Forrest Gump Motion Picture Study Guide Link
Forrest Gump A Motion Picture Study Guide for High School U.S. History Courses Created by Laura Gordon 1 Forrest Gump Motion Picture Study Guide Table of Contents Title Page…………………………………………………………….Page 1 Table of Contents………………………………………………….Page 2 Purpose………………….……………………………………………Page 3 Curriculum Connections……………………………….......Pages 3-4 Teaching Suggestions………………………….…………………Page 4 Plot Summary…………………………………………………..Pages 4-7 Key Characters………………………………………………....Pages 7-8 Pre-Viewing Exercise……………………………………….Pages 9-10 Lesson #1: The Civil Rights Movement.……….....Pages 11-12 Lesson #2: The Vietnam War………….…….….......Pages 13-16 Lesson #3: Anti-Vietnam War Demonstrations...Pages 17-18 Lesson #4: Life in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s………Pages 19-21 Lesson #5: Forrest Gump in Historical Footage...Pages 22-23 Works Cited……………………………………………………….Page 24 Picture Appendix…………………………………………..Pages 25-28 2 Forrest Gump Motion Picture Study Guide Introduction Purpose The purpose of this motion picture study guide is to provide ideas for teachers of high school U.S. History classes to integrate the film, Forrest Gump, into the classroom. This is an engaging film that spans several decades of the twentieth century and includes many historical references. It follows the life of Forrest Gump, a well-meaning man with a low IQ, who through hard work, good fortune, and his love for others achieves a great deal and experiences some of the most memorable eras in American history. Forrest Gump can very effectively be connected to key elements in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for U.S. History and core thematic strands set by the National Council for the Social Studies. By responsibly integrating this film into the classroom, students will be more engaged in learning about many events of the second half of the twentieth century. Curriculum Connections span and the historical events that occurred during those years are clearly listed as goals and objectives that North Carolina U.S. History students must learn. The following include the goals and objectives clearly addressed in the film: North Carolina Standard Course of Study (Available at: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/s ocialstudies/scos/2003-04/067eleventhgrade) Goal 11: "Recovery, Prosperity, and Turmoil (1945-1980) - The learner will trace economic, political, and social developments and assess their significance for the lives of Americans during this time period." Objectives: "11.01: Describe the effects of the Cold War on economic, political, and social life in America. 11.02: Trace major events of the Civil Rights Movement and evaluate its impact. 11.03: Identify major social movements including, but not limited to, those involving women, young people, and the environment, and evaluate the impact of these movements on the United States' society. 11.04: Identify the causes of United States' involvement in Vietnam and examine how this involvement affected society. 11.05: Examine the impact of technological innovations that have impacted American life. 11.06: Identify political events and the actions and reactions of the government officials and citizens, and assess the social and political consequences." Goal 12: "The United States since the Vietnam War (1973-present) - The learner will identify and analyze trends in domestic and foreign affairs of the United States during this time period." Objectives: "12.03: Identify and assess the impact of economic, technological, and environmental changes in the United States. 12.04: Identify and assess the impact of social, political, and cultural changes in the United States." Forrest Gump has a plot that spans the 1950s-1980s. In the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, the years covered in that 3 The film also deals with the following thematic strands set by the National Council for the Social Studies: NCSS Thematic Strands (Available at http://www.ncss.org/standards/) I. Culture II. Time, Continuity, and Change III. People, Places, and Environment IV. Individual Development and Identity V. Individuals, Groups, and Institutions VI. Power, Authority, and Governance Two effective ways to integrate this film into the classroom are to view the entire film in shorter segments, allowing for reflection after each viewing before moving on to the next segment, or viewing select scenes of the film after giving students a basic overview and reflecting on those after viewing them. The film is rated PG-13 for drug content, some sensuality, and war violence. Certain scenes are not appropriate for the classroom or necessary for learning the goals and objectives set forth earlier, and they can easily be skipped. Viewing the film in its totality is not necessary for students to take away some very important points from the film. However, giving the students a broad overview and introducing them to the plot and main characters gives them a more vested interest and should be done prior to viewing the segments suggested. Teaching Suggestions This guide is a supplemental guide to assist teachers in teaching about the second half of the twentieth century in America. It should be used in addition to other resources about this time