FilmArobics offers time-saving, well-designed lesson plans for movies in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and English to help students learn while watching a great film. Teacher-authors suggest showing about 15-minute segments of films and then choosing one of many student activities.
Lesson plans provide a synopsis, cultural notes, and vocabulary for the teacher along with answers to all activities for each of the approximately seven to eight segments of the movie. Student activities can be copied and include an advance organizer or “pre” activity, chronological order activity, Q&As, and graphic organizer, plus additional activity options and homework. Offering a “pre” activity can provide students with names and specific vocabulary as well as helping students to become familiar with the theme/specific action/personal connections of the movie. Viewing the chunk of movie twice further helps students to focus on the language with or without subtitles, all depending on how the movie has been released and the teacher’s decision.
Depending on class time or changes in school schedule, teachers can show the movie section twice and then put the students to task. Students may work in pairs/small groups on some activities to promote more discussion in the target language, depending on the teacher’s assessment of their progress. Teachers have many options and find flexibility with extended class sessions, especially during school testing.
New lesson plans will soon include:
Ten multiple-choice questions per movie segment to provide a quick comprehension check that could be used as a possible student learning objective.
Written Q&As in both present and past tense to provide options to individualize instruction/support and stretch.
FilmArobics offers DVDs for many of the films (all available are Zone One); however, some DVDs are out of print. www.filmarobics.com
