Social Lenses
A Video Project
Grade level
Secondary 5 (Key Stage 4)
Theme
Social Issues
Task
Students compose a video on a social issue and propose solutions
No. of lessons
11 lessons (30 minutes each)
Created by Chong Gene Hang College and the University of Hong Kong.
About the unit
Building on the HKDSE elective "Learning English through Social Issues", this unit is an investigative project for Secondary 5, integrating subject-based learning through drama. Using the Process-based Model, students work in groups to design a video that employs various modes of expression, including photos or footage-based digital stories, dramatised presentations of social issues, narration over infographics, anchor-style reporting, and animated presentations. This task provides Key Stage 4 students with the opportunity to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of social issues, language structures for describing situations, causes, and solutions, as well as presenting data to support their arguments.
Prior knowledge
Students have learnt the basic structure of an argumentative essay and have participated in drama activities.
Learning objectives
By the end of the unit, students will be able to…
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create a video outlying the situation, cause and potential solutions of a social issue
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combine a range of multimodal base units skillfully and meaningfully to illustrate a social issue
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through sharing and peer assessment, give constructive feedback and articulate their understanding of social issues presented by their peers
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develop empathy and benevolence
Unit Plan
Lessons 1-2
Understanding assessment criteria
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T presents task, milestones and assessment criteria.
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Ss watch sample videos and discuss assessment criteria.
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Ss brainstorm topics and form groups.
More able: include original data collection (e.g. interviews, field trip)
Average: give explicit guiding questions under each section
Less able: prepare relevant news articles or data set for Ss' reference
Lessons 3-4
Plan
Content planning and data collection
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Ss explore the situation, causes, and potential solutions through research
Design
(outside of
class time)
Designing phase 1
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Ss collect base units and design the first part of the video (up to 2 mins)
Share
Lesson 10
Ensemble and peer assessment
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Ss share video products and explain how they respond to feedback collected
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T revisits assessment criteria
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Ss conduct peer assessment using Peer Assessment Form
Preparing for reflection
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T outlines reflection questions with a focus on growth and further development
Involve Ss in using the assessment criteria early in the unit to promote assessment literacy development
Ss include different types of basic elements in their videos.
More able: reflect with a video (e.g. outtake highlights)
Less able: begin reflection with a show of hands on Ss' feelings
Reflect
Lessons 5-7
Video planning and peer feedback
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T demonstrates how to plan a video with examples
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Ss plan their own videos using an video planner
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T invites some Ss to share their planners for peer and teacher feedback with reference to the assessment criteria
More able: focus on rhetoric and choosing modes that best fit their purposes (e.g. AI generated pictures or anchor style reporting)
Less able: use the most accessible modes (e.g. photo story)
Lessons 8-9
Peer feedback
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T revisits the assessment criteria with the class
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Ss present first part of the video and their design decisions
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Ss give feedback on both content and video design using Peer Feedback Form
Lesson 11
Self-reflection
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Ss volunteer to share reflection using a mode of their choice using the reflection guidelines
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guide students to show empathy and benevolence
• Guide Ss to use the sandwich approach in giving feedback (good point – improvement – good point)
(outside of
class time)
Designing phase 2
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Ss complete video based on their plans and feedback collected
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Ss make regular report on progress and difficulty to T
• Appoint a S group leader who communicates well with the T
• Have Ss vote on Google Form for Best Actor/ Actress, Best Director, Best Documentary etc. for more engaging sharing
Extension
Reflective Essay
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Ss reduce their reflection into a HKDSE style essay
