Challenge Assumptions and Logistics Process Media Support Resources Presentation of Learning Evaluation Rubric Essential Questions Student Proficiencies Curricular Correlations: Common Core

Range of Activities “The Lottery” Short Story Analysis Plot/Action Sequence Setting Tone / Language Character Storyboard Creation Character and Scene Creation Writing Digital Literacy Skills – Video – Pre-production, Production and Post-production 21st Century Skills: Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Presentational Skills

The Challenge

This Challenge takes you deeply into the details of Shirley Jackson’s famous short story: “The Lottery.” It does so by asking you to reimagine parts of the story, without changing the overall tone or ending of the story. In this way, student teams must really dive into all the literary components that make up “The Lottery”. The deeper one’s understanding is of how that story is constructed, the more fun and energizing it will be to reimagine parts of it.

And energizing it is! This is a challenge that gives you permission to take a small literary masterpiece and …improve it! Or – if that sounds too daunting – re-interpret it so that new meanings emerge.

Here are the parameters:

• Read the short story, “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson.
• Create a (maximum) twelve-panel storyboard that:

1. Sets the story in a different place; and
2. Includes the addition of one new event or action in the story that in some way changes our understanding of the story without changing its outcome.
   • The storyboard panels must each contain a picture of a scene. Underneath each storyboard frame, the scenes can contain original text, text from the story, or no text at all.

• The panels can be created by any visual means desired, including paint, collage, photos, crayons…whatever suits the team best.

Take a breath, read the story, and then take this micro-dystopia and …give it new life!

Deliverables include:

• “The Lottery” Reimagined Storyboard (this is the only Meridian Stories deliverable)
• Representative Storyboard (at teacher’s discretion)
• Revised Storyboard (at teacher’s discretion)
• Written Summary of Changes (at teacher’s discretion)

Assumptions and Logistics

Time Frame – We recommend that this digital storytelling project takes place inside of a three to four-week time frame.

Length – All Meridian Stories submissions should be under 4 minutes in length, unless otherwise specified.

Slate – All digital storytelling projects must begin with a slate that provides:

• the title of the piece;
• the name of the school submitting;
• the wording ‘Permission Granted’ which gives Meridian Stories the right to a) publicly display the submission in question on, as linked from, related to or in support of Meridian Stories digital media; and b) use or reference it for educational purposes only in any and all media; and

We strongly recommend that students do not put their last names on the piece either at the start or finish, during the credits.

Submissions – Keep in mind that each school can only submit three submissions per Competition (so while the entire class can participate in the Challenge, only three can be submitted to Meridian Stories for Mentor review and scoring).

Teacher Reviews – All reviews by the teacher are at the discretion of the teacher and all suggested paper deliverables are due only to the teacher. The only deliverable to Meridian Stories is the digital storytelling project.

Teacher’s Role and Technology Integrator – While it is helpful to have a Technology Integrator involved, they are not usually necessary: the students already know how to produce the digital storytelling project. And if they don’t, part of their challenge is to figure it out. They will! The teacher’s primary function in these Challenges is to guide the students as they engage with the content.  You don’t need to know editing, sound design, shooting or storyboarding: you just need to know your content area, while assisting them with time management issues. 

Digital Rules/Literacy – We strongly recommend that all students follow the rules of Digital Citizenry in their proper usage and/or citation of images, music and text taken from other sources. This recommendation includes producing a citations page at the end of your entry, if applicable. See the Digital Rules area in the Meridian Digital Storytelling Resources Center section of the site for guidance.

Location – Try not to shoot in a classroom at your school. The classroom, no matter how you dress it up, looks like a classroom and can negatively impact the digital story you are trying to tell.

Collaboration – We strongly recommend that students work in teams of 3-4: part of the educational value is around building collaborative skill sets. But students may work individually.

COVID-19 does not mean that students can’t collaborate. This unusual societal circumstance allows students to, paradoxically, focus on their collaborative skills even more through a clear delegation of responsibilities; and tight communication in order to insure that everyone is clear on the scripting and blocking of individual scenes that need to tell a cohesive story, even though the scenes may be shot in isolation. Digital storytelling projects in general move the essential communication about content and learning away from the educator and toward the students themselves. That is part of their educational strength. But in COVID-19, this quality is expanded. With the teacher more ‘unavailable’ than normal, the students must rely on their collaborative skills more than ever. It’s like playing a team sport with less input from the coach. They have to rise the occasion …and they will.

Process

Below is a suggested breakdown for the students’ work.

