Mr. Lecce's Classroom

Course Description:

Since Thomas Edison patented America’s first motion picture camera in 1891, the depiction of various historical topics through film has become a large part of our culture. For many people, watching a theatrical film on a particular historical topic is their only way of learning history – no matter how accurate the film.

The films viewed in this course are theatrical films rather than documentaries, so they are reenactments of historical events, not necessarily a documentary record. These theatrical films may present historical content in one of three possible ways:

1. As a Factual Record: Film is used to dramatize events.

2. To Convey Atmosphere: The use of fiction to convey historic past – lifestyles, values, practices, and beliefs.

3. Analogy: An historical event or figure is used to point out or explain contemporary motives or actions.

This course treats theatrical films as texts, deserving the same skills of critical thinking and analysis as other print sources used within a history course. The course is designed to reveal that some films are valid historical sources, offering a glimpse into the social, political, and cultural historical moment in which it was created; and some films are affected by poetic artistic license, the agenda of the filmmaker, and other factors that compromise their validity as historical sources. 

This course is NOT intended to be a “eat popcorn and watch movies” course – it is a history course!  Students will be expected to think critically and write analytically, while learning in-depth about specific historical topics.

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Course Goals:

1. To use film as a means of motivating students to study selected topics in US and world history in greater depth.

2. To impart students with an in-depth knowledge of major historical topics, issues, events & individuals.

3. To give students practical experience in critical analysis by evaluating theatrical films as historical evidence.

4. To improve students’ research, writing, and critical-thinking skills through assignments on selected topics that use film and other traditional sources as evidence.

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Course Specifications:

• Historical Topics Through Film is a 1/2 credit Social Studies elective for students in 10th - 12th grade.

• The course is offered during both academic semesters. 

• Each semester, the course topics are themed:

  • Semester 1: Conflicts & Leaders 

  • Semester 2: Slavery & Civil Rights  

• Parental consent for registration for this course is required.

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Course Policies, Quarterly Grading, and Final Exam:

• All Germantown Central School District policies & procedures will be followed & adhered to in the classroom.

• If a student is absent from class, it is the student’s responsibility to collect any missed classwork and homework when the student returns to school.

• Classwork and homework missed due to absence will be graded at full credit if completed and submitted appropriately on time.

• If a student missed an assessment due to an absence, it is the student’s responsibility to schedule to take the missed assessment during a study hall or after school as soon as possible following the student’s return to school.​

• Late writing assignments/projects are subject to a deduction in points for every day late, up to 5 days.  Upon the 6th day late, the writing assignment/project may not be accepted for credit.

• Students found cheating &/or plagiarizing may receive no credit for the assignment/assessment, be assigned a teacher detention, and/or be referred to the Principal.

• Quarterly averages will be calculated using a weighted-average system. 

  • Film Comprehension (10%)

  • Classwork/Homework (20%)

  • Writing Assignments/Projects (30%)

  • Historical Content Assessments (40%)

• There is a Final Exam for this course, which is weighted as 1/3 of the final course grade.​

• Possible types of Final Exams for this course are: traditional multiple-choice/short-answer test, project-based assessment, formal informational presentation, or a formal research paper.

• Students will have a degree of choice and say on which type of Final Exam is to be assigned for the course.

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