The Great Debaters directed by Denzel Washington (Oklahoma City clip)

Washington, D. (Director). (2007). The great debater debate Oklahoma City- VOST French subtitles. On The great debaters [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcllrqZgxwE

Summary: This clip shows a competition in Oklahoma City debating the issue: Should Blacks be allowed at the same colleges as Whites?  It is a 4:33 min clip.

Review:  This is a great clip to use to teach rebuttal and have students follow argument threads.

Diversity: African American students are the focus and here they are the underdogs.

Suggestions for Teachers: This is a perfect clip for teaching the art of rebuttal. You could have students take notes of the affirmative and negative arguments and draw lines between the two to show when one side has addressed the other's argument.

1. Quantitative: N/A
2. Qualitative: Students could use some background knowledge of the context if you are not going to show the whole film in class, but if you've been teaching debate than all they might need to know if the issue the sides are arguing. Watch it a few times and perhaps model how you would take notes off this debate for students to mirror. Otherwise it is set up perfectly to show rebuttal.

Content Areas: English, Drama

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3
Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

Relevant links: Wikipedia

Subjects/Themes: English, Social Studies, segregation, Jim Crow

Awards: N/A

Series Information: N/A

Romeo + Juliet directed by Baz Luhrmann

Luhrmann, B. (Director). (1996). Romeo + Juliet [Motion picture]. USA: 20th Century Fox.

Summary: This is a modern day adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic set in Venice Beach, CA.

Review:  This is a fantastic adaptation!  So engaging with the music, costumes.  Students love it.

Diversity: A predominantly White cast although Mercutio is Black and Tybalt is Latino.

Suggestions for Teachers: Great to use when teaching the play and also alongside Zeferelli's classic version.

1. Quantitative: N/A
2. Qualitative: Students with knowledge of the play will have a stronger understanding of this text. While the costumes and setting are largely contemporary, the language is Shakespeare's original. It is well-edited and students will make meaning based on the visual context clues.

Content Areas: English, Drama

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3
Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

Relevant links: Wikipedia

Subjects/Themes: English, drama, Romeo and Juliet

Awards: See here.

Series Information: N/A

The Matrix film directed by The Wachowskis

Wachowski, L., & Wachowski, A. (Directors). (1999). The matrix [Motion picture]. US: Warner Bros.

Summary: Thomas Anderson leads a mundane life as an office worker by day and a hacker by night.  He meets Morpheus who convinces him that once he knows the truth, he will never want to return to his old life and will try to convince others to see the truth too.

Review:  While there are some violent scenes, this is an excellent film for high school students when grappling Plato's Allegory of the Cave.

Diversity: Talk about characters who do not fit the "norm". Here it is cool to be alternative. Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne are also men of color.

Suggestions for Teachers: Show clips of this film while teaching Plato's Allegory of the Cave. Read it with Malcolm X's "Learning to Read". What other texts talk about the truth being powerful?

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: N/A
2. Qualitative: High interest and complex ideas. Students will be able to use this film to make meaning of Plato. Knowledge of computer hacking will help students make meaning. Overall, easy to follow.

Content Areas: English, Philosophy

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3
Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

Relevant links: Wikipedia, History Guide

Subjects/Themes: philosophy, Plato, English

Awards: See here.

Series Information: N/A