Using Movies to

Enhance Reading and

Writing Outcomes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP0hwVVUTac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee8NvgURCZs&index=3
&list=PLA70A2124E2B8A462
 Amistad
Movie: Amistad (intermediate)
Objective: Build intermediate level
reading and analytical skills
Skill and Schema building
Read short story and article on slavery in
the U.S.
Discuss idea of theme, character, and plot
Vocabulary building exercises for first two
chapters
Activities
Read abridged version of Amistad
Reading Groups: Summary, Vocabulary, Discussion
Questions, Theme/Character Analysis.
Use post boards to display ideas – timelines,
positive/negative characters, etc.
Group presentations on reading group activity
Watch segments of movie to add visual media and to
reinforce vocabulary.
Assessment - Comprehension and vocabulary quizzes,
short answer quizzes
Additional materials:

Fredrick Douglas: “An American Slave”

Martin Luther King, Jr.: “A Letter from Birmingham Jail”

Voices from the days of slavery:

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/collections/voices/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEJH0hEoHc4
Excerpts from “The Stereotype of Stereotypes”
by Bruce Bower in Reader’s Choice 5th edition

“Heaven is a place with an American house, Chinese

food, British police, a German car, and French art.”

“Hell is a place with a Japanese house, Chinese police,

British food, German art, and a French car.”

Are stereotypes unjustified truths or probabilistic beliefs we

use to categorize people, object and events?
 Crash
Movie: Crash (advanced)
Objective: Use critical thinking skills to
analyze the theme of stereotypes
Skill and Schema building
Read and discuss article(s) about
stereotypes
Discuss stereotypes and how they relate
to students lives
Discuss why we use stereotypes and how
they can be beneficial or detrimental
Activities
Watch Crash and take notes
Discuss segments of the movie (What
examples of stereotyping do they see, ask
questions similar to the test questions)
After movie get into groups and discuss
several questions about the movie
Assessment: Short answer essay test
synthesizing content from movie, class, and
articles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5VW0XTFBZo
March of the Penguins
March of the Penguins (low-intermediate)
Objective: write a paragraph using
personification from the perspective of a
penguin
Activities:
Watch movie and listen for vocab words
Create a timeline of the movie

Skill and schema building: Assessment:

Read stories and articles on penguins
Write a paragraph about the life of a
Create vocab log
penguin using personification
Read paragraphs using personification
My name is Sammy, and I am a penguin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6WzMtMxxgk
Gracie
Movie: Gracie (high beginning)
Objective: To identify key points/main ideas and produce
chronological (process) essay
Skill and Schema building
Discuss chronological order. Learn how to write timelines.
Learn process vocabulary: first, next, after that, then, finally,
etc. Teach complex sentence structure: When Gracie arrived,
her family was shocked.
Show example of teacher’s timeline and write a model
paragraph on board using process vocabulary
Create timeline of own life – write paragraph
Vocabulary building exercises for play script and movie
Activities
Read aloud parts of the script of Gracie with the
students playing the parts.
Students write key points chronologically
Watch Gracie and have the students add to
their key points list
Create a timeline of Gracie using key points list
Write a chronological paragraph/essay of Gracie
Assessment: Personal paragraph, timeline of
Gracie, chronological paragraph/essay about
Gracie
 Gracie Timeline

Father takes
Gracie to meet
Kicks the coach. Coach Gracie
sends her to Gracie scores
bottle off Idea to play makes Jr.
school board. winning goal
the fence soccer Varsity team

Brother Johnny Asks father to School board Coach asks

dies train her. At allows tryout Gracie to play
first he says in big game
“no”
Other movies I love to use

The Joy Luck Club – writing about themes,

Mother/Daughter, Love, Jealousy
Outsourced – writing about discovery and acceptance of
different cultures
The Pursuit of Happyness – writing about the concept of
“American Dream”