During Phase I, student teams will:

• Read and discuss Shirley Jackson’s, “The Lottery.” In these discussions, be sure to focus on how and why this story leaves such an indelible impression on the reader.
  • Focus on language, character, tone and setting. Consider the assumptions of the reader going into the story in contrast to the assumptions of the townspeople. Consider the hints of trouble – the elements that create discomfort for the reader – that the author subtly casts about the day’s unfolding events.
• Make notes, as a team, about what, amongst the literary elements mentioned above, is striking to you.
• Working in teams, create a rough storyboard of the existing story. This involves creating a frame for each moment or scene shift in the story.
  • Create no more than 12 frames.
  • In each frame – which can be drawn using stick figures; the art part of this phase is not important – break down the story into its component parts, including action, characters and setting.
  • In this rough storyboard phase, begin to experiment with some of the elements that you discussed above: how will you communicate those elements visually?
• Teacher’s Option: Representative Storyboard – Teachers may require that teams hand in their rough storyboard of the short story in its original form for review and feedback.

During Phase II, student teams will:

• Brainstorm about how to re-arrange and re-imagine these elements – the storyboard panels – in a new way that will change our experience with the story, and therefore our understanding, without changing the basic actions and outcomes in the story.
  • The changes must include a change of setting, which can include a change of time and place.
  • The changes must include a new action, event or decision by a character. This may lead to other new actions, events or decisions, which is permitted.
  • The changes can include a re-ordering of the main events of the story. This could be just two scenes interchanged or a full-on restructuring.
  • The changes cannot include a new character; a dramatic alteration to the tradition of the lottery itself; the small community spirit of the story; or the outcome itself – the stoning death of Mrs. Hutchinson. The idea here to stay within the basic parameters of the story – to stay close to the spirit of the tale – but to open up its universe slightly to new interpretations.
• Create a new storyboard inclusive of your proposed changes – still in rough form – adding the first draft of the language you are going to use. Run it by your peers to get their reactions. Are they more invested in the story and its meaning than upon their reading of the original?
  • Teacher’s Option: Revised Storyboard – Teachers may require that teams hand in their revised rough storyboard of the short story for review and feedback.
  • Teacher’s Option: Written Summary of Changes – Teachers may require that teams hand in a two page paper summarizing why the team is proposing the changes that they are making and how those changes will affect the reader’s experience with the story.
• Discuss the overall artistic/visual approach to representing the final storyboard panels. Questions to consider include:
  • Simple or elaborate visual presentation?
  • Two Dimensional (drawing on paper, collage) or three dimensional (diorama, photographs)?
  • Saturated colors or pastels, …or a movement from one to the other?
  • Black and white, or color?

During Phase III, student teams will: 

• Design and create their new storyboard panels.
• Brainstorm about the final digital presentation of the story. Questions to consider include:
  • Is anyone reading the words underneath each panel? Or is it more compelling to let the viewer/reader actively read the words?
  • Will there be a soundtrack, that might include natural, ambient sounds; sound effects; and/or music?
  • Will the panels be presented in an evenly paced way, or will the pacing track the drama of the story?
  • In all of the answers to the questions above, you will be addressing the ‘tone’ of the experience, which is clearly a very important literary element to this short story.
• Shoot the digital story.
• Record the voice-over or narration, as necessary.
• Edit the digital story, adding stills and graphics as desired.
• Post-produce the digital story, adding music and sound effects as desired, keeping in mind the effect that music – in terms of enhancing the emotions, triumphs and suspenseful tone of the story – can have on the audience.

Meridian Support: The Digital Storytelling Resource Center

Meridian Stories provides two forms of support for the student teams: 1.    Meridian Innovators and Artists – This is a series of three to four minute-videos featuring artists and innovative professionals who offer important advice, specifically for Meridian Stories, in the areas of creativity and production. 2.    Media Resource Collection – These are short documents that offer student teams key tips in the areas of creativity, production, game design and digital citizenry. Recommended review, as a team, for this Competition include:
Meridian Innovators and Artists	Media Resource Collection
Lily King on Fiction Writing Scott Nash on the Importance of Characters in Storytelling Tom Pierce on Editing Aviva Briefel on the Elements of a Successful Horror Film	Creative Brainstorming Techniques Building Characters Creating Storyboards/Framing a Shot Video Editing Basics

Presentation of Learning

Meridian Stories is a proud partner of the non-profit Share Your Learning, which is spearheading the movement of over five million students to publicly share their work as a meaningful part of their educational experience.

The workforce considers Presentational Skills to be a key asset and we encourage you to allow students to practice this skill set as often as possible. These digital storytelling projects provide a great opportunity for kids to practice their public presentational skills.  This can be achieved in a remote learning environment by inviting parents to a Zoom/Google/Skype screening of the student’s digital stories.

