HollyinNNV Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 A little background-My ds is going into 5th grade. He really dislikes school. He does generally enjoy reading and hearing read-alouds. This school year I tried to bring him into the curriculum decision-making process. I showed him a prospective science curriculum (exploration education) and his comment was, "So...whatever....you know I don't like school mom." Obviously, ds can be a tough little nut. So, I gave him another chance. I told him, "We will be studying American history next year. Would you like to study something specific about American history, or would you like to start at the beginning with explorers and pirates." He thought for a moment and said enthusiastically, "I want to study the Nazis." I asked him where he came up with that and he said, "Indiana Jones, mom!" Yes, my son is a total Indiana Jones fan!!! My question-is it possible to come up with some type of history study that somehow incorporates the historical time period and themes of the Indiana Jones movies? If so, what types of resources would I use? Thanks for any kind of brainstorming ideas you come up with, and my son REALLY thanks you!!! Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 Have you seen the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles dvd sets? They have great potential for history (we used them to supplement our modern history studies last year). The dvds include 95 additional historical documentaries related to the historic periods and people included http://indianajones.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Companion_Historical_Documentaries. We found some of the documentaries a bit much for my then 9 yo (though they should be *great* next time around;)), so you may want to consider looking at your library or online for material on the topics listed that is at a comfortable level for him. Also, here's what someone else has done with this http://www.giftedhomeschool.net/education/using-young-indiana-jones-as-an-introduction-to-study/ Ooooh---here's a great site! http://www.indyintheclassroom.com/lessons/index.asp Indy in the Classroom, with lesson plans, resources, etc! Info on the Young Indiana Jones series http://indianajones.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Young_Indiana_Jones_media Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tranquilmama Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 Wow. My ds will love this idea in a few years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 My ds is a toughie too. I notice when I listen to what he's interested in learning our school day goes much easier. I think your idea is good, plus I'm a huge Indiana Jones fan. Does he want to do world history? You could tie in culture studies with history and use the events and locations in the four movies (loosely applying term movie to the fourth one :tongue_smilie:). You could bury a time capsule in your yard. That would be fun. I'll brainstorm and see what else I could come up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 Have you seen the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles dvd sets? They have great potential for history (we used them to supplement our modern history studies last year). The dvds include 95 additional historical documentaries related to the historic periods and people included http://indianajones.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Companion_Historical_Documentaries. We found some of the documentaries a bit much for my then 9 yo (though they should be *great* next time around;)), so you may want to consider looking at your library or online for material on the topics listed that is at a comfortable level for him. Also, here's what someone else has done with this http://www.giftedhomeschool.net/education/using-young-indiana-jones-as-an-introduction-to-study/ Ooooh---here's a great site! http://www.indyintheclassroom.com/lessons/index.asp Indy in the Classroom, with lesson plans, resources, etc! Info on the Young Indiana Jones series http://indianajones.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Young_Indiana_Jones_media Oh, very cool. I'll enjoy looking through these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in AZ Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 Great idea! :) We like do a movie unit study with friends every summer so I bookmarked the pages. We're going to study American history through the wars (my ds' request). Perhaps your ds would be interested in something like that too. It would tie in well with the movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 (edited) Great idea! :) We like do a movie unit study with friends every summer so I bookmarked the pages. We're going to study American history through the wars (my ds' request). Perhaps your ds would be interested in something like that too. It would tie in well with the movies. Have you seen Kathryn Stout's "Movies as Literature" curriculum? It's for high school, so I don't have it yet, but I am considering using it in a couple of years. http://www.amazon.com/Movies-as-Literature-Kathryn-Stout/dp/1891975099 I've enjoyed using movies as tie-ins for our history when possible. For modern history last year, we did a lot of old musicals, as she enjoys those. We were doing a unit on hominid evolution this summer and watched "Inherit the Wind" as well as "Planet of the Apes." It was a lot of fun watching my 9yo see the trial in "Planet of the Apes" and say, "That's like the Scopes Monkey Trial, but from the other side!" We also watched a few clips from "One Million Years BC" and had some great laughs. Edited August 4, 2010 by KarenNC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 One note on the Young Indy series. I did skip a couple of episodes on trench warfare in WWI as I felt that they were more graphic than my 9yo was going to be comfortable watching at the time. We talked about trench warfare, but seeing it is a different level of experience. It would likely not be an issue now as she turns 10 and her comfort level with movies has changed a good bit over the last 6 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 I used to use some of the Young Indiana Jones episodes when I was teaching middle school history. It's totally an amazing series. Some of the episodes cover some really obscure topics, at least from a traditional perspective - like an episode in India that covers Krishnamurti and the Theosophy movement. Seriously. Another tack to take might just be to cover adventurous, fun movies that include history and branch out from there. If I was more awake, I would have suggestions... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in AZ Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 Have you seen Kathryn Stout's "Movies as Literature" curriculum? It's for high school, so I don't have it yet, but I am considering using it in a couple of years. http://www.amazon.com/Movies-as-Literature-Kathryn-Stout/dp/1891975099 I haven't seen it, thanks for the recommendation. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyinNNV Posted August 4, 2010 Author Share Posted August 4, 2010 Thank you so very, very much! :thumbup: You guys are awesome. Now to start my planning. Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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