Illuminated Text

These are the first few in a series of screencasts on using Power Point 2003 for creating illuminated texts.  The companion documents can be found at   www.awaytoteach.net/ .  The screencasts follow the documents closely, with only a few additions.  These first three cover Lesson 1 - a) slide layout and background, b) adding text, c) copying slides and slide transitions.

 This illuminated text traces Magda's story, as experienced by Baba Yaga and in the context of her family's history. Rather than simply relate what happened to Magda, this illuminated text tries to display Baba Yaga's perspective and show the connections between both the beginning, middle, and end of A Long Long Time Ago and Essentially True itself and those of the stories contained within it.  

I chose to create an illuminated text on Pablo Neruda's poem, Clenched Soul. After watching the movie, The Postman, I was really interested in Neruda's works. This poem is written especially beautifully in my opinion and describes vivid images, two aspects that create an interesting illuminated text. I tried to enable viewers to understand the poem through pictures I drew as well as focusing on certain words. Hope you enjoy! [The vivid images that this presenter talks about are recreated in her wonderful Illuminated Text - especially the blue sky dropping on the poets world and later becoming a sunset. JRS]

This is an illuminated text from Act 5 Scene 5, when Macbeth talks about how Lady Macbeth should have died later, because everything he is doing is for her. She should be there to see his victories, and to celebrate with him and not him alone. Now that Lady Macbeth is dead, Macbeth feels as if life is meaningless, and there's no reason to do what he has been doing. WIthout a purpose, life becomes meaningless.

This Illuminated texts takes you through the motions and thoughts of Macbeth's final soliloquy after the announcement of Lady Macbeth’s death. In this speech Macbeth comes to his deepest understanding of the insignificance of his life. Which he describes as being controlled by someone or something beyond us and that we play parts scripted in this “drama” called life.

Act 3 Scene 7  This is an illuminated text of Lady Macbeth's speech to Macbeth when they are plotting to kill Duncan. Throughtout the speech she uses questions to answerthe questions that Macbeth is thinking about. Although she has not went through her character change yet shakespeare foreshadows her future change in morals at the end of the speech.

This Illuminated Text particularly highlights Macbeth, and the darkness. This passage was chosen because it emphasized themes that related to death and life, and the somberness of their relationship. The music emphasizes that theme, using an organ sounds and a haunting chorusing. It was taken from Macbeth, 3.3.51-60. The last three lines were excluded because it didn't fit the theme that was drawn from the chosen passages.

For our Illuminated text we pulled from 2 soliloquies: one by Lady Macbeth (Act 1 Scene 5) and one from Macbeth (Act 1 Scene 7). They were meant to contrast each other by showing how desperately Lady Macbeth craved to do the deed of killing Duncan and Macbeth is voicing his apprehension to the action. For being husband and wife they could not have two more different opinions (hence our title).  [They did a great job here - and that starts with their concentration on the actual text - the choice of font - and the animations that they use that explicate Shakespeare's words. JRS]

For this soliloquie I choose to do the one from Act 5 Sc 5. In this one Macbeth finds about his wife's death and is remembering the reasons for him becoming king. There is a specific reason why I choose the song that is played in this illuminated text and that is because my piano teacher talked about this song and told a story on how the theme of the song is always reoccuring.

This is a set of lessons for teaching students (and interested teachers) how to use Power Point 2007 to create illuminated texts.  Downloads include a course outline and five detailed handouts.  The first three lessons cover the skills needed to create a presentation and the last two provide instructions on including music.  A similar set of lessons for Power Point 2003 can be found here:  www.awaytoteach.net/ .

In this illuminated text I follow the development of the major theme of time, or lack thereof, evident throughout the book. This emphasis is present everywhere in the book. Paul is constantly talking about age and years and days. In creating this illuminated text I wanted to place an emphasis on the words and use them to display new meaning. I purposely kept this project brief and concise to display the abruptness of Paul's death, and his short yet troubled life.

This is an illuminated text done on the book "All Quiet on the Western Front." It mainly deals with chapter 7 and Paul's realization that he no longer can associate with the civilian world. There are many lines taken from other chapters but chapter 7 is the basis for this illuminated text.

This is an illuminated text on All Quiet on the Western Front, a novel about a young man, named Paul Baumer, who finds his world shattering into pieces out on the battlefield in the trenches.  We based our illuminated text on the discomfort that Paul experiences at the front, as well as at home on leave. In the end, however, Paul chooses the front as his true "home" rather than his actual home. We hope you enjoy it. [Another great Illuminated Text that concentrates on the "words" and uses the text to draw its "images"  JRS]