Documentary-Based Film Curriculum
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Teaching the Film Defiant Requiem Documentary-Based Film Curriculum Defiant Requiem: Learning About the Holocaust Through Journeys in Film This curriculum guide, developed for The Defiant Requiem Foundation, has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor Educating for Global Understanding www.journeysinfilm.org Learning about the Holocaust through Journeys in Film: Defiant Requiem Journeys in Film Staff Authors of this curriculum guide Joanne Strahl Ashe, Founding Executive Director Jack Burton Anna Mara Rutins, Director of Programs Jonathan Coppadge-Freeman Eileen Mattingly, Director of Education/Curriculum Content Specialist Marybeth Duckett Amy Shea, Director of Research Dr. Tamara Freeman Roger B. Hirschland, Executive Editor Martin Kushner Ethan Silverman, Film Literacy Consultant Matthew McCormick Journeys in Film Board of Directors Special Contributors Joanne Strahl Ashe, Founder and Chairman Murry Sidlin Erica Spellman Silverman Deborah Schoeberlein Diana Barrett Michael H. Levine The Defiant Requiem Foundation Ambassador Stuart E. Eizenstat, Chairman of the Board Murry Sidlin, President and Founder Louisa Hollman, Executive Director Dr. Amy Antonelli, Associate Artistic Director Janet Masetti, Finance Director Mark Rulison, Project Manager and General Manager Journeys in Film wishes to thank Janet Masetti of The Defiant Requiem Foundation Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations and Lindsay McNeill of the U.S. Holocaust Museum for their generous assistance expressed in this resource do not necessarily represent in the production of this guide. those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. This publication is copyrighted by The Defiant Requiem Foundation, © 2013 Journeys in Film The Defiant Requiem Foundation 50 Sandia Lane PO Box 6242 Placitas, NM 87043 Washington, DC 20015 Tel: 505.867.4666 Tel: 202.244.0220 www.journeysinfilm.org www.defiantrequiem.org Table of Contents Introduction The Defiant Requiem Foundation 6 About Journeys in Film 7 A Letter From Liam Neeson 9 Introducing Defiant Requiem 10 Using Documentaries in the Classroom 14 To the Teacher… 16 Lessons Lesson 1: (Music, Music History) 17 Verdi and the Requiem Lesson 1A: Exploring Programmatic Music 31 Lesson 1B: Arranging/Composing Programmatic Music 36 Glossary 39 Lesson 2: (Social Studies) 42 The Jews of Prague: A Historical Survey Lesson 3: (Language Arts) 60 Viewer Response Journal Lesson 4: (Social Studies, Art) 70 Life at Terezín Lesson 5: (Art History, Psychology) 77 Art and Resilience Lesson 6: (Social Studies, Language Arts) 90 Propaganda Lesson 7: (Film Literacy) 109 Watching a Documentary Lesson 8: (Language Arts) 123 Writing a Film Review Appendices: 1. Holocaust Timeline 132 2. Additional Resources for Teachers 137 3. Additional Resources for Students 139 Learning about the Holocaust through Journeys in Film: Defiant Requiem 5 The Defiant Requiem Foundation The Defiant Requiem Foundation is a nonprofit organiza- Maestro Sidlin’s passion and commitment to honoring tion founded in 2008 by Murry Sidlin, distinguished con- these survivors, and all victims of Terezín, led to the cre- ductor, educator, and artistic innovator. Maestro Sidlin’s ation of the Defiant Requiem Foundation and its four core passion and commitment to honoring the prisoners in components: the concert, Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín; Terezín and their inspired artistic endeavors serve as the the film Defiant Requiem; the Rafael Schächter Institute for framework for the Defiant Requiem Foundation. Arts and Humanities at Terezín; and educational lesson plans for students and teachers hosted on the foundation’s Maestro Sidlin initially learned of this story by happen- website. Maestro Sidlin worked with the film producers for stance in a book about music of the Holocaust. Intrigued six years to tell the Terezín story. by the story and the nagging question of why a group of Jewish prisoners would learn and sing the Verdi Requiem (a Catholic Mass), Maestro Sidlin personally undertook to research the story and find any surviving members of the chorus. Through outreach on the Internet and a bit of luck, Maestro Sidlin identified Edgar Krasa, a survivor living in the Boston area who turned out to be the Terezín room- mate of Conductor Rafael Schächter and a member of the chorus. Edgar Krasa led Maestro Sidlin to several other sur- viving members of the chorus, who all told the same story of finding courage and survival through the singing of the Verdi Requiem. 