Roger Ebert’s “Great Movies” Extra Credit Assignment Sheet & Parent Permission Form
To earn the extra credit points available to the class through this assignment, a student must do the following:
(a) Go to Ebert’s Great Movies website at http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=REVIEWS08
(b) select a film from Ebert’s list of what he thinks are “The Great(est) Movies” of all time;
(c) clear the movie with me to be sure that no one has already chosen it, as only 1-2 students are allowed to watch any
particular movie;
(d) if the movie is rated “R”, get SIGNED parent permission to watch the film;
(e) read Ebert’s analysis/evaluation of the film; and
(f) write a response to his analysis that makes direct reference to at least five points mentioned in his analysis.
(g) this analysis must be at least six paragraphs long (one typed, double-spaced paragraph per Ebert point plus an
introduction).
(h) ONE extra credit film analysis can be turned in for every month that remains in the semester.
(i) each review is worth a maximum of 15 extra credit points, depending on quality, etc.
(j) this assignment is entirely voluntary and is only for the purposes of extra credit.
Dear Parent/Guardian:
I am writing to you today concerning the extra credit assignment (see above) I am making available to my 11th and 12th
grade English classes this year at La Jolla High School.
Your student is asking for your permission to watch an “R” rated movie for this assignment. As I have not seen most of the
movies on Mr. Ebert’s list, I may not be able to say why a particular movie was given a particular rating. I can say, though,
is that some of the “R” rated films from his list that I have seen contain scenes of graphic violence (Schindler’s List), graphic
language (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull), graphic sex (Saturday Night Fever), or a combination of the three.
There are still almost 200 films available for extra credit viewing, many of them G, PG and PG-13 rated films, and so there is
no need for your student to watch an “R” rated film to receive this extra credit if you are not comfortable with the idea of
teenagers viewing “R” rated films. It is simply a choice that he/she is making and is now asking you to support. If your
decision is “no”, that will be respected. And so, please know that your student wishes to watch the “R” rated movie titled
___________________________________________________________________________
(student: please write the name of the “R” rated film on the line provided above)
If you have no reservations about your student watching the film listed above, simply check the appropriate area below and
sign that you have given your permission to your student to watch an “R” rated movie for the purposes of receiving extra
credit for English. Without your permission, no credit will be given.
____
Yes. I, __________________________________________________________,
(write parent/guardian name on the line provided above)
give permission to my son/daughter, _______________________________________________,
(write student name on the line provided above)
to watch the “R” rated movie listed above for the purposes of extra credit for English class.
X ________________________________________________________.
(signature of parent/legal guardian)