My Family and My Roots: A 9 th Grade Film Project Lowell Blackman Atid Lod High School of Sciences Lod, Israel

Primary subject of lesson: English (and History) Grade level of students: 9 th Grade English Speakers Class Assignment: My Family and My Roots: A 9th Grade Film Project Goal: To create a historical, biographical film (modeled after Centropa biographical films) Focus of project: Story of the life of an older family member Story of the family over the course of several generations Introduction

English Language Arts to engage in historical research to select historical information from research to gather and select historical information, images, documents from family to write a film script that demonstrates competence in general writing skills to edit and rewrite script for final narration to include subtitles in the film; proofreading, spell- checking, and grammar-checking are essential Objectives and Educational Goals (1)

Objectives and Educational Goals (2) Historical Competency to understand the sequence of a timeline to focus on events AND to understand significance of events in the life of the person they chose to understand how events in the world, nation, city or community impacted upon their lives to understand where the story “took place”: paying attention to geography and maps selected – especially historical maps

Objectives and Educational Goals (3) Social and Moral Dimensions To connect to one’s family via the interview process To tell a personal story of a someone close to them To imagine the day-to-day lives that people lived before, during, and after WW I and prior to WW II To attempt to understand how people’s lives looked “so long ago” To try and understand decisions made in the life / lives of (a) family member(s) To empathize with people and to feel the human spirit To attempt to understand what people had to go through in their lives

Objectives and Educational Goals (4) Technological skills to gather and select images, documents, music that go well with the script to learn to use a film-making program (Movie Maker, Sony Vegas, etc.)

Interdisciplinary Aspects and Considerations  Music for the film: selecting music in the background that reflects the sensitivities of the film and the subject  9th grade history curriculum covers 19th and 20th Century European nationalism, the birth of Zionism, and World War I and its aftermath; (Roots project fits well into this time context.) Objectives and Educational Goals (5)

Procedure (1) Posting the project on student website / class (available for all teachers, too!)* Students read and review project at home Reviewing goals and student procedures together in class The Great Centropa Treasure Hunt Exploring and navigating the Centropa website Viewing three Centropa films* Looking at the story, the way the story is told Looking at filming techniques (* Molho, Silberring, Lewin)

Computer lab time for research, reviewing, editing, rewriting scripts “Chunk of time” to work at home passes; computer room session scheduled to answer questions try and solve problems make suggestions help with script check their general progress. ”Work in Progress” Questionnaire Procedure (2)

Sources Centropa National Library of Israel digital library, an education department, a collection of ethnic and traditional music, old photographs, etc.) Yad Vashem United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (Washington, D.C.) Jewish Virtual Library Information, historical background, photographs about Jewish life in Europe prior to, during, and after WW II