According to Share Your Learning, Presentations of Learning (POL) promote…

• Student Ownership, Responsibility & Engagement. POLs can serve as a powerful rite of passage at the end of [a project]. By reflecting on their growth over time in relation to academic and character goals, grounded in evidence from their work, students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning. Just as an artist wants their portfolio to represent their best work, POLs encourage students to care deeply about the work they will share.
• Community Pride & Involvement. When peers, teachers and community members come together to engage with student work and provide authentic feedback, they become invested in students’ growth and serve as active contributors to the school community.
• Equity. POLs ensure that all students are seen and provide insight into what learning experiences students find most meaningful and relevant to their lives.

Meridian Stories’ own research indicates this to be a really useful exercise for one additional reason:  Students actually learn from their peers’ presentations – it is useful to hear a perspective that is not just the teacher’s.

It is with this in mind that we you encourage you to plan an event – it could be just an end-of-the-week class or an event where parents, teachers and student peers are invited – to allow the students to showcase their Meridian Stories’ digital storytelling projects. For more free resources that will support this planning, visit Share Your Learning.

Evaluation Rubric: The Lottery – Reimagined

CONTENT COMMAND
Criteria	1-10
Story Understanding – Original	The new short story – as presented in the 12 frames – reflects a thoughtful and full understanding of the original story’s driving ideas
The Alterations	The choices for altering the story are clearly communicated
Story Understanding – Altered	The reimagined tale is compelling, chilling and thought-provoking, opening up new channels for discussion while adhering to the original structure and intent
STORYTELLING COMMAND
Criteria	1-10
New Scene	The new action, event or decision re-imagines the story in an engaging and thoughtful way. This applies to the re-ordering of scenes, if applicable.
New Setting	The relocated setting is well chosen and brings new meaning to the story
Language	The use of language – yours or the author’s – to complement the pictures and help compel the story forward is exemplary, enhancing the overall experience
MEDIA COMMAND
Criteria	1-10
Visualization	The artistic choices are visually arresting and bring new meaning to the story
Sound Design	Sound effects and music are used (or not) to create an engaging listening experience and enhance the tone and nature of the tale
Editing and Pacing	The video is edited cleanly and effectively, with particular attention to the pacing in order to maximize the experience for the viewer
21st CENTURY SKILLS COMMAND (teachers only)
Criteria	1-10
Collaborative Thinking	The group demonstrated flexibility in making compromises and valued the contributions of each group member.
Creativity and Innovation	The group brainstormed many inventive ideas and was able to evaluate, refine and implement them effectively.
Initiative and Self-Direction	The group set attainable goals, worked independently and managed their time effectively, demonstrating a disciplined commitment to the project.

 Essential Questions

1. What is Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” and why is it an important short story to read and experience?
2. What are the critical narrative tools that the author uses to propel “The Lottery” to its climactic ending?
3. Specifically, how do setting, character and plot sequence affect the impact and meaning in a work of fiction?
4. In re-structuring and re-imagining “The Lottery,” how have your choices regarding setting, character and plot sequence impacted the aesthetic of the story and the reader’s experience with the story?
5. In moving from the base of a written text to a visual storyboard, what elements of the story have you been able to communicate more effectively?
6. How has immersion in the creation of original content and the production of digital media – exercising one’s creativity, critical thinking and digital literacy skills – deepened the overall educational experience?
7. How has working on a team – practicing one’s collaborative skills – changed the learning experience?

Student Proficiencies

1. The student will have experienced Shirley Jackson’s, “The Lottery” in a deep and memorable way.
2. The student will be able to identify and understand the functions of the different narrative tools at an author’s disposal to create great stories.
3. The student will understand how an author’s choices concerning the order and shape of specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning, as well as its aesthetic impact.
4. The student will understand how to create their own narrative impact by making strategic choices in the areas of setting, character and plot sequence.
5. The student will understand the differences in communicative power between text and visual storyboarding.
6. The student will utilize key 21^st century skills, with a focus on creativity, critical thinking and digital literacy, in their process of translating literary content into a new narrative form.
7. The student will have an increased awareness of the challenges and rewards of team collaboration. Collaboration – the ability to work with others – is considered one of the most important 21^st century skills to develop in students as they prepare for life after secondary school.

 Curricular Correlations

“The Lottery” – Reimagined Challenge addresses a range of curricular objectives that have been articulated by the Common Core Curricular Standards – English Language Arts. Below please find the standards that are addressed, either wholly or in part.

Common Core Curricular Standards – English Language Arts

Standards	8th	9th/10th	11th/12th
RL3   READING: LITERATURE   Key Ideas and Details	Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.	Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.	Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
RL5   READING: LITERATURE     Craft and Structure	Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.	Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.	Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
W3   WRITING   Text Types and Purposes	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

W4   WRITING   Production and Distribution of Writing

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

SL1   SPEAKING AND LISTENING   Comprehension and Collaboration	Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher- led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.	Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.	Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one- on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL5   SPEAKING AND LISTENING   Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas	Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.	Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.	Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
L1   LANGUAGE   Conventions of Standard English	Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.	Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.	Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L5   LANGUAGE   Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.