CREATE WORLD HISTORY LESSON PLANS
Table of Contents for World History Learning Guides and Lesson Plans from Movies and Film
Full Length Movies — Short Subjects — Movie Clips — Film Clips — Video Clips — Snippets
Events/Epochs
- Pre-History
- Indigenous Civilizations in the Americas
- The Ancient World
- Babylon
- China
- Egypt
- Greece
- Muslim Culture
- Roman Empire
- The Middle Ages
- The Renaissance
- The Enlightenment
- The 1800s to the First World War
- The First World War
- Between the Wars and The Great Depression
- The Second World War
- The Cold War Era
- The Post Cold War Era
1. Pre-History
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A. Indigenous Civilizations in the Americas
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2. The Ancient World
Agora
Ancient Alexandria, Hypatia, and the Decline of Greco-Roman Civilization — using the Film Agora (World/Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome; Religions (Christianity & Judaism); SEL: Female Role Model; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [14+]
A. Babylon
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B. China
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C. Egypt
Agora
Ancient Alexandria, Hypatia, and the Decline of Greco-Roman Civilization — using the Film Agora (World/Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome; Religions (Christianity & Judaism); SEL: Female Role Model; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [14+]
D. Greece — Movie Lesson Plans Relating to Greece
Agora
Ancient Alexandria, Hypatia, and the Decline of Greco-Roman Civilization — using the Film Agora (World/Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome; Religions (Christianity & Judaism); SEL: Female Role Model; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [14+]
The Odyssey
World/Ancient Greece; Mythology; Literature & Literary Devices; Seafaring [14+ for the movie; 11+ for the book. Literary devices analyzed: simile, metaphor, flashback; symbol]
E. Muslim Culture
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F. Roman Empire — Movie Lesson Plans Relating to Roman Empire
Agora
Ancient Alexandria, Hypatia, and the Decline of Greco-Roman Civilization — using the Film Agora (World/Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome; Religions (Christianity & Judaism); SEL: Female Role Model; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect) [14+]
Julius Caesar
(Drama/England; World/Ancient Rome [12+]
3. Middle Ages — Movie Lesson Plans Relating to the Middle Ages
The Adventures of Robin Hood
World/England & Middle Ages [8 – 13]
Luther
Snippet Lesson Plan for the Sale of Indulgences in the Middle Ages Using Two Film Clips from the Movie Luther (World/Middle Ages; Religions/Christianity) [12+; Two clips from the film lasting about 12 minutes]
4. The Renaissance — Movie Lesson Plans Relating to The Renaissance
Ever After
(World/France and the Renaissance; Myths & Fairy Tales [10+]
Leonardo: A Dream of Flight
Biography; World/Italy & the Renaissance; Science-Technology; Aviation [8 – 11]
A Man for All Seasons
Biography/Thomas More; World/England & the Renaissance; Religions/Christianity; Drama/England [12+]
5. The Enlightenment
Gulliver’s Travels
(World/Enlightenment; Literature/Ireland [7+]
Goya: Awakened in a Dream
(Visual Arts; World/Spain & the Enlightenment; Biography [8 – 13]
Isaac Newton: A Tale of Two Isaacs
Biography; Science-Technology; World/England & Enlightenment; Mathematics [8-13]
6. The 1800s to the First World War — Movie Lesson Plans Relating to the 1800s to the First World War
Conquest
(Biography/Napoleon Bonaparte; World/France, Poland & The 1800s; SEL: Romantic Relationships; Ethical Emphasis: Respect; Responsibility) [12+]
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 on Non-violence and the Indian Independence Movement
(World/India, U.S./1945 – 1991 & Diversity) [12+; snippet: 25 minutes; lesson: two class periods]
Gandhi
Biography; World/India, South Africa, England & 1800s – Cold War Era; U.S./Diversity; Religions; Char. Dev.: Rebellion; Peace/Peacemakers [10+]
7. First World War — Movie Lesson Plans Relating to the First World War
The African Queen
Science-Technology; World/WWI & Africa [10+]
All Quiet on the Western Front
World/Germany & WWI [12+]
Gandhi
Biography; World/India, South Africa, England & 1800s – Cold War Era; U.S./Diversity; Religions; Char. Dev.: Rebellion; Peace/Peacemakers [10+]
Lawrence of Arabia
Biography; World/England, Middle East & WWI [12+]
Marie Curie: More Than Meets the Eye
Biography; World/France & WWI; Medicine; Science-Technology [8 – 12]
Paths of Glory
World/France & WWI [10+]
8. Between the World Wars; The Great Depression — Movie Lesson Plans Relating to the Period Between the World Wars and the Great Depression
