Table of Contents for U.S. History Learning Guides and Lesson Plans from Movies and Film
Full-Length Movies — Short Subjects — Movie Clips — Film Clips — Video Clips — Snippets
- 1629 – 1750: The Colonial Period
- 1750 – 1812: Creating the Nation
- The Frontier and the West
- 1812 – 1860: Manifest Destiny and Prelude to the Civil War
- 1860 – 1865: The Civil War
- 1865 – 1913: Reconstruction and the Beginning of the Age of Invention
- 1913 – 1929: WWI and the Roaring 20s
- 1929 – 1941: The Great Depression and the Clouds of War
- 1940 – 1945: WWII
- 1945 – 1991: The Cold War, Korea, and Vietnam; The Civil Rights Movement
- 1991 – present
All My Sons
U.S./1941 – 1991; Drama/U.S. [13+]
Anne B. Real
(U.S./1991 – present and New York; SEL: Breaking Out; Coming of Age; Alcohol & Drug Abuse; Courage; Crime; Education; Families in Crisis; Surviving; Talent; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility; Caring) [12+]
Anne Frank – Four Films About Anne Frank
(World/WWII & Holland; Biography; SEL: Coming of Age; Families in Crisis; Human Rights; Courage; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect; Responsibility; Citizenship) [12+]
Apollo 13
(U.S./1945 – 1991; Space Exploration; U.S./1941 – 1991; Drama/U.S. [8+]
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
U.S./1865 – 1991 & Diversity [10+]
Baseball: Inning 1
The 1840’s – 1900 Sports; U.S. History & Culture [10+]
A Call To Spy
The Best of TWM
(World History: The Second World War; England; U.S. History, 1940 – 1945; SEL: — Disabilities; Female Role Model; Courage in War; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Citizenship; Respect. [13+]
Casablanca
U.S./1941 – 1945; World/WWII, France & Morocco [12+]
The Chosen
Literature/U.S. & Literary Devices: Theme, Symbol, Irony; Religions/Judaism; U.S.: 1941 – 1945 & New York [10+]
Eleanor Roosevelt
Biography; U.S./1865 – 1991; Politics [10+]
Empowering Students to Meet the Challenges of Our Time
(U.S. History and Culture, 1945 – 1991 to Current; SEL: Leadership: Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [14+]
Fat Man and Little Boy
U.S./1941 – 1945 & New Mexico; Science-Technology [13+]
Flags of Our Fathers
(U.S./1940-1945; World/WWII; SEL: Courage in War Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness; Citizenship) [15+]
Free State of Jones
Rethinking the Southern Home Front in the Civil War
(U.S. 1860 – 1991, The Diversity/African-American Experience and the Civil Rights Movement, and Mississippi; SEL: Rebellion; Ethical Emphasis: Citizenship) [14+]
Grave of the Fireflies
(U.S./1941 – 1991; World/WW-II and Japan; Cinema; SEL: Human Rights; Surviving; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring) [13+]
Hidden Figures
(U.S. 1940 – 1991, Diversity, and Virginia; Mathematics; Science-Technology;; Cinema; SEL: Courage; Human Rights; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [13+]
Hiroshima Maiden
U.S./1941 – 1991; World/WW-II and Japan [9 – 13]
It’s a Wonderful Life
U.S./1913 – 1945 [10+]
Judgment at Nuremberg
U.S./1941 – 1945, The Law; World/WWII [10+]
The Longest Day
U.S./1941 – 1945; World/WWII [10+]
Mass Casualties Lesson Plan
(Focusing on the Decision to End WWII with Surprise Atomic Attacks on Japanese Cities) U.S./ 1941 – 1945; World/WWII and Japan [12+]
Memphis Belle
Aviation; U.S./1941 – 1945 [12+]
My Family
(U.S. 1929 – 1991; Hispanic & California; World/Mexico; SEL: Families in Crisis; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring) [13+]
Partners of the Heart
Medicine; U.S./1917 – 1991, Diversity, Tennessee & Maryland [10+]
Patton
Biography; U.S./1941 – 1945 [12+]
The Right Stuff
Aviation & Space Exploration; U.S./1941 – 1945 [12+]
Saving Private Ryan
Snippet Lesson Plan: Omaha Beach Landing
(U.S./1941 – 1945; World/WWII; SEL: Courage in War; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness; Citizenship) [16+]
Something the Lord Made
Medicine; U.S./1917 – 1991, Diversity, Tennessee & Maryland [10+]
South Pacific
Drama/Musicals; U.S./1941 – 1945 & Diversity [10+]
Tora! Tora! Tora!
