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Here’s Lookin’ at You, Kid: Movies and Television as Curriculum

Here’s Lookin’ at You, Kid: Movies and Television as Curriculum

by OnlySchoolers · Sep 17, 2020

Lights — Camera — Action! Join Gina and Christyn as they talk about all the ways that visual media — television shows, movies, documentaries — are taking front and center stage in their homeschools.

From basic use to total immersion in visual media, they show you how you can incorporate movies and television to create a richer learning experience.

3:07 — When we use movies and TV as curriculum, which is an under-utilized educational method, we go way beyond the old-school “movie day” concept

3:30 — You don’t have to ADD visual media to the curricululm — visual media can BE the curriculum. It’s an eye-opening concept: using visual media as curricululm with minimal or no text added

5:00 — Three main steps
1) Classic use, i.e. “Read a book, watch the movie”
2) Hybrid — focus on print curriculum, but start sprinkling in visual media
3) Total immersion — visual media IS the curriculum, with readings sprinkled in

6:34 — The first step, the classic use, is heavily used in literature and history classes because it works well to start forming those compare and contrast concepts

7:20 — Gina talks about using the classic method for Shakespeare

8:40 — Christyn talks about using it even younger, with preschoolers and their favorite cartoons with book crossovers

10:14 — The classic use leads naturally to discussion of compare and contrast and begins to emphasize that idea of finding textual evidence (from the book AND the movie/show) to support your ideas and opinions

11:04 — The second step: Hybrid option. Have a spine for the class, but start sprinkling in more visual media to supplement and support the text

12:15 — Christyn talks about how she used it for a US History class she created, particularly with using Ken Burns’ “The Dust Bowl” during the section on the Great Depression

15:07 — Gina discusses her family’s use of Mythbusters to ramp up science class

16:57 — Once you’re comfortable with the hybrid option, you can kick it up to Next-Level Hybrid where the visual media is essential to the curriculum and is equal to or greater than the print portion. 

17:30 — Christyn discusses using “The Waltons” for history class and “The Middle” to learn how to write a personal essay

20:30 — Ask yourself “What am I trying to teach?” and “What movie or TV show can help me illustrate that concept?” Or you could even say, “I love this show — how can I use for homeschool?” 

21:08 — Remember: it’s okay for learning to be fun.  Our goal is to have our kids WANT to know more about a subject!

21:30 — Step 3: Total Immersion. Gina talks about how visual media jumps to center stage

22:40 — Gina discusses creating a class titled “Documenting History: The American Story” using nine or ten of Ken Burns’ documentaries and adding a project 

25:42 — Watching a story unfold on the screen is just as meaningful and just as valid and just as educational as reading a book

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Filed Under: Episodes, Season 1 Tagged With: avengers, is it okay to count watching movies, ken burns, marvel cinematic universe

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