HOOP DREAMS Name:

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Date:

What is the difference between a dream and a goal?

Why is it good to have both?
Which should you prioritize?
Answer below:

1)

2)

3)

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Look over this poster for the film.

Use the margins to write notes, predictions, and questions based on the text and illustrations.
Two examples are done for you.

I’ve heard winning an award at

the Sundance Film Festival is a
big deal.

Is this film about Basketball?

Hoop Dreams is a 1994 documentary film directed by Steve James and written by Steven James. It follows the story of
two high school students in Chicago and their dream of becoming professional basketball players.

Originally intended to be a 30-minute short produced for the Public Broadcasting Service, it eventually led to five years of
filming and 250 hours of footage. The film follows two young men through their entire high school careers, and what
comes after. It premiered at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary. It
also won a Peabody Award, an MTV Movie Award, and “Best Documentary from The National Board of Review. It ended
its run in the box office with $11,830,611 worldwide. Here are other numerous, prestigious nominations and awards the
film earned. Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110057/awards?ref_=tt_ql_4
Academy Awards, USA 1995

Best Film Editing

Nominated Frederick Marx
Oscar Steve James
William Haugse

American Cinema Editors, USA 1995

Best Edited Documentary

Won Frederick Marx
Eddie Steve James
William Haugse

Boston Society of Film Critics Awards 1994

Won
Best Documentary
BSFC Award

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Directors Guild of America, USA 1995

Won Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary/Actuality

DGA Award Steve James

Chicago Film Critics Association Awards 1995

Won
Best Picture
CFCA Award

Nominated Best Director

CFCA Award Steve James

Image Awards 1996

Nominated
Outstanding News, Talk or Information Special
Image Award

Independent Spirit Awards 1995

Steve James
Won
Frederick Marx
Special Distinction Award
Peter Gilbert

International Documentary Association 1994

Feature Documentaries
Won Frederick Marx
IDA Award Steve James
Peter Gilbert

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards 1994

Won
Best Documentary/Non-Fiction Film
LAFCA Award

National Board of Review, USA 1994

Won
Best Documentary
NBR Award

National Film Preservation Board, USA 2005

Won
National Film Registry

National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA 1995

Won
Best Documentary
NSFC Award

3rd place
Best Film
NSFC Award

Prix Italia 1995

Won
Documentary
Special Prix Italia

Society of Texas Film Critics Awards 1994

Won Best Documentary

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STFC Award

As you watch, use the table below to identify the major characters in the documentary. Remember this is non-fiction, and
later you will complete research to see what has happened to these people in the 30 years since the film was first
released.
William Gates, age 14 Freshman Year Arthur Agee, age 14 Freshman Year

William’s Mother, Emma Gates Arthur’s Mother, Sheila Agee

William’s Brother, Curtis Gates Arthur’s Father, Arthur “Bo” Agee

Patricia Weir, Encyclopedia Britannica Earl Smith, Recruiter

Isaiah Thomas, Basketball Player

Gene Pingatore, St. Joseph’s Head Coach Luther Bedford, Marshall Head Coach

Catherine Mines and Alicia Shannon Johnson

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The documentary is broken into several sections that follow two teenagers through high school. As you watch:

 Identify, write, and reflect on a significant quote (first one is done)

 List three major developments that occur in each boy’s life
 Make a prediction about what will happen in the next year
 Reflect on the characters’ choices

BEFORE HIGH SCHOOL

WILLIAM GATES ARTHUR AGEE

Significant Quote: Significant Quote:

“I feel if I go to St. Joseph, I’ll at least get a “I gotta get my books straight.”
good chance to go to a good college. That’d
be good for me.”
Major Developments: Major Developments:

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

Prediction:
Prediction:

NOTES & REFLECTIONS

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FRESHMAN YEAR
Identify, write, and reflect on a significant quote. List three major developments that occur in each boy’s life.
Make a prediction about what will happen in the next year. Reflect on the characters’ choices.

William Gates Arthur Agee

Significant Quote: Significant Quote:

Major Developments: Major Developments:

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

Prediction: Prediction:

NOTES & REFLECTIONS:

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SOPHOMORE YEAR
Identify, write, and reflect on a significant quote. List three major developments that occur in each boy’s life.
Make a prediction about what will happen in the next year. Reflect on the characters’ choices.

William Gates Arthur Agee

Significant Quote: Significant Quote:

Major Developments: Major Developments:

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

Prediction: Prediction:

NOTES & REFLECTIONS:

CHOOSE ONE BOX BELOW AND RESPOND. TO WHICH CHARACTER CAN YOU RELATE?
I am MORE like William.  I am MORE like Arthur. 
Because… Because…

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JUNIOR YEAR
Identify, write, and reflect on a significant quote. List three major developments that occur in each boy’s life.
Make a prediction about what will happen in the next year. Reflect on the characters’ choices.

William Gates Arthur Agee

Significant Quote: Significant Quote:

Major Developments: Major Developments:

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

Prediction: Prediction:

NOTES & REFLECTIONS:

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SENIOR YEAR
Identify, write, and reflect on a significant quote. List three major developments that occur in each boy’s life.
Complete the reflection at the bottom of the column for each young man.

William Gates Arthur Agee

Significant Quote: Significant Quote:

Major Developments: Major Developments:

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

Reflection: Have your predictions come true so far? Reflection: Have your predictions come true so far?
What surprised you most? What surprised you most?

