Why is the assignment, "draw a new imaginary creature for Disney"? Why isn't the assignment, "now that you know what an imaginary creature is, it's time for you to create an imaginary creature"
First off, it's not an assignment. It's one small segement of a unit test for their reading program. It's nothing I get into (re. what does it eat, where does it live). It's one portion of the test and all they have to draw is an imaginary creature and tell me something about it. After that, we don't pursue it further. Before the test, we read a series of 5 books that involve imaginary creatures. The students cannot use any of those on the test. When I first started giving this test 4 yrs. ago, I did it the way you described, asking them to come up w/their own imaginary characters, going over what is imaginary and what is real. The students drew things they'd seen on TV/movies or in the books we read. They'd bring the paper up and I'd say "Spiderman was made up by someone else". In the last few years, I think I've seen one unicorn and one dragon. On the other hand, I've seen TONS of Spiderman, Spongebob and various animals (are bears imaginary or can I see them at the zoo?). Even though I would explain time and time again that they had to draw a new character, nothing they'd seen on tv before and I'd still get a bear or Spongebob. When I went back and tried the "Pretend you're making a brand new character for a Disney movie", the kids were far more excited about the task and stopped drawing familiar things from movies/television. It works. I don't know why ... but it does. And, I am going to stick w/what works w/my students. Now, when I bring up the whole "new Disney character", 90% of the students nail it.
Sadly, television (primarily cartoons) has taken away childrens imaginations. I do what I have to in order to bring it back. If it means drawing a new character for Harry Potter, then so be it. If it means drawing a new character for Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon, it's what I'll do. So far, for some reason, Disney works. They really relate to Disney.
and allow the children to create something truly unique of their own imagination?
The kids DO create something truly unique of their own imagination. I had a student draw a rainbow fuzz ball that walked on their hands and used it's feet (on its head) to see, another who drew a half-giraffe half-shark. If Disney gets the results that I need, it's what I have to do.
It should be encouraging the children to use their own imagination to develop the creature and its world, not just placing it in an already imagined setting like Monstropolis or The Crusty Crab.
They're using their own imagination. They are not placing it in any setting. They just draw one picture. It doesn't have to fit in any type of setting imagined or otherwise.
ETA -- I can say that, often times, I feel like I have to be Dora, The Backyardigans, Joe from Blue's Clues, the Wiggles, etc. in order to get the kids to pay attention. I have to sing, dance, jump around to get their attention b/c they're so dang used to being put in front of a tv set and seeing this stuff that it's what they expect. Seriously, after 5 mins. of a lesson, they start to zone out b/c, on tv, a commercial has come on at that point and they don't have to pay attention anymore.
If using references here and there (Disney or otherwise) helps me out, what's wrong w/that?! When one of my students says "I can't do this", is it so wrong of me to say "What does Joe from Blue's Clues say? He says you can do anything that you want to do!"?? No, it only reinforces what someone else has been telling them right along. If a child remembers a lesson b/c someone incorporated "Finding Nemo" w/it, isn't that better than not retaining the info. at all!?
I'm not basing my entire curriculum on Disney nor is the OP. That wasn't her intent. She just wanted to know if anyone's incorporated Disney related movies, etc. to suppliment their lesson plans/curriculum.
(sigh)...I started this thread for teachers to share ideas on how to use a little of what they feel is Disney magic into their lessons, hoping to make things more fun and enjoyable for students to want to learn and it turns into a debate. I give up. It is difficult to be a teacher nowadays when so much else is vying for students' attention.......I guess the old saying applies here . . . you have to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. Teaching is a huge challenge. You hope sometimes to find something that interests a majority of your students (never will have everything appeal to all of them). I do a lot of what I consider fun and interesting lessons for my students (that are non-Disney related) and I will continue to seek out and use fun and exciting ways to grab the students' attention, whether it be something Disney or otherwise. That was my idea here, fun and interesting lessons that make kids want to learn that just so happen to be related to Disney. If any other teachers out there are interested in exchanging ideas (Disney or otherwise! I do lots of neat lessons for 5th grade!!) you can always PM me.
Disney. I would just as upset if a lesson was themed on SpongeBob or Barbie or Sesame Street.
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