The Book Thief
(World/Germany, WW-II, ELA (theme, personification, symbol, & irony); SEL: Families in Crisis; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility, Caring) [13+; 121 minutes]
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 on Non-violence and the Indian Independence Movement
(World/India, U.S./1945 – 1991 & Diversity) [12+; snippet: 25 minutes; lesson: two class periods]
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Literature/U.S.; World/Between World Wars & Spain [12+]
Gandhi
Biography; World/India, South Africa, England & 1800s – Cold War Era; U.S./Diversity; Religions [10+]
9. Second World War (including the Holocaust) — Lesson Plans from Films Relating to the Second World War
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+]
Gandhi
Biography; World/India, South Africa, England & 1800s – Cold War Era; U.S./Diversity; Religions [10+]
a. The War in Europe
Ballad of a Soldier
World/Russia & WWII [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]
Grave of the Fireflies
(U.S./1941 – 1991; World/WW-II and Japan; Cinema; SEL: Human Rights; Surviving; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring) [13+]
The Great Dictator
Biography/Hitler [10+]
Saving Private Ryan
Snippet Lesson Plan on the Omaha Beach Landing
(U.S./1941 – 1945; World/WWII; SEL: Courage in War; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness; Citizenship) [16+]
The Sound of Music
Drama/Musicals; World/ WWII & Austria [6+]
b. The Holocaust — Lesson Plans from Films Relating to the Holocaust
Anne Frank — Four Films About Anne Frank
World/WWII & Holland; Biography [12+]
Au Revoir Les Enfants
World/France & WWII (Holocaust) [11+]
Judgment at Nuremberg
U.S./1941 – 1945, The Law; World/WWII [10+]
Schindler’s List
Biography; World/WWII [15+]
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
(World/WWII & Germany; ELA; SEL: Human Rights; Friendship; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Respect; Responsibility; Caring) [13+; Literary Devices Analyzed: irony]
Europa! Europa!
Human Rights; Surviving [13+] (In German & Russian with English Subtitles)
c. The War in the Pacific — Movie Lesson Plans Relating to the Second World War in the Pacific
Hiroshima Maiden
U.S./1941 – 1991; World/WW-II and Japan [9 – 13]
Flags of Our Fathers
(U.S./1940-1945; World/WWII; SEL: Courage in War Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness; Citizenship) [15+]
Mass Casualties Lesson Plan
(Focusing on the Decision to End WWII with Surprise Atomic Attacks on Japanese Cities) [12+]
Midway
U.S./1941 – 1945; World/WWII; Seafaring [10+]
Tora! Tora! Tora!
U.S./1941 – 1945; World/Japan & WWII; Seafaring) [10+] (Portions in Japanese with English subtitles)
d. The War in Other Parts of the World
10. The Cold War Era (1945 – 1991) — Movie Lesson Plans Relating to the Cold War Era
Fail-Safe
U.S./1945 – 1991; World/Cold War [14+]
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 on Non-violence and the Indian Independence Movement
(World/India, U.S./1945 – 1991 & Diversity) [12+; snippet: 25 minutes; lesson: two class periods]
Force More Powerful
Snippet Lesson Plan on the Civil Rights Movement – The Nashville Sit-ins, 1960
(U.S./1945 – 1991 & Diversity) [12+; snippet: 25 minutes; lesson: two class periods]
For Love or Country — The Arturo Sandoval Story
Music/Jazz; World/Cuba and the Cold War Era; Biography [12+]
Gandhi
Biography; World/India, South Africa, England & 1800s – Cold War Era; U.S./Diversity; Religions [10+]
Thirteen Days
U.S./1945 – 1991; World/Russia & The Cold War [12+]
Torn-from-the-Flag
(World: Hungary, Cold War; Documentary; SEL: Courage in War; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Caring) [12+]
11. The Post Cold War Era (1991 – Present) — Lesson Plans from Films Relating to the Post Cold War Era
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]
Gandhi
Biography; World/India, South Africa, England & 1800s – Cold War Era; U.S./Diversity; Religions [10+]
Hotel Rwanda
World/Rwanda & the Post-Cold War Era; U.S./1991 – present [14+]
Navalny
The Best of TWM
(World-Russia, Post-Cold War Era; SEL: Courage, Ambition, Human Rights, Leadership, Male Role Model (Navalny);
Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility, Citizenship) [15+]
For World History Lesson Plans from movies and film relating
to specific countries and time periods, click here.
TeachWithMovies.org Learning Guides are ideal lesson plan makers for teachers of world 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 world 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.
Movies make the events they portray come alive. TeachWithMovies.org helps teachers and parents make world history vivid and personal for children.