period. One of the most effective ways to use this study guide is to introduce students to the key information being addressed and then use the lessons included in this guide to supplement and illustrate more clearly what has already been taught. This will provide more depth to what students are learning and make it more interesting and memorable. This guide also encourages the use of a concept referred to as AIME, which stands for "Amount of Invested Mental Energy." This is a concept originating from Gavriel Salomon's work, Interaction of Media Cognition and Learning. The key elements of this concept that are incorporated into this guide are the following: preparing students with necessary information before they view scenes from the film, clearly explaining what students should be looking and listening for while they are watching the film, showing short segments of the film at a time rather than the whole film, and completing activities and discussion on the film segments after viewing each. Plot Summary The film begins with Forrest Gump, a wellmeaning man in his thirties with a low IQ sitting on a bench waiting for a bus. He begins to talk to a woman who is also waiting for a bus and the subject turns to shoes. He says that his mother always said that you could tell a lot about a person by his or her shoes, and he begins to reminisce about his first pair of shoes, sharing the story of his early life with that stranger. The movie shows some of the key memories of his childhood from the 1950s. He was raised by a single mother in Greenbow, Alabama, who always told him not to let anyone tell him that he or she was better than him. She became 4 particularly adamant about this after they were told that he had an IQ of 75. One of his early memories was when he had to get leg braces to help straighten his back. With his low IQ, simple nature, and leg braces, he had few friends and was a prime target for bullies. His best friend was a girl his age named Jenny Curran. Jenny and he were inseparable as children, particularly since she needed a friend to turn to because of a sexually abusive father. One afternoon when bullies were picking on Forrest and chasing him, Jenny told him to "Run, Forrest, run!" He began running in his leg braces, which fell off eventually, and he learned he could run very fast and very far. This began a lifelong love of running for him. During these memories, the scene continues to flash back to Forrest Gump sitting on a park bench speaking to the woman and other companions after she leaves. His story continues when he talks about running from the bullies in high school and trying to escape their truck by cutting through a football field, where a football talent scout from Alabama State University noted how he ran across the field far faster than anyone else. Forrest was recruited by the university in the 1960s and went to school on a scholarship. While there, the university was forced to integrate by federal troops, and Forrest watched the famous scene of an African American student going into a campus building to enroll. She dropped a book, and Forrest picked it up for her, showing that he did not discriminate against others. He was named an All-American for football because he could run so fast with the ball if told simply to run, and he was allowed to meet President John F. Kennedy at the White House. While there, he continued to pine after Jenny and go to visit her. She was dating other young men and was not nearly as attentive to Forrest as she used to be, although part of her still continued to want to be. He tried to protect her when anyone hurt her- even punching her boyfriend when Forrest thought he was hurting her. Forrest graduated college and entered the army, where he found that simply obeying orders would get him very far. He met a new friend, Benjamin Buford "Bubba" Blue, who was an African American young man, who also seemed to be on the same intelligence level as Forrest. They became fast friends and looked out for one another, planning to get a shrimp boat after they got out of the army, which was Bubba's dream. All the while, the scene continues to occasionally go back to Forrest on the bench with different companions, sharing his story and chocolate. After the Vietnam War broke out in 1965, he learned he would be going there and decided to go see Jenny one last time. She was kicked out of school and trying to pursue her dream of singing, but only found work in a seedy locale. When the men started to harass her, Forrest attacked them, Jenny 5 became angry, and told Forrest he could not keep doing that. He told her that he was being sent to Vietnam, and she told him to remember to run if he got in trouble and then she hitchhiked away. Forrest and Bubba were sent to Vietnam and came under the command of a young, tough lieutenant named Dan Taylor, who went by Lieutenant Dan. In Vietnam, his platoon took heavy fire, killing Bubba and wounding many others. Forrest himself was shot in the buttocks, but won the medal of honor for carrying so many men to safety, including Lieutenant Dan who wanted to die in the jungle with his men. Lieutenant Dan had to have both legs amputated and became very bitter because he wanted to die in the jungle rather than live crippled. While