Curated OER
Careers in Film
Students discuss the difference between independent films and and films produced by a major studio. They select an independent filmmaker to research and begin their research from a list of given Web sites. When research is complete,...
Curated OER
Introduction to Film Editing
Editing is a major part of making an amazing film. Young film makers examine a clip from the movie Citizen Kane. They then discuss two editing techniques and examine them in other films. They write out short scenes, film them, and then...
British Council
Film Reviews
Scholars work in pairs to discuss a film they have both seen by answering 10 questions about the movie. They then individually work on a film review worksheet using a different film than the one previously discussed with a partner.
Film English
Inseparable
Built around a moving short film about second chances and tough choices, this lesson plan mixes grammar, prediction, and narrative writing. Pupils practice with adjectives and prefixes before moving on to the film. The resource directs...
Curated OER
1765 to the Declaration of Independence
Learners research philanthropists of the American Revolution. In this philanthropy lesson, students watch the video Johnny Tremain and analyze the characters and determine their motives. Learners read the Declaration of Independence...
Media Smarts
Cinema Cops
A study of how public perception is both reflected and influenced by film and television, this instructional activity helps students develop an awareness of audience as well as a critical view of media. Depictions of police in television...
Curriculum Project
Gandhi
Introduce class members to Gandhi's non-violent, non-cooperative ideas with Richard Attenborough's 1982 bio-epic. The film traces the experiences that gave shape to Gandhi's ideas and the actions that eventually lead to the end of...
National Woman's History Museum
Red Power Prevails : The Activism, Spirit, and Resistance of Native American Women
Native American women powered the American Indian Movement and other social changes, but they are often forgotten by history books. Examining a series of resources, including a documentary film, photographs, secondary sources, and social...
PBS
Rosa Parks: Civil Rights Activist
Scholars examine the courageous efforts made by civil rights activist, Rosa Parks. Discussion questions and a brief writing assignment follows a short film. A photograph and a silent film delve deeper into Park's history and three...
TED-Ed
Pixar: The Math Behind the Movies
When will we ever use this? A Pixar movie maker explains to students how math is used in the creation of animated films. The movie maker discusses the importance of coordinate planes, transformations and translations, and trigonometry.
Health Smart Virginia
Inside Out Emotions
Following a viewing of Disney/Pixar's Inside Out, scholars list the five emotions depicted in the film—joy, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust. Learners complete a handout and discuss their answers. To close the lesson, peers share a...
Channel Islands Film
Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 3
How far have California's Channel islands moved? What was the rate of this movement? Class members first examine data that shows the age of the Hawaiian island chain and the average speed of the Pacific Plate. They then watch West of the...
Literacy Design Collaborative
A Pale Blue Dot: That's Here. That's Home. That's Us.
21st-century learners live in such a visual world that many are unused to letting their minds imagine the picture that words create. An excerpt from Carl Sagan's lecture, "The Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space,"...
Curated OER
Active Viewing: Savage Acts
Based on the documentary film Savage Acts: Wars, Fairs, and Empire, this lesson explores concepts of National interests and imperialism. They view sections of the film and share which images exemplify the meaning of each vocabulary term....
Curated OER
Creating a Cartoon of the Philippine-American War
During the Industrial and commercial expansion of the United States, war broke out between America and the Philippines. Explore conflict, American Imperialism, and political cartoons with this creative project. Learners view the film,...
Japan Society
Akutagawa Ryunosuke and the Taisho Modernists
Japan's Taisho Period was a time when authors like Akutagawa and other Japanese modernists began to experiment with point of view and literary form, making the literature produced during this time period a natural choice for teaching...
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Imperialism, Arab Nationalism and World War I
Continued conflict in the Middle East makes this lesson relevant, and the inclusion of a critique of Lawrence of Arabia might increase student interest in a potentially challenging topic. The resource includes a solid introduction to the...
Curated OER
Thinking Outside the Box
Now this lesson sounds fun! Students throw a ball, film it as it soars through the air, and use a spreadsheet to collect data. A scatterplot is created to produce a quadratic regression equation, an equation in vertex form, and an...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Have your class conduct research to learn all they can about simple machines. They use the web, take notes from a video, write a script, then make a film describing various simple machines found in real life. These videos are then...
Japan Society
The Bubble Economy and the Lost Decade
Explore Japanese society and national identity. Class members share ideas about the Japanese economy and then investigate a series of resources, including an article, a film, a lecture, and a poem, to learn about Japan's Bubble Economy...
Food a Fact of Life
Back to Basics
Ratatouille, the sauce not the animated Disney film, is the focus of this foods lesson. Class groups prepare either a classic tomato ragu or a ratatouille to take home and share with their families.
Minnesota Literacy Council
Grapes of Wrath and Pronouns
Many regard John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath as the great American novel. The lesson plan combines a variety of strategies, including partner work, independent practice, creative writing, grammar instruction, and small group...
Curated OER
Philanthropic Movements in the United States to 1900: 1765 to the Declaration of Independence
Students watch and discuss the Johnny Tremain video. They discuss the actions of citizens during the American Revolution and describe these actions as patriotic and/or philanthropic.
Dream of a Nation
Creating Awareness through Action Oriented Writing and Research
Middle schoolers aren't too young to feel strongly about politics, social issues, consumer rights, or environmental problems. Demonstrate the first steps toward social change with a project about action-oriented writing. Eighth graders...