Teach with Movies: Amistad

Objective: Engage students' prior knowledge and set the stage for learning about the Amistad revolt.

Activity:Discussion Prompt: Ask students to discuss in pairs or small groups what they know about slavery in the United States and any famous revolts or resistance movements they have heard about.

Quick Write: Have students write a brief paragraph about their thoughts on the importance of learning about historical revolts against slavery.

Objective: Provide context and background information on the Amistad revolt and the historical significance of the event.

Activity:Mini-Lecture: Present a brief overview of the Amistad incident, including the revolt, the capture of the ship by the U.S. Navy, and the subsequent legal battles.

Visual Aids: Show maps, images of the ship, and portraits of key figures involved in the incident.

Objective: Students will watch the film "Amistad" to gain a deeper understanding of the historical events.

Activity:Movie Viewing: Watch "Amistad" as a class. Have students take notes on the key-points including Story Elements as they watch the film.

You may need to review Story Elements: Plot, Setting, Characters, Conflict, Theme (there are other elements if the students have been introduced to them beforehand)

Plot:

Definition: The sequence of events that make up a story.
Structure: Typically follows a structure including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

Setting:

Definition: The time and place where the story occurs.
Components: Includes the geographical location, historical period, time of day, social context, and weather.

Characters:

Protagonist: The main character around whom the story revolves.
Antagonist: The character or force that opposes the protagonist.
Supporting Characters: Other characters who play significant roles in the story, including friends, family, mentors, and adversaries.
Character Development: How characters grow or change over the course of the story.

Conflict:

Definition: The central struggle between opposing forces in the story.
Types:Internal Conflict: A struggle within a character (man vs. self).
External Conflict: A struggle between a character and an outside force (man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. society, man vs. technology, man vs. supernatural).

Theme:

Definition: The underlying message or main idea of the story.
Common Themes: Love, power, revenge, friendship, sacrifice, coming of age, good vs. evil, etc.

Objective: Students will analyze the film and explore different aspects of the story.

Activity:Group Work: Divide students into small groups. Assign each group a specific focus area (e.g., plot analysis, themes, story elements, historical figures).

A plot analysis involves examining the structure and elements of a story to understand its development and the relationships between different events and characters. Here are the key elements of a plot analysis:

Exposition:

• Introduction: The beginning of the story where characters, setting, and basic situation are introduced.
• Background Information: Any information that helps the reader understand the context of the story, such as historical background, character backstories, and initial conflicts.

Rising Action:

• Conflict Introduction: The main problem or conflict that drives the story is introduced.
• Complications: A series of events that create suspense, interest, and tension, leading up to the climax. These events make the conflict more complex and challenging.

Climax:

• Turning Point: The most intense, exciting, or important point of the story where the main conflict reaches its peak.
• Decisive Moment: A critical moment where the outcome of the conflict is decided. It is often the point of highest tension in the story.

Falling Action:

• Aftermath of the Climax: The events that follow the climax and start to resolve the conflict.
• Unraveling of Tensions: The consequences of the climax are explored, and the story begins to wind down.

Resolution (Denouement):

• Conflict Resolution: The main conflict is resolved, and the story comes to a close.
• Conclusion: The final part of the story where any remaining loose ends are tied up, and the story reaches a satisfactory ending.

Online Research: Have each group use online resources to gather additional information about their assigned focus area or choose a historical figure to research. (Students can begin their search at Wikipedia using the Reference List to explore primary and secondary sources, other resources: Amistad Case

Objective: Assess students’ understanding of the film and the historical context.

 Activity: Discussion Questions: Have students answer discussion questions related to the film and the historical context. This can be done as a class discussion, in small groups, or individually as quickwrites or journal entries.

Specific Details: Emphasize the importance of using specific details from the film and supplemental readings to support their responses.

Objective: Students will apply their knowledge and insights in a collaborative and interactive manner.

Activity:Blog or Discussion Forum: Create a blog or online discussion forum for students to post their responses to the discussion questions. Encourage students to read and respond to their peers' posts.

Group Presentations: Have each group present their findings to the class, focusing on the key points they researched and their analysis of the film.

Class Discussion: Facilitate a whole-class discussion where groups share their insights and respond to questions from their peers.