Laura Vanderslice

"Lights, Camera, Action…” is Vanderslice’s winning project-based learning program designed to incorporate technology and creativity to increase comprehension of classic works of literature. Utilizing Romeo and Juliet as the literary backdrop, Vanderslice’s program will aim to help students build deep content understanding by incorporating a fun, class-identified theme from a selected genre into which they will translate the traditional storyline. Once a theme is agreed upon, the students will be divided into groups, each assigned one of the acts from Romeo and Juliet. This approach will allow the students to use their imaginative writing skills to rewrite the play incorporating the new theme. Once all of the scripts are completed, the group will then create a movie of the act using video cameras and editing software. Upon completion, their video will be uploaded to YouTube for everyone in the class to see. More than 350 language arts students will benefit from this program. Vanderslice, who lives in St. George, hopes it will not only help the students remember Romeo and Juliet, but also help them gain confidence in their ability to perform leadership roles as they take on the part of  actor, editor, director or camera operator.