U.S./1941 – 1945; World/Japan & WWII; Seafaring [10+] (Portions in Japanese with English subtitles)
Truman
Biography; U.S./1941 – 1991 [12+]
Tuskegee Airmen
Aviation; U.S./1941 – 1945, Diversity & Alabama [10+]
Twelve O’Clock High
Aviation; U.S./1941-1945 [10+]
TWO CONTRASTING TRADITIONS RELATING TO RACE RELATIONS IN AMERICA and a Tragic Irony of the American Revolution: the Sacrifice of Freedom for the African-American Slaves on the Altar of Representative Democracy
(U.S.: all time periods & Diversity/African-American and World: The Enlightenment and all time periods thereafter; SEL: Human Rights; Justice; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect)
Warm Springs
U.S./1913 – 1929 & Georgia; Biography [12+]
Will the future of the United States be more like the years after 1858 or the years after 1968?
(U.S. History & Culture; SEL: Justice; Human Rights; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Citizenship) [15+]
12 Angry Men
U.S./1945 – 1991 & The Law (due process; jury selection) [11+]
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
(Health, ELA, United States (1949 to 1991; 1991 to Present; and the Press); SEL: Father/Son; Male Role Model; Parenting; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring) [14+]
All My Sons
U.S./1941 – 1991; Drama/U.S. [13+]
All the President’s Men
U.S./1945 – 1991 & Politics [12+]
Angels in the Outfield
Sports/Baseball; U.S./1945 – 1991 & California [9 – 12]
Apollo 13
U.S./1945 – 1991; Space Exploration [8+]
Argo
(U.S./1945 – 1991 & Iran – The Iran Hostage Crisis; SEL: Courage; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring, Citizenship) [14+]
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
U.S./1865 – 1991 & Diversity [10+]
Baseball: Inning 1-9
The National Pastime: 1940 – 1950 U.S./1941 – 1945; Sports; U.S. History & Culture [10+]
Breaking Away
Sports/Bicycle Racing; U.S./1945 – 1991 & Indiana; [12+]
Brian’s Song
Sports/Football; U.S./1945 – 1991 & Diversity [10+]
Bridge to Terabithia
(Literature/U.S.; U.S./1945 – 1991 & Virginia; SEL: Friendship; Grieving; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring) [10-13]
The Buddy Holly Story
Music/Popular; U.S./1945 – 1991[12+]
Cast Away
(U.S./1945 – 1991 and Tennessee; ELA: expository phase; motif; symbol; theme development; dramatic irony) [13+]
Cesar Chavez: Respect for All
(U.S. 1945 – current, Diversity; Hispanic-Americans & California; SEL: Leadership; GBLTQ; Caring for Animals; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [10+; 22 minutes]
Conrack
U.S./1945 – 1991, Diversity & South Carolina [10+]
The Crucible
U.S./1629 – 1750, 1945-1991 & Massachusetts; Drama/U.S. [12+]
Damn Yankees
(Drama/Musicals; Sports/Baseball; Dance/Performance; U.S./1945 – 1991; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [10+]
Edge of America
Sports/Basketball; U.S./1945-1991; Diversity/Native American & African American and New Mexico [12+]
Edward Scissorhands
(U.S./1945 – 1991; ELA) [13+; Literary devices analyzed: expository phase, setting, character; development, theme.]
