Analyzing the Differences between a Novel and the Movie Version

I feel like this is a tough standard to teach. My students just finished reading Lord of the Flies and are now watching the old version of the movie and the new version. I gave them a triple column graphic organizer where they need to record differences between the novel, the old movie, and the new movie. From there, I want them consider why the director chose to make the changes he/she made in the movie and what the desired effect was with the changes. Then we ask ourselves which format was most effective in getting the central themes of the novel across?

I've done this type of activity before, and while my kids can identify the changes between the three versions, they have a tougher time concluding which is the most effective. But the way I see it is that my students are getting exposed to this kind of reflection and questioning. They are experimenting . . . wetting their feet.

Let's see how today goes. My 8th graders will finish watching the newer version of the film and then we'll spend the rest of the period discussing what we saw and what we think.