Students may wish to view the following films and write an opinion essay with evidentiary support from the film and two other sources to back up their beliefs for additional writing practice. Those sources may include novels, newspapers, quotations, interviews, non-fiction sources like texts, magazines, internet sources, surveys (created by and [data] evaluated by student), music, art, and photography.
1. Christy (based on the TV series) -- How has the education system changed throughout the years? What's good about it? What do you think needs to be changed? How would you change things? 2. The Education of Little Tree -- How has the education system changed throughout the years? What's good about it? What do you think needs to be changed? How would you change things? How are cultural stereotypes harmful? 3. Anne of Green Gables -- What are the difficulties and positive factors of living in a small area? How does this impact your life daily? Your dreams? Your social life? When you get older, will you want to stay in a small town or move to a big one? Why? 4. Girl of the Limberlost -- What difficulties might a young woman have faced in a small town 80 years ago? How would that compare and contrast to your life now? Do you think that you would have the necessary skills to live easily during that time period? Why or why not? 5. The Secret of Nimh -- Have you ever dealt with an obstacle that seems insurmountable? Mrs. Frisby did. Explain what happened to her and her family. Discuss how she faced some of the same feelings that you felt. Do you think she made the right choices? Why or why not? 6. The Miracle Worker (not for grade four) -- What is the biggest problem that you have ever faced? How did you overcome or solve the problem? Compare and contrast the types of feelings and problems that you faced with those that Helen faced. How did your situation end? 7. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory -- How are the main characters a microcosm of our society today? Is this a positive or a negative thing? Why do you think so? Do you think things will change in the future? What do you think it would take for things to change? 8. Happy Feet -- Explain how the film falls into the classic category of an epic -- A) the epic hero is braver or stronger than ordinary people, B) an all-knowing/wise person helps the protagonist, C) the story starts in medias res (in the middle of the action), D) has a vast setting. 9. Tuck Everlasting (not for fifth and sixth) -- You have been given the choice to truly live one life or to live forever... think about the possibilities as well as the problems. Which would you decide? Why? 10. Hook -- You wake up and find yourself in the middle of a fairy tale? Which one? What do you do? Do you chance as Peter did in Hook? Use examples from the film in your explanation. 11. The Day After Tomorrow -- Are we heading towards this environmentally, speaking, in your opinion? If so, do you think this will happen in your lifetime? Are we doing enough locally, nationally, globally, to ward this off? What can be done to stave off this issue? More movies and to come....