recovering, Forrest became exceptionally good at ping pong and was put on the American team. He was sent back home and received the medal of honor from President Lyndon Johnson. While in Washington, D.C. Forrest was pulled into speaking at an anti-war demonstration on the National Mall with Abbie Hoffman, although Forrest's speech was not heard because a soldier pulled the plug on the anti-war demonstrations equipment. While there, Forrest ran into Jenny again who was with a bus full of war protesters. They spend time together, and she introduced him to her boyfriend and his friends, members of the Black Panthers. While at a party, the boyfriend hit Jenny, and Forrest attacked him and they left. The next morning, she left Forrest again for her abusive boyfriend. Forrest was sent to other countries, including China during the Cold War to represent the nation in ping pong. He became a national celebrity and even appeared on the Dick Cavett show with John Lenin as another guest. Afterward, Forrest ran into Lieutenant Dan, who was living a rough, bitter, alcoholfilled life in the city, and they begin to spend time together. Forrest also met President Richard Nixon as a result of his celebrity status, who learned that he was staying in a seedy hotel and had him put up in the Watergate hotel. There, Forrest noticed men with flashlights in the Watergate Complex across the way, and reported it. Forrest decided to carry out Bubba's dream of getting a shrimp boat and met little success at first. Lieutenant Dan came down to be his first mate. As a result of Hurricane Carmen striking in the Gulf of Mexico, Forrest's boat was the only shrimp boat left and gained a monopoly over sells, which made Bubba Gump Shrimp become a huge company. While on board, Lieutenant Dan made peace with himself and God and got a new start in life. Soon after, Forrest learned that his mother was sick and rushed home to be with her. She died of cancer, and he remained at their home. Lieutenant Dan managed the business and invested them in Apple Computers, where they made a fortune. While home, Jenny returned and spent some quality time with Forrest, revisiting their childhood. He asked her to marry him, but she refused, saying he did not want to marry her- she had been too wild. 6 his father. Forrest loves his son very much and is determined to raise him well. They spent one night together and then she ran away again. Heartbroken and alone, with Mama and Bubba dead and Jenny gone, Forrest started to run and continued to run for a long time, all the way from coast to coast. He became a national celebrity again, acquired a mass of followers, and was a huge inspiration for many others. Jenny saw him on television and wrote him a letter. During this time, Carter was in office, and a recession was evident. One day, Forrest decided to stop running and returned home where he got Jenny's letter, which asked him to come visit her. That is why he is waiting on the bus stop bench. The old woman who has been attentively listening to him tells him where he needs to go to find Jenny and that he does not even need the bus. He runs there and meets her in her apartment. He also meets her son named Forrest, who she reveals is his son. She reveals that she is sick, with a virus that has no cure- probably AIDSso he asks her to come home with him so he can take care of her, and she agrees. She asks him to marry her, and he agrees. They get married, and Lieutenant Dan shows up with his fiancé and prosthetic legs, a much happier man. Forrest, Jenny, and young Forrest spend some happy time together, but Jenny dies soon after. Forrest buries her under their favorite tree from childhood, bulldozes down her father's house because she hated it, and raises young Forrest on his own. Young Forrest is very smart, but also very kind like Main Characters Forrest Gump: The film chronicles his life from a child just starting school until he is in his early thirties. He is well-meaning, hard-working, and a loving person, but he has a low IQ, which constantly challenges him. Despite the challenges, Forrest overcomes every obstacle and serves as an inspiration to everyone he meets. Mama: Mama is a loving, single mother who run a bed and breakfast in her family's old, 7 southern home and works very hard to raise Forrest well and to teach him that he is just as good as anyone else and can do anything. Lieutenant Dan: Jenny Curran: Jenny is Forrest's first real friend and loves him very much. She has a very abusive childhood that haunts her for the rest of her life, leading her to make some very bad choices about men. Forrest never gives up on her and constantly tries to be with her, which she finally gives in to after having his child and becoming terminally ill. Lieutenant Dan comes from a long line of soldiers and plans to be one or die in his attempts. He is a confident leader and kind in his own cynical way toward Forrest. He is wounded in action in Vietnam and carried to safety by Forrest. Both of his legs are amputated and he is bitter that he survived as a cripple rather than died as a hero in the jungle. He helps Forrest on the shrimp boat and finds his way as a result, becoming a whole man again- at peace with himself and God. Forrest Gump's son, Forrest Gump: Benjamin Buford "Bubba" Blue: Bubba and Forrest become fast friends when they meet each other in basic training for the army. They are about on the same intelligence level and both are kind men. Bubba shares his dream of owning a shrimp boat after getting out of the army with Forrest, and they plan to do that together. Bubba is wounded mortally in action in Vietnam, and Forrest carries him to safety, but he dies in Forrest's arms. Forrest carries out Bubba's dream and gives half of the money earned to Bubba's family. Forrest Gump is the son of Forrest Gump by Jenny Curran. He is a smart little boy who also seems to be kind like his father. His mother dies when he is young, and he is left to be raised by his father, Forrest Gump, who is determined to raise him well. 8 Pre-Viewing Exercise Introduction and Purpose: This activity may be completed prior to viewing the film or completing any of the other lessons included in this guide so that students have a broad overview of the film and an understanding of why film is used to study history. The activity will also help students learn how to actively view a film and use it to learn about history by asking certain key questions. Goals and Objectives: The main goal of this lesson is to introduce students to the film, Forrest Gump, and for students to learn why film is used to study history and how it can be used effectively. It also addresses the North Carolina Standard Course of Study goals 11 and 12 and their objectives as well as the National Council for the Social Studies thematic strands I-VI. Materials: -Forrest Gump DVD -Copies of the front and back cover of the DVD case and Pre-Viewing Exercise for each student -Chalk and chalkboard or marker board and markers -Forrest Gump Motion Picture Study Guide Getting Started Activity: The teacher should write the following assignment on the board for students to work on: "Getting Started: 5 minutes 1) Jot down as many historically based films as you can think of. 2) Write a response to answer the following question: How can films be used to study history?" Once students have had time to complete the activity, the teacher should ask students to volunteer film titles that came to mind to answer the first part of the activity. Briefly discuss what the historical focus is for each. The teacher should then ask students to contribute their ideas on how film can be used to study history. The teacher should encourage the students to share their responses and also guide a discussion on the following topics if students do not bring them up: 1) Students can learn about the time period a film is about as well as the time period in which the film is made by examining the film and its production. 2) Students can learn about modern views toward historical periods by how they are treated in film. 3) Students can discuss what is true or false about time periods and examine historical accuracies and inaccuracies in a film. 4) Students can discuss strengths and weaknesses of films in learning about history Teacher Input: The teacher should now introduce students to the film, Forrest Gump, and give a plot summary for the students- the plot summary included in this guide may be used. The teacher should also focus on introducing students to the time period in focus- 1950s-1980s. Guided Practice: The teacher should draw a basic time line from 1950 to 1990 on the board. She will ask students to add key historical events that occurred during that time period until the class has a basic timeline, covering the most important events in U.S. History during that span of time. The class should then discuss cause and effect briefly and how history can be studied by examining society as a whole or the life of an individual. This can lead into a discussion of Forrest Gump and how it is focused on the life of the fictional character, Forrest Gump, through this time period. Independent Practice: The teacher should now introduce students to some basic questions to ask whenever they view any film. She should give each student a copy of the front and back cover of the DVD case and the Forrest Gump Pre-Viewing Exercise Worksheet. The class should be given a basic overview of the questions so that they understand what is being asked. The teacher should then instruct students independently to attempt to answer as many of the questions as they can using the copy of the DVD case and what they already know about the film from the plot summary and the time period from the timeline completed earlier. Once students have had ample time, the class should discuss each question and what they have learned about the film so far. Questions 8-10 will most likely be conjectures at this point- students can expand on these later. All the questions should be reviewed after viewing the film or parts of it for further response, particularly questions 8-10. Closure: The class should discuss how knowing the answers to these questions can help a person understand a film and history better. 9 Name: ____________________________________ Date: ______________ Class Period: _____ Forrest Gump Pre-Viewing Exercise Directions: Read the following questions carefully. Use the copy of the outside of the DVD case to respond to the following questions. You may add to your responses after viewing the film, but try to give a preliminary response before viewing. 