My students understand periods and movements in American history more readily through anecdotes, personal accounts and popular culture. I also teach English at Career High, often to the same students who take one of my American history classes. Furthermore, I am encouraged both my own convictions and experience and by district policy to develop units that are interdisciplinary. This unit, therefore, will be designed from the outset for that purpose. Film also lends itself very easily to an interdisciplinary approach.
Students learn well, believe in, and are certainly accustomed to films.
To my students, the visual image is credible. At the same time, my students familiarity with film generally disguises a lack of appreciation for the components, structure and design of films. This unit will be designed to move the students in the direction of being more rigorous and, hopefully, more participative in their watching of films. Obviously images are very powerful. Consider the mathematics.