The Sum of Many Parts
Many moving parts
Can you explain a huge, complex task in three or four paragraphs?
Being able to clearly explain how something works, how something is put together, or how something will be achieved is a crucial skill – not just to help people, but also to inspire them and give them confidence.
Video by Michael Andrews & Josh Hassin, Everlong Records – embedded & hosted by Youtube
Thinking idea
- What do you think the phrase “the sum of many parts” means — literally and metaphorically?
- Can you think of a time when you faced a big, complicated task? What were the challenges, and how did you make it manageable?
- Do you prefer to work on your own or in a team? Why is that?
- Think about who drew each picture for the animation. How would you make these decisions? How would you organize this process?
Discussion idea
- Here’s the finished music video project.
- Watch the video. Does it inspire you?
- What questions would you ask?
- Would the scale of the project daunt you?
- How could you inspire a group of friends to take on a similar challenge, yet still make the challenge seem achievable?
Writing idea
- Explain how the Bubbles in Space video was created, including the process, who was involved, what resources and equipment were required, and how much time was needed.
- Then explain how you think your school could attempt a similar project.
Write your explanation clearly, using 500 words or fewer. - See if you can persuade your school’s art department to take on the challenge!
Teaching idea
Talk about the difference between explanatory writing and instructional writing. Ensure students understand that their writing should explain how something works, not provide a step-by-step series of instructions.
Model an explanatory paragraph using the students’ discussion ideas. Create a word bank of useful paragraph-opening phrases.
Practise editing, cutting words, and paring down paragraphs to ensure conciseness and clarity. If the explanation is too long, the reader might not understand it!
Resources
- Here’s the finished music video project.
- Read a blog post by the high school where 50 11th grade juniors collaborated to produce the video.
- This website features 50 similar large scale high school art and creative projects. It’s a useful resource for inspiration and examples of explanations using text and images.
- Here’s a useful video guide from BBC Teach with tips on how to structure and write explanations.
Please note, YouTube may use cookies if you play this video. Click for more information, and here’s how to turn cookies off.
Bubbles in Space
Seeing things differently
Photo by Vadim Sherbakovon on Unsplash
This is what a disassembled camera looks like.
Pick something you know a lot about.
Can you explain what every individual part of it does?
Related Resources
Try more Scribblebibble writing prompts!
Packing Tips
Step by step instructions | Suitable for 9-13 year olds. Can you create a clear, easy to follow and fool-proof set of packing instructions? Think carefully about your audience and your approach.
Secret Narratives
Narrative secrets | Suitable for 13-18 year olds. In this video there’s a secret in this song lyric’s story, but it’s cryptic and unrevealed. Can you build a story around a character’s secret? How do secrets shape characters, situations and narrative plots?