1) Who created/produced the film? 2) What is the film about? 3) When and where is it set? 4) What major historical events occurred during that time? 5) When was it produced? 6) What major historical events occurred during that time? 7) Why was it created? 8) What messages does it send the audience? 9) What methods or styles are used to send those messages? 10) Who is the target audience? 10 Lesson #1: The Civil Rights Movement in Forrest Gump Introduction and Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to examine the treatment of the Civil Rights movement in Forrest Gump and expand student understanding of this time period through the film. This lesson should be completed after students have been given at least a broad overview of the Civil Rights Movement and understand what it was, when it happened, why it happened, how it happened, and what its results were. Goals and Objective: The primary goal for this lesson is for students to gain a more complete understanding of what the Civil Rights Movement was, why it occurred, and what the results were. This lesson addresses the North Carolina Standard Course of Study goal 11, objectives 11.02 and 11.03 as well as the NCSS thematic strands I-VI. Materials: -Forrest Gump DVD -Copies of the Civil Rights Movement Exercise for each student -Chalk and chalkboard or marker board and markers -Forrest Gump Motion Picture Study Guide Getting Started Activity: The teacher should write the following assignment on the board for students to work on independently: "Getting Started: 5 minutes: Write a short response for each of the following questions: 1) What was the Civil Rights Movement? 2) When did it occur? 3) Why did it occur? 4) How did it happen? 5) What were its results?" Once students have had ample time to complete the questions, the teacher will guide students in a discussion of the questions and answers. Students should be encouraged to ask questions if they have any. Teacher Input: The teacher will now give students an overview of Forrest Gump and the Civil Rights Movement Exercise worksheet on the next page. She will review the questions, which help guide what the students should be asking during the viewing of the clip from the film. The teacher will explain that students may take notes while watching the clip or wait until after viewing to write their responses. Independent Practice: The teacher should now play minutes 20:00 to 25:15 and 1:07:50 to 1:09:15 from the DVD for the students. The teacher should monitor student behavior and attention. Once the film has been shown and before students discuss the clip together, they should independently respond to the questions on the worksheet. The teacher should give students around fifteen minutes to write thoughtful responses. Guided Practice: Once students have had ample time to respond, the teacher will pair students up with a partner so that they can share their responses and discuss the questions. They should be given around five to ten minutes to complete this sharing and discussion phase. Once they have had ample time to do this, then the class will come back together as a whole, and the teacher should ask each pair to respond to one of the questions to the rest of the class. Once their response has been given, others can add their perspectives. The teacher may also provide original photographs or video footage of the integration of the University of Alabama to compare it to the scene from the film for more discussion. Closure: Students should be asked to discuss what they already knew about the Civil Rights Movement before viewing by consulting their original responses to the "Getting Started" questions and then what they learned from the film, including personal responses. 11 Name: _____________________________ Date: __________________ Class Period: ________ The Civil Rights Movement as Portrayed in Forrest Gump Directions: Read the following questions carefully and keep them in mind while you watch the clip from the film that portrays the Civil Rights Movement. After the film, respond to each question as fully as you can. Use a separate sheet of paper or the back to respond if you need more room. 1. What was happening in Alabama during this time period? Why was it such a volatile era? 2. Who was George Wallace? What do we learn about him from this clip and the news footage included in this clip? 3. What is happening at the University of Alabama in this clip? How does the clip attempt to show how controversial this was? 4. What is the significance of the following dialogue from this clip: (What does it tell you about common views toward integration? What does it tell you about Forrest and his views toward other races?) Friend of Forrest: "Coons are trying to get in the school." Forrest: "Coons? When raccoons try to get in our back porch, mama just chases them off with a broom." Friend of Forrest: "Not raccoons, you idiot, niggers- they want to go to school." Forrest: "With us? They do?" 5. What happens when we view Forrest interacting with the African American woman in the film footage? What does this tell us about Forrest? 6. Why do you think Forrest was placed into that particular scene? 