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AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

As you view the scenes from after high school, make your own notes about your reactions. Are you surprised or
disappointed by any of the developments that follow graduation? What successes do the boys have?
WILLIAM GATES ARTHUR AGEE

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In everybody’s neighborhood, there’s a guy who can really play. He can shoot the lights out, every time down
the court. Then he goes to St. Joseph’s high school, and he’s cut. And people say, “Tom was real good. Why
did he get cut?” See, Tom didn’t learn the fundamentals of team basketball, and that’s what you’re here to
learn how to play.
-Isaiah Thomas

Apply this quote to your experiences in school and your future in education. What does Isaiah
Thomas mean? How can you use your time in High School to prepare yourself for your life beyond
graduation? Why is it important to learn the fundamentals?

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After the film, discuss these questions in a small group.

Record your group’s response in the space below the prompt.

What is the most important lesson you can you learn from experiencing
four years of high school in just a few hours?

What are the top three mistakes Arthur and William made
that you should try to avoid?
1.

2.

3.

What did they do right?

1.

2.

3.

What are two advantages you have that Arthur and William did not?
1.

2.

What are two advantages Arthur and William have that you do not?
1.

2.

What questions would you ask Arthur and William if they were here today?

For William:

For Arthur:

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USE THE INTERNET TO COMPLETE FOLLOW-UP RESEARCH.

Use keywords to research the answers about HOOP DREAMS. Write the correct response on the line provided.

1. What was the world-wide box-office gross (how much money did it make) of the movie Hoop Dreams?

Key words:

Answer:

2. From what college did William Gates graduate and with what degree?

Key words:

Answer:

3. In 2004, what was William Gates doing for a living?

Key words:

Answer:

4. When and how did William’s brother die?

Key words:

Answer:

5. By William’s estimates, how much money did he get from the profits of the film?

Key words:

Answer:

6. Arthur Agee planned to start a “Hoop Dreams” clothing line. What was the slogan?

Key words:

Answer:

7. With regard to basketball, what does CBA stand for?

Key words:

Answer:

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8. When and for how long did Arthur play for the CBA?

Key words:

Answer:

9. What is the name of Arthur’s charity foundation that helps inner-city youths strive for higher education?

Key words:

Answer:

10. What U.S. college had a Hoop Dreams class as part of its curriculum?

Key words:

Answer:

After doing your research as a follow-up to the film, what have you learned from the experiences of William and
Arthur and their families and friends? How has knowing their story affected the way to look at your dreams?

USE RESEARCH STATION ARTICLES TO COMPLETE FURTHER RESEARCH.

As you visit each station, record information according to the WINDOWS NOTES prompts.

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Facts Feelings
 What are the most important, basic facts that you should  How do you feel about the facts, situations, characters, or
remember? conflicts that you are studying?
 If you’re reading about other people, how do you think they
feel?

Questions / Details Big Ideas & Connections

 What are you confused about?
 What would you like to know more about?
 Have you heard this before? Where?
 Does anything you’re studying here share a connection to
what you’re learning in other classes?
 What is the big idea behind what you’re studying? Why is it
important?

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CULMINATING ACTIVITY / SKILL BUILDER

Creating an Effective PowerPoint Presentation

You will create a slide show presenting information on one of the young men featured in the film “Hoop Dreams.” You will
use your experience viewing the film, your graphic organizers, and your in-class research to complete your presentation.
Your slide show will have 8 – 10 slides. You must provide:

 Life Before High School

 Major Developments During High School
 Life at College & After College
 Family Triumphs and Tragedies
 Effects of Being Part of the film

You must have an introductory slide with a meaningful title and a final slide that includes your sources of information.
When you are done, you will print out your slides and turn the printout in to your FS teacher. (When you print, please
keep your handout to a max of two pages.) YOUR POWERPOINT PRINT-OUT IS DUE: March, 2014.

Effective PowerPoint Slides

o Use design templates

o Standardize position, colors and styles
o Include only necessary information
o Limit the information to essentials
o Content should be self-evident
o Use colors that contrast
o Be consistent with effects, transitions and animation
o Too many slides can lose your audience

Text guidelines

o Generally no more than 6 words a line

o Generally no more than 6 lines a slide
o Larger font indicates more important information
o Font size generally ranges from 18 to 48 point
o Be sure text contrasts with background
o Fancy fonts can be hard to read
o Words in all capital letters are hard to read
o Avoid abbreviations and acronyms
o Limit punctuation marks

Clip Art and Graphics

o Should enhance and complement the text, not overwhelm

o No more than two graphics per slide
o BEFORE YOU BEGIN WORKING, COMPLETE THE PLANNER ON THE NEXT PAGE.

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HOOP DREAMS POWERPOINT PLANNING PAGE

SLIDE ONE SLIDE TWO

SLIDE THREE SLIDE FOUR

SLIDE FIVE SLIDE SIX

SLIDE SEVEN SLIDE EIGHT

SLIDE NINE SLIDE TEN

PROOFREAD AND REVIEW BEFORE YOU BEGIN WORKING ON YOUR POWERPOINT PRESENTATION!

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USE THIS PAGE FOR ADDITIONAL NOTES.

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USE THIS PAGE FOR ADDITIONAL NOTES.

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