Standard 5, Artifact 2, Media Lesson Plan

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David K. Thomas
Media Lesson Plan (through a Presentation Lesson Plan)
Detecting Bias in The Birth of a Nation / Understanding “Popular” Culture in early 20th Century
United States
 Course Name: US History (10th
grade) [Block scheduling]
Title of Lesson/Main Topic: Understanding early 20th
century US Culture through Film
(In this lesson I am making use of film clips from The Birth of a Nation in order to teach my
students about “popular” culture in the US in the early 20th century and so they can learn to
detect bias in films.)
Curriculum Goals/Objectives:
Maine Learning Results Standard A1: “Researching and Developing Positions on Current Social
Studies Issues” part E for grades 9 through 12/diploma:
“Utilize media relevant to audience and purpose that extend and support oral, written, and visual
communication.”
Student Objectives:
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Content-wise, students will learn about popular culture in the US in the early part of the
20th century.
Students will be able to detect bias in the film The Birth of a Nation.
Students will develop deeper understandings of how bias can be promoted in media.
Materials:
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Class / Community KWL Chart
A projector and projector screen
Selections from The Birth of a Nation film from the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=302YMeiDSrI
Question handout / end of class assessment
Homework assignment handout
Main Activity Description:
Phase 1: Gain
A. Say: “Today we are going learn about popular culture in early 20th
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attention and
explain goals
of the lesson.
Phase 2:
Present the
advance
organizer.
century in the United States. We will be looking at the film The
Birth of a Nation which, despite its racially insensitive and
historically inaccurate messages, was the highest grossing film in
the US for over 20 years. By watching selected scenes from the
film, we will attempt to discern the messages of the film and
figure out how these messages related to popular opinions in the
US at the time. Keep in mind that this film is extremely biased and
offensive from our modern perspective.”
A. As a class, fill out a KWL chart on early 20th century popular
culture in the US. I will not offer too many ideas, but will instead
let the students guide the lesson at this point.
B. Upon reviewing the KWL chart, give the students a bit more
background information on the film and again warn them that it is
extremely racist.
Phase 3:
Present new
learning
material.
A. Handout the question sheet to the students. Tell them to read
through the questions, so they can be thinking about them while
viewing the scenes. Make sure they wait until we are done
viewing the film scenes before they actually start answering the
questions.
B. Present five or six scenes from The Birth of a Nation and give
brief commentary between each scene.
Phase 4:
Interact with
students to
check for
understanding
and
strengthen
conceptual
frameworks.
(Just before
class ends)
A. Hand out and explain the homework assignment to the students
(see below).
B. Tell the students to fill out the question sheet that I have given
them. Make sure they know that I will be collecting the questions
sheets and grading them.
C. After collecting the questions sheets, end class with a discussion
between the students. Talk about the handout questions, students’
reactions to the film, or whatever subtopic the students want to
focus on. Unless they get extremely off topic, I will let the
students largely guide the direction of the subtopic(s) discussion.
(Ask students if they need anything to be clarified concerning the day’s
lesson or the homework.)
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Assessment of Learning:
1. Grade the in-class writing assignment/question sheet (formative assessment).
2. Assign and then later grade homework (see below).
Homework:
 A short writing assignment in which students will answer the following questions: “Think
about some popular films that have come out in the last few years. Can you detect racial,
political, or socioeconomic bias in any of these films? If so, in what films and what type
of bias can you detect? Are American films less or more biased today than they were 100
years ago? Why? Be sure to answer all parts of this assignment.”
Post-Lesson Reflections: (I normally fill this section out immediately after class, reflecting on
how the lesson went and how it could be improved the next time I use it, should the lesson prove
to be helpful):
Other thoughts / last minute lesson revisions (if necessary):
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Class KWL Chart
Topic: Early 20th Century Popular Culture in the US
What We Know
What We Want to Know
What We Learned (to be
completed during the next
class)
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Name:
Date:
Class:
The Birth of a Nation In-Class Viewing Questions:
1. The film inaccurately depicts common Southerners at the end of the American Civil War
as being distraught due to the assassination of President Lincoln. Why would the film do
this? What does this say about the popularity of Lincoln at the start of the early 20th
century?
2. How were African-Americans generally depicted in The Birth of a Nation? How was the
Ku Klux Klan generally depicted in this film? Why do you suppose this is?
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3. There are a few African-Americans in this film, who are considered to be “good” from
the perspective of the film’s writers and director. What defines a “good” AfricanAmerican in this film? What is problematic about this from our modern 21st century
perspective?
4. What other biases do you notice in the film? Are these biases representative of popular
US culture in general in this time period? Do these biases only represent the ideas of the
filmmakers? Explain your position.
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5. Keep in mind that The Birth of a Nation was the highest grossing film in the United
States for well over 20 years, despite its racist message. So, who exactly was the audience
for this film?
6. Please write your final and honest thoughts on the film here. This is completely opinionbased and all responses are welcome.
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Name:
Date:
Class:
Bias in Film Writing Assignment
Think about some popular films that have come out in the last few years. Can you detect racial,
political, or socioeconomic bias in any of these films? If so, in what films and what type of bias
can you detect? Are American films less or more biased today than they were 100 years ago?
Why? Be sure to answer all parts of this assignment.
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