Monopoly Masterminds

Learning intention

I am learning the textual features of a presentation so that I can incorporate multimodal elements to create greater authority.

Success criteria

• I can identify information included in an article.
• I can discuss the difference between the impact of information presented in an article compared to an audio file.
• I can identify different multimodal elements and consider who this will appeal to.
• I can prepare a presentation that incorporates multimodal elements.
• I can show my presentation to another group.

 

Essential knowledge

View the English Textual Concepts video Authority.  

Focus question

How do different aspects of multimodal texts help inform the audience?

 

Read Monopoly Masterminds. Discuss what information is included ensuring students note that it includes surprising information about the game of Monopoly, such as:

• when the game was invented
• its instant popularity
• the fact the game was used to smuggle escape plans to captured troops during World War Two
• how the adapted Monopoly sets, with escape boards, were smuggled to soldiers.

Identify how the information is organised (it is grouped under relevant subheadings). Listen to the audio file of the article. Discuss whether students preferred to read the article or listen to the audio file. Reflect on differing opinions amongst the students emphasising that often people have different preferences for how they receive information. Tell students that the most effective way to present information would be to accommodate different styles of delivering information to account for people’s different preferences. Discuss how further authority might be added to the information, for example, by providing multiple sources, by including a variety of credible multimodal elements.

Inform students that they will be adding multimodal sources to the information included in the article to create a presentation on Monopoly.

Discuss the following with students:

• What has not been included in the article? (How to play Monopoly, where people can buy the game, who the game appeals to) Inform students that they might choose to include some of these details.
• What multimodal elements might be incorporated into a presentation and who might each type appeal to? (Video – useful for students who find reading challenging and for those who are visual learners, audio – useful for students who find reading challenging or prefer to listen to information, photos – useful for visual learners)

Inform students that they will add some of these multimodal elements to their presentation.

Place students in groups of around eight. Instruct students to select a partner within their group and decide on which multimodal element each pair will focus on (for example video, audio or visual images). Tell each pair to focus on a different element. Inform students that one pair should focus on compiling each of the different elements using programs such as PowerPoint or GoogleSlides. Discuss ideas for what students might include for each multimodal elements for example:

Video

• videos of students describing how to play Monopoly
• video of students playing Monopoly
• videos found online of people playing Monopoly.

Images

• photos of the pieces used in Monopoly
• photos of different properties on the board
• photos/digitally created images of students playing the game
• images of the game
• reels of images of the game, compiled as video using programs such as InShot.

Audio

• podcast style audio recordings of students discussing or playing Monopoly
• sound effects/music

Refer students to further information about Monopoly for research if they require including the following:

Monopoly on Kids Britannica

Monopoly Board Game Britannica

Place two groups together and instruct them to show their presentations to each other.