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=Welcome to History and Film!=


 * There is only one thing that can kill the **
 *  movies, and that is education. **
 *  Will Rogers **

Most of what you know (or think you know) about the history, you've learned not from reading your history books, but from watching television and movies. Each year, Hollywood releases "based on a true/historical events" movies and we all believe them to be the true story. In this class you are going to learn that is not always the case. To be even more specific, you will analyze Hollywood’s effect on your own interpretation of history. Throughout this class, you will be comparing historical films to evidence found in primary sources such as diary entries, personal letters, television footage, news articles, radio recordings, police records and other academic secondary sources. The results of the comparisons will then demonstrate to you that historical films may intentionally or inadvertently present a wrong synopsis of the actual events, teaching the lesson that It is very important to research before accepting "Hollywood’s" interpretation of history as authentic history.

You will choose what movies to examine from the list on this website. You will first research whatever topic the movie is portraying to get an understanding of the actual events surrounding the topic. Your research needs to be annotated and saved in a Google Doc. After viewing the movie you will compare and contrast the similarities and differences of known historical facts and Hollywood’s interpretation using the same Google Doc you saved your research on. After the completing the diagram, you will write your own “compare and contrast essay” on the subject. You are expected to use APA style formatting for your final bibliography. You will find a more detailed page on this website about APA formatting and your expectations.

While this is a history course, the bulk of the actual work is learning how to research and write. Each student in my class comes into this class with varying levels of writing and research ability and will be treated as an individual. I will help each of you to grow in your writing and research abilities and will grade you accordingly. Students will be following the same writing process used in English classes. You will be turning in rough drafts and working with me to get to a final draft. Students will receive a final grade using a combination of their productivity, research, and writing points. Click here for a copy of the rubric used to grade your writing. You will receive a paper parent permission form that allows your parent to let me know what type of movies they will permit you to view. You cannot start any movies until the form is signed and returned. If you are taking this class in a completely online format, please access the document here, print it out, sign and return to school.

This is a quarter-long course. You will earn one credit for a passing grade of C- or better at the end of the quarter, with completion of all assigned work. Adaptations can be made to the curriculum based on the student’s needs. If changes need to be made, I expect the students to contact me and I will be happy to make accommodations.

Carrie Jacobs Walnut Creek Campus Office Hours: 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Email: jacobsc@wdmcs.org

**Too many so-called leaders of the movement have been made into celebrities and their revolutionary fervor** **destroyed by mass media. They become Hollywood objects and lose identification with the real issues.** **The task is to transform society; only the people can do that—not heroes, not celebrities, not stars.** **The revolutionary’s place is in the community with the people.** **Huey Newton**