"Our One Common Country" author talk in Stratford, CT

[Eva Elisabeth]

(08-22-2014 12:13 PM)David Lockmiller Wrote:  

(08-22-2014 11:28 AM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  

(08-22-2014 11:15 AM)David Lockmiller Wrote:  After seeing Spielberg's "Lincoln" movie, would your granddaugher know that portion of the film showing "AL entering fallen Richmond on horseback" was not true? Of course, you could correct for her the misinformation. But are you intending to make it your life's work with all of the other little girls and little boys in the South who see the free "Lincoln" DVD at school to correct this single misstatement of historical fact? Are there any other major historical blunders within the movie that you intend to correct only for your granddaughter?

There are not only little boys and girls at school, there's also a teacher who will know how to handle such media. Please see post #27.

From post #27: As for its use for educational purposes - even in the media country USA I can't imagine any movie/docu will replace text(book) work and make it superfluous. Personally I think the value of showing such a movie in lessons is to get to exactly such discussions as we are having here - is it accurate? Why/why not? Give reasons.

The teaching plan:

1. Show the "Lincoln" movie at the start of the day.

2.Then, go through the movie again, stopping at least at every major historical mistake or complete fiction, and have "such discussions as we are having here - is it accurate? Why/why not? Give reasons."

3. Then, at the end of the day or however long it takes to complete step #2, there would be a test created and graded by the instructor to make sure that each historical error in the movie, such as AL riding into Richmond, has been properly "unlearned" by each and every student. And, any student receiving less than a "C" on the test would be required both to view the "Lincoln" movie once again and the history correcting video created at step #2, and then, a retest. Let's hope that everyone gets at least a "C" the second time.

And, of course there is the problem of even noted Lincoln historians (and unpaid amateurs such as ourselves) disagreeing on elements of Lincoln history depicted in the "Lincoln" movie. I guess in such situations there would be no wrong answers on the test.

The suggestion I made would certainly be a transfer task (i.e. apply aquired knowledge, or competence on the subject, to new areas), also to challenge the students' self competence (ability to scrutinize and judge etc.) and improve media competence (as Laurie said, understanding the difference between "documentaries" and "movies", and awareness of that the latter take certain artistic licenses in order to entertain). To achieve that, believe me, it will not be necessary going through each and every error in the movie, and not at all the monotonous, ineffective way you feared either. Finally - sometimes school needs certain entertainment, too, to motivate.
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