What movie to show middle schoolers?
May 6, 2015 10:52 AM Subscribe
What would be a good movie to show middle school students that would spark dialogue and critical thinking about what it means to be "American"? The audience would be mostly African-American and Hispanic students. Needs to be PG-13 or lower rating.
It's been several years since I've seen it, but Children of Invention might be appropriate. Here's the trailer.
It's about trying to achieve the American Dream as a member of a marginalized group.
posted by phunniemee at 11:11 AM on May 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
It's about trying to achieve the American Dream as a member of a marginalized group.
posted by phunniemee at 11:11 AM on May 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
Would a documentary work, because PBS is awesome for things like this.
Check out films from Independent Lens It's a rabbit hole of amazing, and there is surely SOMETHING you could use in there somewhere.
American Promise is certainly relevant to your students.
posted by zizzle at 11:18 AM on May 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
Check out films from Independent Lens It's a rabbit hole of amazing, and there is surely SOMETHING you could use in there somewhere.
American Promise is certainly relevant to your students.
posted by zizzle at 11:18 AM on May 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
Spellbound profiles a bunch of children across the nation as they prep for the National Spelling bee.
posted by hmo at 11:20 AM on May 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by hmo at 11:20 AM on May 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
IAAMST, FWIW.
An American Tail would actually be a good spark to talking about what America stands for, especially to immigrants, and how things have changed in the past couple of decades since that was made.
posted by guster4lovers at 12:14 PM on May 6, 2015 [3 favorites]
An American Tail would actually be a good spark to talking about what America stands for, especially to immigrants, and how things have changed in the past couple of decades since that was made.
posted by guster4lovers at 12:14 PM on May 6, 2015 [3 favorites]
Holes.
posted by taff at 12:19 PM on May 6, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by taff at 12:19 PM on May 6, 2015 [2 favorites]
Barry Levinson's Avalon was pretty good for this, at least from an early 20th century Polish-Jewish perspective.
posted by mosk at 1:14 PM on May 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mosk at 1:14 PM on May 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
Moscow on the Hudson?
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 2:08 PM on May 6, 2015
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 2:08 PM on May 6, 2015
When I was young I watched "El Norte"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085482/
posted by kschang at 3:44 PM on May 6, 2015 [2 favorites]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085482/
posted by kschang at 3:44 PM on May 6, 2015 [2 favorites]
Maybe "October Sky"?
If you haven't seen it, it is a true story about a boy trying to find a way to escape the small coal-mining town he is growing up in. Sputnik makes him decide to try rocketry and there is talk in the film of beating the Russians in the space race because AMERICANS!
A great performance by Jake Gyllenhaal and a fantastic look at small town life in the 50's/60's.
posted by tacodave at 3:51 PM on May 6, 2015
If you haven't seen it, it is a true story about a boy trying to find a way to escape the small coal-mining town he is growing up in. Sputnik makes him decide to try rocketry and there is talk in the film of beating the Russians in the space race because AMERICANS!
A great performance by Jake Gyllenhaal and a fantastic look at small town life in the 50's/60's.
posted by tacodave at 3:51 PM on May 6, 2015
I would look at some of the civil rights videos at Teaching Tolerance.
posted by Stewriffic at 4:22 PM on May 6, 2015
posted by Stewriffic at 4:22 PM on May 6, 2015
Amreeka (PG-13)
Muna, a single mother in Ramallah, has applied for a visa to the US. When it comes, her son Fadi, an excellent student, convinces her they should go. After an incident at customs begins their exile badly, they join Muna's sister and family in Illinois. Muna needs a job: although she has two degrees and 15 years' experience in banking, she settles for work at White Castle, telling the family her job's at a nearby bank. It's spring, 2003, and the US invades Iraq. While friends come from unlikely places, Fadi meets prejudice at school. How he'll respond to it and to American youth culture and how Muna will sort things out with her family are the rest of the story. Tragedy or hope? (IMDB plot description by jhailey)
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 5:19 PM on May 6, 2015 [2 favorites]
Muna, a single mother in Ramallah, has applied for a visa to the US. When it comes, her son Fadi, an excellent student, convinces her they should go. After an incident at customs begins their exile badly, they join Muna's sister and family in Illinois. Muna needs a job: although she has two degrees and 15 years' experience in banking, she settles for work at White Castle, telling the family her job's at a nearby bank. It's spring, 2003, and the US invades Iraq. While friends come from unlikely places, Fadi meets prejudice at school. How he'll respond to it and to American youth culture and how Muna will sort things out with her family are the rest of the story. Tragedy or hope? (IMDB plot description by jhailey)
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 5:19 PM on May 6, 2015 [2 favorites]
I think the Selena movie would be wonderful. (Yes, the one with J-Lo!)
Actually, I know it's wonderful because I teach a similar demographic: it's PG-13, my students love it, and it starts good conversations about many sorts of identities and their intersectionality.
posted by smorgasbord at 6:19 PM on May 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
Actually, I know it's wonderful because I teach a similar demographic: it's PG-13, my students love it, and it starts good conversations about many sorts of identities and their intersectionality.
posted by smorgasbord at 6:19 PM on May 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
(Also, to encourage more student buy-in, you could offer two or three options. The class could watch all the trailers, write the pros and cons for each, and then vote!)
posted by smorgasbord at 6:23 PM on May 6, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by smorgasbord at 6:23 PM on May 6, 2015 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions everyone!
posted by archimago at 4:10 AM on May 7, 2015
posted by archimago at 4:10 AM on May 7, 2015
Seconding smorgasbord's idea of offering a choice for the students to vote on. I've done similar with students (older ones, but the psychology works the same) when choosing what novel to read, and it really does increase student buy-in.
(However, a caveat: if there's one you would really rather not watch, for the love of God don't include it as an option. Speaking from experience, that's ALWAYS the one the students choose, and then you are stuck with it.)
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:01 PM on May 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
(However, a caveat: if there's one you would really rather not watch, for the love of God don't include it as an option. Speaking from experience, that's ALWAYS the one the students choose, and then you are stuck with it.)
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:01 PM on May 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
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posted by third rail at 11:04 AM on May 6, 2015 [7 favorites]