Students research how authors create authentic, believable settings for literary fiction, using details of time and place that engage the full range of senses. They analyze how these settings establish and shape the story being told, and explore the relationship between creating settings for literature and creating them for visual media, such as movies or television.
Length: 10 50-minute sessions
Unit Project Description
Students imagine that the literary work they read will be made into a feature film. Working in teams, they analyze the author’s use of setting throughout the book, then choose several settings that are important to the work and would be interesting to film. Using details from the book, team members each write a detailed set description, and find or create visuals to illustrate their design ideas. At the end of the unit, each team pitches its set designs to the class, explaining how the chosen settings relate to the story.