This worksheet accompanies documentary development information sheet. It may be used by students as they view documentaries in order to "deconstruct" them to derive meaning.

1. 1
Essential Components of Historical Documentaries – Note Taking Guide
Component Notes – what evidence do you see of this component?
1. Content – live video, Live video example:
interviews, photographs,
graphics, & film footage
Interview example:
Photograph example:
Film footage example:
2. A Story – beginning, middle, Beginning:
end; includes dramatic
moments, vivid images, colorful Middle:
quotations; organized
chronologically or thematically End:
Dramatic ending example:
Vivid image example:
Colorful/controversial quotation example:
Organization (chronological? thematic? how can you tell?):
3. Exploration of Change Over What happened?
Time – WHAT and WHY
Why did it happen?
4. Historical Perspective – One perspective:
Different people’s perspectives
on the same event, era, person
Another perspective:
Developed by Deborah Granger, Ed.D.

2. 2
5. Context – Location, time – What is the location?
focus on explaining rather than
judging
What do you notice about the time period?
6. Well-Crafted Questions – What questions does this documentary answer?
open-ended, based on research
that leads to curiosity – things
you don’t find in your research
and/or things that seem to be
controversial or debated in the
research
7. Conclusions – based on What conclusion does the film maker draw?
evidence
What are two pieces of evidence that support this conclusion?
8. Foundation of Facts – Who, Who is it about?
what, when, where, why, how
What is it about?
When did it take place?
Where did it take place?
Why did it take place?
Why is it important?
9. Topic Selection How is it controversial/interesting?
Considerations – available
primary and secondary sources,
different perspectives,
controversy? Does it connect
to the present day? How does it connect to the present?
Developed by Deborah Granger, Ed.D.