Lesson Plan: NCIS Special Agent Creative Quiz Design

Materials Needed:

• A computer or tablet with internet access (for research, if needed)
• Access to view NCIS episodes or clips (optional, for inspiration)
• Paper and pen, or a word processing document (e.g., Microsoft Word, Google Docs)

Lesson Details

Subject: Media Literacy & Creative Application

Student: Gail (Adult Learner)

Time Allotment: 60-90 minutes (flexible)

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Analyze the roles, motivations, and dynamics of key NCIS characters to create insightful questions.
• Design original quiz questions that go beyond simple trivia, focusing on application, analysis, and evaluation.
• Construct a complete, themed 10-question NCIS quiz that could be given to another fan.

2. The Lesson Procedure: Your Mission Briefing

Part 1: The Warm-Up - "The Head Slap" (10 minutes)

Let's get our heads in the game, just like Gibbs would want. Think about the entire NCIS series you've watched.

• Discussion Point 1: Who is your favorite character and why? What makes them essential to the team's success? (e.g., Is it McGee's tech genius, Ziva's combat skills, Ducky's wisdom, or Abby's forensic magic?)
• Discussion Point 2: What is one of "Gibbs' Rules" that has stuck with you? Why do you think it's an important rule for the team?

This initial chat helps activate your knowledge and get you thinking analytically about the show's elements.

Part 2: Acquiring Intel - From "Trivia" to "Special Agent" Questions (15 minutes)

A good quiz isn't just about what happened; it's about why it happened and what it means. We're going to move beyond basic trivia. Let's look at different types of questions you can create.

• Standard Trivia (The "Probie" Question): These are fun and test memory.
  • Example: What number is on the back of Gibbs' "NCIS" cap?
• Understanding (The "Agent" Question): These questions ask "why."
  • Example: Explain the significance of Tony DiNozzo's constant movie references. What does it say about his character?
• Application (The "Senior Field Agent" Question): These ask you to use information in a new scenario.
  • Example: Imagine a new probie joins the team. Which of Gibbs' Rules would be the most critical for them to learn on day one, and why?
• Analysis (The "Special Agent in Charge" Question): These ask you to compare, contrast, and break down elements.
  • Example: Compare the forensic investigation style of Abby Sciuto with the evidence-gathering style of Kasie Hines. What are the key similarities and differences?
• Creative (The "Director" Question): These questions require imagination and invention based on what you know.
  • Example: Create a new "Gibbs' Rule" that feels authentic to his character. Describe a case situation where he might have created it.

Part 3: The Main Investigation - Design Your Quiz (30-45 minutes)

Your Mission: Create your own 10-question NCIS quiz. Your goal is to make it challenging and fun for a true fan.

Your Instructions:

1. Give your quiz a creative title. (e.g., "The Ultimate NCIS Agent Aptitude Test," "Ducky's Case File Challenge," "The Gibbs' Gut Feeling Quiz").
2. Write 10 questions about the NCIS universe.
3. Include a variety of question types. Aim for:
   • 2-3 "Probie" (Trivia) Questions
   • 2-3 "Agent" (Understanding) Questions
   • 2-3 "Senior Field Agent" (Application) Questions
   • 1-2 "Special Agent in Charge" (Analysis) or "Director" (Creative) Questions
4. Challenge Option: Try to theme your quiz around a specific character (like Abby, Tony, or Ziva) or a specific type of episode (e.g., episodes involving "The Port-to-Port Killer").
5. Don't forget to create an answer key! For the more complex questions, your answer key can explain the reasoning.

Part 4: The Debrief - Mission Accomplished (5-10 minutes)

Once your quiz is complete, let's review it together. We can discuss:

• Which question are you most proud of and why?
• Which type of question was the most challenging to write?
• You can even try giving me (your teacher) the quiz to see if I can pass!

3. Assessment

Your success on this mission will be based on the quiz you create. We will look for:

• Creativity & Theme: Does the quiz have a fun title and a clear focus?
• Question Variety: Does the quiz demonstrate your ability to write questions that require different levels of thinking (beyond simple recall)?
• Clarity: Are the questions well-worded and easy to understand?
• Authenticity: Do the questions show a deep and thoughtful understanding of the NCIS characters and universe?

4. Extension Activities (Optional "Next Assignment")

If you enjoyed this and want to continue the investigation:

• Create a Visual Quiz: Find 5-10 screenshots from the show and write a question for each one.
• Write a Case File: Based on one of your "Creative" questions, write a one-page summary of the case file where that scenario happened.
• Crossover Event: Create a 5-question quiz about how the original NCIS team would interact with characters from NCIS: Los Angeles or NCIS: Hawai'i.