6 Learning about the Holocaust through Journeys in Film: Defiant Requiem About Journeys in Film Founded in 2003, Journeys in Film operates on the belief Why use this program? that teaching with film has the power to prepare students To prepare to participate in tomorrow’s global arena, stu- to live and work more successfully in the 21st century as dents need to gain an understanding of the world beyond informed and globally competent citizens. Our core mission their own borders. Journeys in Film offers innovative and is to advance global understanding among youth through engaging tools to explore other cultures and social issues, the combination of age-appropriate films from around the beyond the often negative images seen in print, television, world, interdisciplinary classroom materials, and teachers’ and film media. professional-development offerings. This comprehensive curriculum model promotes widespread use of film as a For today’s media-centric youth, film is an appropriate window to the world to help students to mitigate existing and effective teaching tool. Journeys in Film has carefully attitudes of cultural bias, cultivate empathy, develop a richer selected quality films telling the stories of young people understanding of global issues, and prepare for effective living in locations that may otherwise never be experienced participation in an increasingly interdependent world. Our by your students. They travel through these characters standards-based lesson plans support various learning styles, and their stories: They drink tea with an Iranian family in promote literacy, transport students across the globe, and Children of Heaven, play soccer in a Tibetan monastery in foster learning that meets core academic objectives. The Cup, find themselves in the conflict between urban grandson and rural grandmother in South Korea in The Selected films act as springboards for lesson plans in sub- Way Home, and watch modern ways challenge Maori tradi- jects ranging from math, science, language arts, and social tions in New Zealand in Whale Rider. studies to topics that have become critical for students to learn more about—like environmental sustainability, poverty and hunger, global health, diversity, cross-cultural understanding, and immigration. Our core team of prom- inent educators consults with filmmakers and cultural spe- cialists in the creation of the curriculum guides. The guides merge effectively into teachers’ existing lesson plans and mandated curricular requirements. They provide teachers an innovative way to fulfill their school districts’ stan- dards-based goals. Learning about the Holocaust through Journeys in Film: Defiant Requiem 7 In addition to our ongoing development of teaching guides for culturally sensitive foreign films, Journeys in Film has begun a curricular initiative to bring outstanding documen- tary films to the classroom. Working with the Norman Lear Center at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School, Journeys in Film has identified exceptional narra- tive and documentary films that teach about a broad range of social issues, in real-life settings such as an AIDS-stricken township in Africa, a maximum-security prison in Alabama, and a World War II concentration camp near Prague. Journeys guides help teachers integrate these films into their classrooms, examining complex issues, encouraging students to be active rather than passive viewers, and max- imizing the power of film to enhance critical thinking skills and to meet the Common Core standards. Journeys in Film is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is a project of the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center, a nonpartisan research and public policy center that stud- ies the social, political, economic, and cultural impact of entertainment on the world—and translates its findings into action. 8 Learning about the Holocaust through Journeys in Film: Defiant Requiem A Letter From Liam Neeson In 1993, I performed the role By using carefully selected films that depict life in other of Oscar Schindler in Steven countries and cultures around the globe, combined with Spielberg’s film Schindler’s List. interdisciplinary curriculum to transform entertainment This experience deepened my media into educational media, we can use the classroom awareness of the Holocaust to bring the world to each and every student. Our program and the tragic consequences of dispels myths and misconceptions, enabling students to intolerance and hatred. Ten years overcome biases; it connects the future leaders of the later, I met Joanne Ashe, who world with each other. We are laying a foundation for acquainted me with a new educational program, Journeys in understanding, acceptance, trust, and peace. Film—Educating for Global Understanding. I have served as its national spokesperson since its inception, and I clearly Please share my vision of a more harmonious world where believe in its effectiveness as an educational tool for teaching understanding and dialogue are key to a healthy