Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: "When There Were Ghosts" by Alberto Ríos
Before cell phones, tablets, and computers with access to YouTube, before gleaming multiplexes and even before television, there were small theaters with Saturday night black and white movies. Alberto Ríos's poem "When There Were Ghosts"...
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Docs for School: Viewing and Teaching Guide
Teaching documentary in your class? Inform your instruction with a guide meant to support teachers as they begin with documentary. The resource includes information on what a documentary is as well as documentary modes, elements, and...
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Casual Patterns in Ecosystems
Ecology explorers or beginning biologists view a time-lapse film of decaying strawberries. They discuss how decomposition occurs and what factors might affect the rate of decay. Alone, the lesson plan is lacking engaging attributes....
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Disney's Pocahontas: Fact or Fiction?
Did you know that Pocahontas was 12 when Jamestown was established? Did you know that she later married John Rolfe? Did you know that she lived in London for two years? Did you know that she died of small pox? Class members study the...
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Famous People of Japan: Literature, Politics, Film, Television, Sports, and the Imperial Family
Students research biographical information about a famous Japanese, investigating how this person has impacted Japanese and American culture. Students then create an oral report and technological presentation based on the research.
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VOLC TV News Team
Students produce a 5 minute internet news cast about an active volcano
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Camera Shots
Understanding how visual codes such as long-shots, close-ups, and camera angles affect meaning helps prepare young filmmakers to plan their own productions. The concepts embedded could also be used to analyze photographs and paintings.
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Putting the Sitcom into Perspective
Students identify and compare similar characters and situations in stories and dramas from and about various cultures, illustrate with classroom dramatizations, and discuss how theater reflects life.
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A Letter from Miami: A Telenovela
Students create their own telenovelas. In this telenovela lesson, students use the graphic organizer to work in groups and create a telenovela based on the mysterious letter.
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Innovative Inventions
Help your scholars get a grasp on the chronology of the Industrial Revolution with this "Innovative Inventions" worksheet. They discover what year various items were invented, and then create a timeline placing each invention and...
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Creating and Using a Checklist of Performance Techniques to Critique and Find the "Message" in Mass Media Performances
Students analyze and critique theater events by evaluating and constructing meanings from improvised and scripted scenes and from theater, film, television, and electronic media productions.
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Learning Landscapes
Fifth graders analyze a landscape depicting Yosemite during the time of the Wild West. They compare their perceptions of the West from film and television to this representation. They observe the use of scale and color to depict size and...
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Background for The Outsiders: the 1960s
As background for a reading of S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, groups rotate through four stations (video, music, website, information) to gather information on the 1960s. In addition, they interview family members about the 1960s and...
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Great Escape
Students view a television program that explores the influence and importance of film's contribution to the rise of global culture. They discuss and write about the movies' influence in their own lives and compare and contrast different...
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You Choose the News
Young scholars investigate the process used in choosing the news. They serve as guest editors and select newsworthy stories for the evening news program. Students explore how news is selected by editors and gain insight into the making...
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Sports Screeners
Students watch videos to discover the amount of physical activity in film and television. They present their findings to the class after viewing a film. They discuss how perceptions in films can influence young people.
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Twelve Angry Men: Trial by Jury as a Right and as a Political Institution
Students explore the constitutional guarantee of the right to trial by jury. In this U. S. Constitution lesson, students read or view Twelve Angry Men and respond to discussion questions regarding the jury. Students examine the...
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My Country, My Country: To Vote or Not to Vote
Students view a film about elections in Iraq. They examine the story of a doctor and his decisions to vote. They work together to complete a worksheet about voter turnout.
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The Blues . Writing . Biographies/Profiles . The Soul of a Man
This lesson, focused on profile writing and its unique characteristics, considers the profiles developed in the film The Soul of a Man while also asking students to consider other profiles they are familiar with and to write some of...
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Cool Commercials Critique
Students investigate advertising by critiquing commercials in class. In this media lesson, students view several commercials on their computers while completing a worksheet which helps them critique the ads. Students define several...
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Dogs- Canine Familiaris
Young scholars research dog species and breeds. In this dog lesson, students discuss breed of dogs, their personal experiences, and complete a Venn Diagram comparing breeds. Young scholars use the research to analyze television shows or...
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Science of Special Effects
This is a creative, multidisciplinary, well-designed lesson provided by Scientific American related to special effects. Students make their own animated short films and use math and computer skills.
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The Arts: Monster Transformation
Students discuss monsters in both film and literature. They examine the characteristics and methods of killing them. Using pastels on black construction paper, they create half-face/half-monster portraits of themselves. The creations...
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Jason and the Golden Fleece
Young scholars read and analyze the classic Greek tale of "Jason and the Golden Fleece." They compare/contrast the story with modern works of literature and films, answer discussion questions, and retell the story in a modern-day setting.