LESSON PLANS AND TIMES MATERIALS FOR TEACHING:
The Academy Awards
The Film Industry
Film in Language Arts
Film in Social Studies/History
Film in Fine Arts
Technology in Film
Lessons on these pages are for grades 6-12, written in consultation with Bank Street College of Education. Each one is paired with a Times article.
Learning Network Features
Selected Times Articles on Film Adaptations
Resources on the Web
LESSONS ON THE ACADEMY AWARDS:
The Envelope, Please
Investigating the Cultural Context of Oscar-Winning Films in the Past and Present
And the Oscar Goes to...
Examining and Creating Criteria for Oscar-Worthy Films
And the Winner Is...
Exploring the Role of the Academy Awards and Film in American Society
LESSONS ON THE FILM INDUSTRY:
Creating Film Festivals that Inform and Entertain Audiences
The Sundance Kids
Exploring What Makes the Independent Film Industry So Attractive to So Many
The Raid on Raters
Exploring the Current Movie Rating System
Minding the Media
Examining Ethical Questions About Media Rating Systems
The Reel World
Exploring the Appropriateness of Movies for Children
Considering the Costs of Making Movies
Fit to Be Tied (In)
Examining How Companies Target the Right Audiences
Old Hobbits Are Hard to Break
Learning About the Marketing of Motion Pictures on the Web
LESSONS ON AND WITH FILMMAKING:
Quiet on the Set!
Exploring Character and Conflict Development by Creating Short Films
Drawing Upon Successful Elements of the "Harry Potter" Series to Develop Short Films
Producing a Documentary Film Spotlighting the Everyday Sights and Sounds of a School
Creating Documentaries About Students' Everyday Lives
Through the Eyes of a Child
Creating Documentaries from the Perspectives of Adolescents
Creating Documentaries About Important Social Issues
Creating a Documentary about Rituals Related to Books
Creating Biographical Films for Current Political Candidates' Campaigns
More Power to You
Creating Documentaries About Energy Sources
Exploring the Pacific Rim by Writing Documentary Film Treatments
LESSONS USING FILM IN LANGUAGE ARTS:
Writing Movie Reviews
Screening the Silver Screen
Writing New York Times Movie Reviews
Exploring Plot Similarities in Fiction and Nonfiction Stories
Constructing Movie Sets Through Descriptive Writing
The Battle of Good and Evil on the Big Screen
A Media Studies Lesson Plan
If I Could Talk Like the Animals. . .
Teaching Personification and Narrative Writing in the Language Arts Classroom
The Sorcerers Shown
Comparing Similar Character Genres in Literature and Film
Talk About the Passion
Creating an Educational Guide to Encourage Critical Thinking about the Film "The Passion of Christ"
Creating Vocabulary-Rich Advertisements to Recognize Glover's Contribution to "Happy Feet"
Analyzing Similarities and Differences Among the Live, Film and Written Versions of Tony Award Winning Productions
LESSONS USING FILM IN SOCIAL STUDIES/HISTORY:
Tell Me Something Good
Analyzing Moviegoers' Preferences in an Economic Recession
Golden Globe as Gauge
Exploring How Hollywood Reflects the American Political and Cultural Climate
Is All Cinema Verité?
Exploring the Relationship Between Movies and Culture
Los Artistas Unidos
Exploring Questions of Diversity in the Casting of Actors for Popular Television Shows and Movies
Exploring Legislation About Violence in the Media
Making Sense of Censorship
Clarifying Rating Systems for Entertainment
Let There Be Peace
Exploring the Accomplishments of Nobel Peace Prize Recipients
A Woman's Worth
Examining the Changing Roles of Women in Cultures Around the World
LESSONS USING FILM IN FINE ARTS:
Setting the Stage from the Page
Creating Original Artwork that Transforms Text to the Big Screen
The Art of Violence
Creating Original Works of Art That Explore the Depiction of Violence
Lyrics of Hazzard
Updating Classic Music for a Movie Soundtrack
State of the Art
Identifying the Merits of a Favorite Work of Art
LESSONS ON TECHNOLOGY IN FILM:
Exploring Plausible Inventions for Make-Believe Movies
The New Fant-"Asia"
Contrasting Animated and Live-Action Filmmaking
Actors and Actresses
Screen Actors Guild
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Sundance Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
LEARNING NETWORK FEATURES:
Student Crossword: Oscar-Winning Films
News Snapshot: Best of the Bunch
News Snapshot: Hopeful Hollywood
News Snapshot: Pop + Art = Oscar?
News Snapshot: Holy Box Office, Batman!
News Snapshot: And the Nominees Are …
Times Movies Section
Times Critics' Picks
Times Reviews archive
The Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made
Blog: The Carpetbagger
Interactive Graphic: The Ebb and Flow of Movies: Box Office Receipts 1986-2008
SELECTED TIMES ARTICLES ON FILM ADAPTATIONS:
All Right, You Try: Adaptation Isn't Easy
Article by screenwriter Stephen Schiff on the challenges of adapting source material for film, including Susan Orlean's "The Orchid Thief," which became the Charlie Kaufman film "Adaptation."
Can a Film Do Justice to Literature?
Article about arguments over whether or not ''good literature is too substantial to fit through the lens of a camera.''
The Best Novelists, The Worst Movie Adaptations
Article about how great novels don't necessarily translate into great films.
Any Novel Can Be Shaped Into a Movie
Article on how some film adaptations, such as the one of "The English Patient," are as artistic as the novels they are based on.
Cuddling Up to Quasimodo and Friends
Article on film adaptations that are not true to their source material.
Is It Time To Trust Hollywood?
1990 essay by Molly Haskell that takes a broad look at Hollywood's history of book-to-movie adaptations.
Seen the Movie? Read the Book!
1987 essay by John Updike about adapting literature for film.
Adapting and Revising Twain's 'Huck Finn'
1986 essay by book critic Michiko Kakutani on the difficulties of adapting Twain.
2008 essay by Sophie Gee about adaptations of "Beowulf" and "Paradise Lost."
Romancing the Book…Once Again
1992 article about Hollywood's interest in literary classics.
RESOURCES ON THE WEB:
Scenarios USA holds an annual topical writing contest to pair student screenwriters in underserved communities with Hollywood filmmakers, who turn the students' stories into short films. The Scenarios USA Web site includes materials for teachers.
Teacher's Guide to Making Student Movies
From Scholastic Teaching Resources, designed for grades 3-12.
Mini Movie Makers
Resource for student filmmakers, developed by three young brothers.
MORE RESOURCES FOR TEACHING WITH THE TIMES:
Learning Network classroom resources on a wide range of topics.