The Greatest Gift

It’s a Wonderful Life

WebQuest

Go to http://claytoncountylibrary.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/book-vs-
movie-the-greatest-gift-and-its-a-wonderful-life/ to answer the
following questions:
 Read the Book vs. Movie: The Greatest Gift and It’s a Wonderful
Life…
o What are the similarities represented in both the book and
the movie? Both the movie and the book took place in
1946.
o What do people say when comparing the book to the film?
The Film Was GREAT!

Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Van_Doren_Stern to answer
the following questions:
 As an author, what genre was Philip Van Doren Stern best
known? For Writing Sories.
 He wrote an anthology of Edgar Allan Poe’s work. What was that
anthology called? Visitor from the night of Time.

http://www.cosmolearning.com/videos/its-a-wonderful-life-1946-1110/
Press the pause button on the video or turn off your volume while the
video plays.
Answer the following questions:
 When was the movie It’s a Wonderful Life made? JANUARY 7,
1947
 When did it become a Christmas movie classic? Why? JANUARY 7,
1947 BECAUSE IT HAS SUCH A GREAT MESSAGE FOR THE WHOLE
FAMILY.
 Where did the original story of It’s a Wonderful Life come? WHEN
THE BOOK WAS WRITTEN.
 Why is this film titled, It’s a Wonderful Life? BECAUSE AT THE
END THE MAN HAS A WONDERFUL LIFE.
 What other films have copied the plot of It’s a Wonderful Life?
THE CHRISTMAS CAROL, THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, FRED
CLAUS.
 What is the story of It’s a Wonderful Life based on? IT BASED ON
A MAN THAT HATED CHRISTMAS AND HIS LIFE WAS GOING THE
WRONG WAY UNTILL AN ANGEL APPREAD AND SHOWED HIM
WHAT LIFE WHOULD BE WITH OUT HIM.
 How many Academy Award nominations did it get and in what
categories? 5 AND THE CATEGORIES WERE LIKE BEST ACTOR,
Dr. J. Smith, Facilitator ITU: SIMCHA JOY
Ms. J. Markley, Facilitator It’s A Wonderful Life
WebQuest
 BEST DIRECTOR, BEST FILM EDITING, BEST PICTURE, BEST
SOUND, AND MORE.
Go to http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/
 Play the Trailer then answer these questions:
 Would you go see this movie after watching the trailer? Why or
why not? I WOULD SEE IT BECAUSE IT’S A CLASSICS.
 Scroll to Director: and click onto Frank Capra to answer the
following questions:
o Where was Frank Capra born? May 18th 1897 Biscaquino,
Siclily, Italy.
o How many Oscars did he receive? 3 OSCARS.
o Click on more in the Awards: category to answer the
following questions:
 How many Golden Globes did he receive? 1 GOLDEN
GLOBE.
 He has a Star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood.
What category and where is it located? 6614
,HOLLYWOOD BLVD
 It’s a Wonderful Life won a Golden Globe Award in
what year? 1947
 Go back to Frank Capra main page and click on Mini Biography:
more
 What form of transportation did the Capra family
take from Sicily, Italy to United States? GERMANIA
SHIP
 What did Frank Capra do to pursue the American
Dream? WENT TO SCHOOL.
 He went to the Throop College of Technology. How
much was the annual tuition? 250 DOLLARS.
 Why was Frank Capra given a cash award of $250?
FOR HAVING GREAT GRADES.
 Frank Capra acted in a film prior to directing. What
was the film called? OUTCAST OF POKER FLATS.
 How many years did it take for Frank to become the
#1 director in Hollywood? ABOUT 20 YEARS.
 Scroll through his biography to Trivia to answer
these questions…
• While he was raising his four children, where
did they live? FALL BROOK CA.
• How did he get his first film assignment? BY
AND AD IN THE LA NEWSPAPER.
• When did he Host the Academy Awards? 1936
• Frank Capra had a political side. What was he
a “staunch opponent” of? ABORTION
Dr. J. Smith, Facilitator ITU: SIMCHA JOY
Ms. J. Markley, Facilitator It’s A Wonderful Life
WebQuest
 •
Some of his Personal Quotes to reflect/connect
on… Write two sentences or more on…how do
you think you can use this quote to motivate
you?
o “My advice to young filmmakers is this:
Don’t follow trends. Start them!” THIS IS
A GREAT QUOTE BECAUSE IT TALKS
ABOUT NOT BEING A FOLLWER BE A
LEADER. I WANT TO BE THE LEADER NOT
THE FOLLOWER.
o “A hunch is creativity trying to tell you
something.” IF YOU HAVE A IDEA DON’T
THINK ITS BAD JUST GO FOR IT. YOU
NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPENED IF
YOU DON’T TRY IT.
Go back to It’s a Wonderful Life main page
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/
 Click on the Clip at the top of the page and watch the clip to
answer the following questions:
 What does “lasso the moon and pull it down” mean? I THINK IT
MEANS THAT HE WILL BRING GREAT THINGS TO HERE LIKE THE
MOON BECAUSE ITS SO BEAUTIFUL.
 What does the man on the front porch say to George and Mary?
TELLS GEORGE TO KISS HER.
 Do people sit out on the front porch reading the paper much
anymore? Why or why not? NOT REALLY BECAUSE THERE IS
BETTER THINGS TO DO.
 Scroll to Cast to answer the following questions:
o James Stewart
 How many films did he act in playing himself?108
 What film did he win his Best Actor Oscar in a
Leading Role? ANATOMY OF A MURDER.
o Donna Reed
 What did she star in when she won her Best Actress
in a Supporting Role Oscar? FROM HERE TO
ETERNITY.
 How many films did she do prior to starring in It’s a
Wonderful Life?30
o Lionel Barrymore
 What was the name of the film he won an Oscar for
Best Actor in a Leading Role? A FREE SOUL.
 He is the great uncle of what current actress? IT’S A
WONDERFUL LIFE.

Dr. J. Smith, Facilitator ITU: SIMCHA JOY

Ms. J. Markley, Facilitator It’s A Wonderful Life
WebQuest
  Once you have completed this WebQuest…write a reflection on
what you found most interesting about the book, film,
writer/director, actors, and story.

I think that the book is boring because for me reading is

boring. There fore the movie looks way more interesting
than the book. Also the director seems really good he did
many classic movies! He is a great director wish he was
still alive. The actors also seem great they won many
Oscars and I’m planning to win won also with God all things
are possible!

Dr. J. Smith, Facilitator ITU: SIMCHA JOY

Ms. J. Markley, Facilitator It’s A Wonderful Life
WebQuest