Einstein: Light to the Power of 2
Biography; Science-Technology; U.S./1945 – 1991 & Diversity [8 – 13]
El Norte
U.S./1945 to present, Diversity & California; World/Guatemala [14+]
Eleanor Roosevelt
Biography; U.S./1865 – 1991; Politics [10+]
Empowering Students to Meet the Challenges of Our Time
(U.S. History and Culture, 1945 – 1991 to Current; SEL: Leadership: Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [14+]
Eye in the Sky
(U.S. 1991 – Current; War on Terror (Drone Warfare); SEL: Courage in War; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness) [14+]
Fail-Safe
U.S./1945 – 1991; World/Cold War [14+]
Field of Dreams
Sports/Baseball; U.S./1945 – 1991 & Iowa [10+]
Force More Powerful
Short Subject: World/India, Poland, Denmark, Chile, South Africa; 1800s – the Present; U.S./1945 – the Present; Civil Rights Movement, Tennessee
[12+; Six sections, each between 20 and 30 minutes in length]
Force More Powerful
Snippet Lesson Plan: Civil Rights Movement – The Nashville Sit-ins, 1960
(U.S./1945 – 1991 & Diversity) [12+; snippet: 25 minutes; lesson: two class periods]
Free State of Jones
Rethinking the Southern Home Front in the Civil War
(U.S. 1860 – 1991, The Diversity/African-American Experience and the Civil Rights Movement, and Mississippi; SEL: Rebellion; Ethical Emphasis: Citizenship) [14+]
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
U.S./ 1945 – 1991 & Diversity [10+]
The Help
(US 1945-1991, Diversity & Mississippi; SEL: Self-Esteem, Friendship, Courage; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [13+]
Helping Students Think About What They Can Do To Help Meet the Challenges of Our Time
(U.S. History and Culture, 1945 – 1991 to Current; SEL: Leadership: Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [14+]
High Noon
American History and Civics Classes
(U.S./The Frontier & the West, 1865 – 1913 and 1945 – 1991 (the Red Scare); Cinema; SEL: Marriage; Leadership; Courage; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility; Citizenship) [11+]
High Noon
ELA Classes
(Literature/Myths of the Western genre; Literary devices: symbol; motif; foil; and expository phase; SEL: Marriage; Leadership; Courage; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility; Citizenship) [11+]
High Noon
Snippet Lesson Plan: Expository Phase ELA: Expository Phase
[12+; snippet: 15 minutes, 20 seconds; lesson: one to two class periods]
Hidden Figures
(U.S. 1940 – 1991, Diversity, and Virginia; Mathematics; Science-Technology;; Cinema; SEL: Courage; Human Rights; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [13+]
Hiroshima Maiden
U.S./1941 – 1991; World/WW-II and Japan [9 – 13]
Hoosiers
Sports/Basketball; U.S. 1945 – 1991 & Indiana [11+]
Inherit the Wind
Cinema; U.S./1913 – 1929, 1945 – 1991 & Tennessee [12+]
Into the Wild
(Literature: NonFiction; Literary Devices: theme; allusion; U.S.: 1945 – 1991; SEL: Taking Care of Yourself; Families in; Crisis Friendship; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [14+]
The Jackie Robinson Story
Biography; Sports/Baseball; U.S./1945 – 1991 & Diversity [8+]
The Joy Luck Club
U.S./1945 – 1991, Diversity; California; World/China [14+]
Just Mercy
(Drama/England; World/Ancient Rome; SEL: Ambition; Rebellion; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [12+]
The Long Walk Home
(U.S./1945 – 1991, Diversity & Alabama [12+]
Lord of the Flies
(ELA; U.S./1945 -1991) [13+; Literary devices analyzed: symbol, character development, theme, irony.]
Mao’s Last Dancer
(Literature: NonFiction; Literary Devices: allegory/parable; Biography; World/China; U.S.: 1945 – Present; Dance; SEL: Breaking Out; Human Rights; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [12+]
McFarland, USA
(Sports; U.S. 1945 – Current, Hispanic, & California; SEL: Education; Breaking Out; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [12+]
The Most Dangerous Man in America
Part of a unit on National Security Whistleblowers
(U.S. 1945 – Current, the Press; & the Law; Civics; SEL: Courage; Moral-Ethical Responsibility; Citizenship) [13+]
Mr. Holland’s Opus
Music/Classical; U.S./1945 – 1991 [10+]
The Music Within
(U.S. 1945 – 1991; Health (disabilities; effects of early-life trauma); SEL: Disabilities; Work/Career; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect; Citizenship) [14+]
My Family
(U.S. 1929 – 1991; Hispanic & California; World/Mexico; SEL: Families in Crisis; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring) [13+]
Native Son
U.S./1945 – 1991, Diversity & Illinois; Literature/U.S. [15+]
