Crash Film Lesson Plan
Submitted for Review by: Krystal Montalvo
Title of Lesson: When hurtful stereotypes and ignorant prejudices collide…
Subject Area: Study Skills and Literacy Support/Language Arts –English- 9th-12th
Learning Objectives
Students will:
● Be able to critically analyze underlying message(s) in a text, in this case a film
● Be able to practice forming an argument that they could in turn defend
● Be able to compare and contrast similar and dissimilar characters and situations in the story.
Materials Needed:
√ notebook paper
√ pen
√ Crash Film by Paul Haggis
Agenda
1. Students will view the film Crash by Paul Haggis; paying attention to stereotypes and
prejudices.
2. After the viewing of the film, students will break into groups for discussions.
3. Discussion questions include:
1. In this class, we’ve had a discourse on the topics of paths and choices in being taught
through the Towards No Drugs and Violence program. What is a discourse? How does this film
contribute to the discourse of examples of racism?
2. Why is the film titled “Crash?” Is there a literal reason and a metaphorical reason for the title?
Please explain.
3. What is a protagonist? Who is/are the protagonist(s) of Crash?
4. What is meant by the expression about a story: “redeeming character?” Was there a redeeming
character in the film? If so, who was it? (or, who were they?)
5. What social issues or social problems did you identify in Crash? How were they represented?
6. It’s not unusual for “stories” to contain a message from the writer/creator, etc. to the
reader/audience. What, if any, was/were the message(s) of Crash?
4. Post Discussion, students are to complete an individual reflected piece answering the
following prompt:
1. When Officer Ryan (Matt Dillon) said, “You think you know who you are? You have no
idea,” how does that relate to your life in regard to your interaction with people from
other ethnicities, cultures, or religions. With which character do you most relate to, and
how is she or he like you? What is the one small contribution you can make to not
perpetuate stereotypes about your own ethnicity?
Future plans:
Material can be turned into interesting comparison/contrast essays.
You can see some of their examples below.
1. To find two characters from the film who had a “similar” experience. For example, “two characters, at
some point, fell victim to prejudice.”
2. They should then explain the situation they will discuss and the characters involved.
3. Writers should provide at least three examples for how their perspective or situation(s) were similar.
4. Three examples for how their perspective or situations were different should be given.
5. What can be learned from this comparison? What conclusions can be drawn?