Teachers as movie producers…

Posted by joelheffner on June 22nd, 2008 filed in Uncategorized

Teachers should become movie producers! Producers find the script, hire the director and actors and check to see that everything runs smoothly. Teachers can either write the script or have students write it, find a student to be the director (and help him or her along the way), audition the potential student actors, and so on. Students love to “act things out” even if they are reluctant to get started. In the past, I’ve made scripts that were supposed to be a motivation for a lesson that should have lasted about three to five minutes. The sometimes go for half the period because after the first group of “actors” goes over the script (in front of the class) the other students want a “turn” at it. Incidentally, while they though they were killing time and having fun, they were really learning what I wanted them to know at the same time. If you really like the idea, you can video tape it and put it on your Web site (with parental permission, of course) for the whole world to see!

Here’s one that my students always liked. It’s about the Zenger Trial for seditious libel in the New York Colony.

Judge Delancey
Andrew Hamilton, Defense Lawyer
John Peter Zenger, Editor of the New York Weekly Journal
Attorney General Richard Bradley
Foreman
Juror #2
Juror #3
Juror #4
Juror #5
Governor William Cosby
Reporter
Another Reporter
Act I [At the trial]

Judge: Mr. Hamilton, do you have any witnesses for the defense?

Hamilton: Yes, Your Honor, the defense calls John Peter Zenger.

Judge: [Looking at the jury] Remember, members of the juror, you job is very simple. You must decide if Mr. Zenger’s newspaper is responsible for writing things that criticize the governor and this colony. That is your only job!

Zenger is now on the witness stand.]

Hamilton: What is your job?

Zenger: Newspaper publisher.

Hamilton: Did your newspaper publish information that criticized the government of New York?

Zenger: Yes.

Judge: Members of the jury. This trial does not need to continue. The defendant has just admitted his crime and must be convicted of this terrible crime.

Hamilton: Mr. Zenger, are the things that your newspaper said about the Governor and Colony of New York True?

Attorney General: I object, Your Honor. The truth has nothing to do with this case!

Judge: Objections Sustained. You are perfectly right, Mr. Attorney General. Truth is NOT a defense to libel!

Hamilton: Again, Mr. Zenger, was what you said true?

Zenger: Absolutely.

Judge: [Turning to the jury] Even though the statements made by Zenger are true, that is not a defense in the colony of New York. Your only question is whether or not Mr. Zenger’s newspaper made the criticism.

Hamilton: [Turning to the jury] We think not. The truth should always be a defense in a free society.

Hamilton: No more questions.

Judge: Mr. Attorney General, do you have any questions for this witness?

Attorney General: Just one, your honor. Did your newspaper criticize the governor and government of the great Colony of New York?

Zenger: Yes

Attorney General: No more questions. The verdict is obvious.

Judge: I agree. Members of the jury. You may now decide this case. You have only one clear choice. The defendant admitted to being guilty. Make your decision now.

Act II [Jurors are deliberating about the case]

Foreman: Let’s look at this case carefully. First, do we all agree that Zenger’s newspaper criticized the governor, who we know deserves a lot of criticism?

[All other members of the jury say yes.]

Foreman: Now, do we find Zenger guilty of a crime?

Juror #2: The judge said that we have to find him guilty, didn’t he?

Juror #3: However, Mr. Hamilton said that we should consider the truth, even though the judge said to ignore the truth.

Juror #4: The governor won’t be happy if we vote against him.

Juror #5: Who cares? He’s no good anyway. He doesn’t deserve to be a leader.

Juror #2: But the judge said that we can’t think about that.

Juror #3: I say that we do consider it. We are honorable people who are living under a tyrant.

Foreman: It’s time to vote. How many of you think that Zenger is guilty?

[All jurors vote for NOT GUILTY]

Act III [Interview with the Governor and Hamilton]

Reporter: Governor, what is your reaction to the verdict?

Governor: This is the worst day in the history of Great Britain. British law is clear and the jury has ignored it.

Another Reporter: [Standing back in the crowd] Don’t you think that the truth is a valid defense?

Governor: Who said that? You are a fool and should be sent to jail! The truth does not matter in the law. No one can criticize me or the colony of New York ever, for any reason at all!

Reporter: [Speaking to Hamilton] Mr. Hamilton, were you afraid to come here from Philadelphia to participate in this case?

Hamilton: No, I believed in the cause and it was worth the risk. Now I can go home knowing that colonists in New York believe in the truth.

Governor: Go back to Philadelphia before we put you in jail and disbar you like we did to the others!

[This post originally appeared at www.mrheffner.com.]