Never Cry Wolf
Science-Technology, The Environment; U.S./1945 – 1991; Alaska [10+]
El Norte
U.S./1945 to present, Diversity & California; World/Guatemala [14+]
October Sky
Aviation & Space Exploration; U.S./1945 – 1991 & West Virginia; Science-Technology [10+]
On The Waterfront
U.S./1945 – 1991 & New York; Cinema [12+]
The Outsiders
Literature/U.S.; U.S./1945 – 1991 [11+; Literary devices analyzed: expository phase; flashback; symbol; foreshadowing; Bildungsroman; irony; protagonist/antagonist confusion and theme]
Partners of the Heart
Medicine; U.S./1917 – 1991, Diversity, Tennessee & Maryland [10+]
The Post
(U.S. 1945 – 1991; the Press; SEL: Leadership; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [13+; 1 hr 56 minutes]
The Pursuit of Happyness
(U.S./1991 – present and Biography; SEL: Father/Son; Parenting; Surviving, Work/Career; add the following SEL topics when using TeachWithMovies.org’s student handout for this film entitled Episodes in the Life of Chris Gardner (What’s Not in the Movie): Alcohol & Drug Abuse; Breaking Out; Spousal Abuse; Child Abuse; Education; Male Role Model; Ambition; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring) [12+]
Quiz Show
U.S./1945 – 1991 & New York [11+]
A Raisin in the Sun
U.S./1945 – 1991, Diversity & Illinois; Drama/U.S [12+]
Remember the Titans
The Best of TWM
(U.S./1945 – 1991, Diversity & Virginia; Sports/Football; SEL: Breaking Out; Friendship; Teamwork; Leadership; Male Role Model; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect; Responsibility; Fairness; Citizenship) [11+]
The Right Stuff
U.S./1945 – 1991; Aviation; Space Exploration [12+]
The Russians are Coming the Russians are Coming
U.S./1945 – 1991 & Massachusetts [8 – 12]
Sayonara
U.S./1945 – 1991 & Diversity; World/Japan [12+]
Selma
(U.S.: 1945-1991; Civil Rights Movement; Civics; SEL: Leadership; Courage; Human Rights; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Fairness, Citizenship) [12+]
Silenced
Part of a unit on National Security Whistleblowers
(U.S. 1945 – Current, the Press; & the Law; Civics; SEL: Courage; Moral-Ethical Responsibility; Citizenship) [13+]
Something the Lord Made
Medicine; U.S./1917 – 1991, Diversity, Tennessee & Maryland [10+]
Spotlight
(U.S. 1945 – Current, the Press & Massachusetts; Religions; SEL: Child Abuse; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility) [13+; 128 minutes]
Stand and Deliver
U.S./1941 – 1996, Diversity & California; Mathematics; ELA [12+; Literary devices analyzed: character, symbols, subplot, foils and irony]
Thirteen Days
U.S./1945 – 1991; World/Russia & The Cold War [12+]
Tootsie
U.S./1945 – 1991 & New York; Drama/U.S. [13+]
Truman
Biography; U.S./1941 – 1991 [12+]
Tucker: The Man and His Dream
U.S./1945-1991; Science-Technology [10+]
The Turning Point
Dance; U.S./1945 – 1991 [14+]
TWO CONTRASTING TRADITIONS RELATING TO RACE RELATIONS IN AMERICA and a Tragic Irony of the American Revolution: the Sacrifice of Freedom for the African-American Slaves on the Altar of Representative Democracy
(U.S.: all time periods & Diversity/African-American and World: The Enlightenment and all time periods thereafter; SEL: Human Rights; Justice; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect)
War on Whistleblowers: Free Press and the National Security State
part of a Unit on National Security Whistleblowers
(U.S. 1945 – Current, the Press & the Law; Civics; SEL: Courage; Moral-Ethical Responsibility; Citizenship) [13+]
West Side Story
Drama/Musicals; U.S./1945 – 1991, Diversity & New York; Dance/Performance [12+]
Will the future of the United States be more like the years after 1858 or the years after 1968?
(U.S. History & Culture; SEL: Justice; Human Rights; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Citizenship) [15+]
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Health (Parenting); Biography (Fred Rogers); U.S. History 1945 to 1991. 1991 to present; SEL: Parenting; Male Role Model; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring; AGE; 16+
TeachWithMovies.org Learning Guides are ideal lesson plan makers for teachers of U.S. history. Each Learning Guide contains sections on Helpful Background, Benefits of the Movie, Possible Problems, Discussion Questions, and Assignments. They are designed to allow you to quickly create great U.S. history lesson plans.
The film clips and short subjects used in Snippet Lesson Plans are less than 40 minutes in length and are ideal for classroom use.
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