The document discusses using movies in the classroom to engage students in history topics. It notes that movies take creative liberties with historical facts and presents biased perspectives. The document suggests having students identify inaccuracies and biases by comparing movies to historical evidence. Activities could include determining the truth, identifying what perspectives filmmakers wanted audiences to sympathize with, and allowing students to form their own opinions. Length of movies and appropriateness for the classroom are also addressed.

1. Tiffany Shelhorse
Project 1 EDTP 600

2. Movies are a huge part of
youth culture, and bringing
this culture into the classroom
can pique students interest the
topic being studied.
Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) at a
Vietnam War Protest on the steps of
the Lincoln Monument. In Forrest
Gump (1994)

3.  True or False?
 What inaccuracies are found in
the movie?
 Identifying bias in the movie
 Does the filmmaker favor one
side of the story?

4. Movie producers are free
to “embellish, trim, or
ignore the surviving
historical evidence”
(Metzger, 2010).
Students can pick out the
inaccuracies in the movie
for a classroom activity.

5. In The Patriot (2000), there is an American flag
being held in every battle. In reality, different
militias carried their own flag with its own
design.

6.  Producers “choose
what perspectives of
the past to portray—
and with which
perspectives they
want the audience to
sympathize” (Metzger,
2010, 129).
 Students can look at
the both sides of the
story and make their
own opinions about
the hero and the She really just wanted her dead sister’s shoes
villain. back from the girl who killed her sister.

7.  In Braveheart
King Edward I
is shown as a
ruthless king
who invades
Scotland for
personal gain.
In reality, the
Scots asked
him for help.

8.  Length: “Showing a movie in its entirety
requires at least two and often up to four full
class periods—plus additional time for
activities applying the film” (Metzger 2010,133).

9.  Appropriateness: Many historical movies may
not be deemed appropriate by school
administrators or parents (Metzger 2010).

10.  Metzger, S. (2010). Maximizing the Educational Power of History Movies in the
Classroom. Social Studies, 101(3), 127-136. doi:10.1080/0037799090328404