Student Illuminated Text Presentations for The History of Love
"Poetry is a sword of lightning, ever unsheathed, which consumes the scabbard that would contain it." Percy Shelley
History of Love Day 5 - The Illuminated History of Love - A Long Term Project
Lesson Overview
It is time to watch the student created Illuminated Texts that they've been creating over the past month or so. The grading rubric below is handy for calculating the students' grades. I usually give a total of 600-800 points for this project (it is a lot of work). For comparison, a reading quiz is 100 points and an exam is 450 points. Sometimes the students in a partnership will volunteer that one student did a lot more work than the other - and I will award more points accordingly.
It usually takes two days to show all of the student Illuminated Texts. If there is any time remaining on the second day - I will show the best projects from the other class periods.
You will want to make sure the students are paying attention while they watch the other students' Illuminated Text - this is usually not an issue, as of course they want their classmates to watch when they present as well.
Handouts
Most Recent Handouts
Illuminated Text Grade Sheet Docx PDF A rubric for grading Illuminated Texts.
The Illuminated History of Love Handout Docx PDF This two-page handout goes into great detail about how to pick the work; how to find out information on creating Illuminated Texts; even how to choose a partner wisely (it takes a lot of work on both students' part).
I've also included some older, helpful handouts: What Makes a Great Illuminated Text Docx PDF
More Handouts can be found on the Illuminated Text page
Some Very Notable Examples (these all got an A+ & I am working on crediting all)
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"Once Upon a Time" by Felipe
An amazing piece of work. I know for a fact that students in other classes (like my British Literature class - where I used it as an example of how to do an Illuminated Text) were so moved by his video that they went out and bought the book. He did the music himself - and the ending is silent on purpose, given the text that is appearing on the screen.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
"Once Upon a Time" (also) by Monica Villegas
All of the drawings, the animations, the concept was done by Monica. It is so well done - so beautiful - so well thought out. It never ceases to move me - and I find something new in it every time. There are other incredible Illuminated Texts that Monica did, and I will try to post those as well. She also was the Art Director for the class final project - a period length Illuminated Texts on one of the works that we did.
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A. & L
I remember our class sitting in awe as we watched this Illuminated Text - which if memory serves my right was written in Adobe After Effects (the first one I think). It is beautiful - and a work of art in itself. Everything that is done with the text happens for a reason - and again, after it was shown, I remember students feeling that they a new (different?) understanding of this last important scene that the Illuminated text portrays.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
"Autumn" the by poem by Ranier Maria Rilke
A short but powerful Illuminated texts - that mixes simple drawings with texts (and breaks all the rules about sticking to one font - showing that rules are made to be broken). The simple piano soundtrack matches every movement - and the hand at the end is powerful (I wish it had faded out though - rather than ending abruptly).
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
"Don't Set Sail" by Frank Yi and Cheuk Law
Simple drawings - morphing coffee cups - and beautiful piano music. Frank and Cheuk do an amazing job here. There is one rule that students was given to students - one image - and here the artists do such an an incredible job with that coffee cup (though a few other images sneak in as well). Shapes, words, texts - incredibly moving. And of course it is about the shapes and texts (and music) that are chosen.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
"Were You Ever Mine?" by Aaron Lichamer, Mimi Lui, and Jamika McCann
Sometimes it is all about the text - sometimes about the story. This wonderful Illuminated Text combines the two. It uses the text to tell the story - but also uses images to illustrate that story. It stands on its own - but if you know the novel - it gives you all the more insight. All three students were among the best that I ever taught - or as is plain here - that taught me.
Remote Enhancements
By having the Handouts available for students - and then showing and watching together (very easy to do in Zoom or Google Meet) - first some general examples (like "Cat in the Rain") and the ones above. While showing them - I kept the chat open so we could talk about things to look for - students also dm'd each other to find a partner to work with.
Links
Class Recordings (for registered members)
Audio
Video
Candide - We begin a new book. The students now have a novel under their belt that they have been incredibly (in my experience) enthusiastic about. We move on to a book that actually shares something with The History of Love - a mixture of seriousness and mirth..
WHAT CAME BEFORE:
Thoughts on the Lesson
Watching these examples that are found above - I was profoundly moved. What incredible pieces of art! The longer I taught the more "expectations" became a dirty word. The only place I saw expectations encouraged were in extra-curriculars and sports. I have high expectations in the classroom was seen, more and more, as a bad thing that raised students stress level. I saw it as quite the opposite.