7. How do Forrest's coaches respond when they see him help an African American student on television? Why did they respond this way? 8. How was the Civil Rights Movement portrayed overall in this film clip? 9. How were the whites portrayed? Explain using evidence from the film clip. 10. How were African Americans portrayed? Explain using evidence from the film clip. 11. Who were the Black Panthers? How were they portrayed in the film? 12 Lesson #2: The Vietnam War in Forrest Gump Introduction and Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to examine the treatment of the Vietnam War in Forrest Gump and expand student understanding of this time period through the film. This lesson should be completed after students have a basic understanding of what the Vietnam War was, when it was fought, where it was fought, between whom was it fought, why it was fought, how it was fought, and what its results were. This lesson will enhance student understanding of the conflict. Goals and Objective: The primary goal for this lesson is for students to gain a more complete understanding of what the Vietnam War was, why it occurred, and what the results were. This lesson addresses the North Carolina Standard Course of Study goal 11, objectives 11.01, 11.03, 11.04, and 11.06 as well as the NCSS thematic strands I-VI. Materials: -Forrest Gump DVD -Copies of the Vietnam War Exercise for each student -Chalk and chalkboard or marker board and markers -Forrest Gump Motion Picture Study Guide Getting Started Activity: The teacher should write the following assignment on the board for students to work on independently: "Getting Started: 5 minutes: Write a short response for each of the following questions on a blank sheet of paper: 1) What was the Vietnam War? 2) When and where did it occur? 3) Why did it occur? What were the two sides? 4) How was it fought? 5) What were its results? 6) What do you think of when you think of the Vietnam War?" Once students have had ample time to complete the questions, the teacher will guide students in a discussion of the questions and answers. Students should be encouraged to ask questions if they have any. Teacher Input: The teacher will now give students an overview of Forrest Gump and the Vietnam War Exercise worksheet on the next page. She will review the first clip's set of questions, which help guide what the students should be asking during the viewing of the clip from the film. The teacher will explain that students may take notes while watching the clip or wait until after viewing to write their responses. Guided Practice: The teacher should now play minutes 31:10 to 35:30 from the DVD for the students. The teacher should monitor student behavior and attention. Once the clip has been shown, the teacher will divide the class into five groups and assign each group a question to discuss and respond to. They should have around five minutes to formulate a response. Once the time has elapsed, the teacher will call the class back together, and call on one student from each group to summarize their group's response to their assigned question- other students should take notes and respond on their own worksheets. Teacher Input: The teacher will review the second clip's set of questions, which help guide what the students should be asking during the viewing of the clip from the film. The teacher will explain that students may take notes while 13 watching the clip or wait until after viewing to write their responses. contributed to the film's overall treatment of the war. Independent Practice: The teacher should now play minutes 40:38 to 1:03:25 from the DVD for the students. The teacher should monitor student behavior and attention. Once the clip has been shown, the teacher will ask students to take out the sheet of paper that they responded to the "Getting Started" questions on and review their response to question #6. They should then respond, on their own, to the last question on their Vietnam War in Forrest Gump worksheet. Once they have been given ample time to respond, the teacher will ask students to discuss how their original views toward the Vietnam War compared to how it was portrayed in the film. Students will then be assigned either the odd or even number questions on the worksheet to complete independently. Extended Exercise: The class may examine this film and the Vietnam War in more depth by studying the music from the second clip. The class should view the clip and pause the film after each song is played in the film. The class may research that song and its origin and meaning. They should then discuss the purpose of each song's inclusion and what effect(s) the music had on this clip. Guided Practice: Once students have independently responded to their assigned questions, the teacher will pair the students up so that they can share their responses with one another. Once they have had time to complete the sharing process, the teacher will call the class back together to review the answers to the questions assigned. Students should ask questions if they have any. Closure: The class may discuss the film's treatment of the Vietnam War and how this was accomplished. They should focus in particular on the style of this clip and brainstorm all elements that they felt 14 Name: _____________________________ Date: __________________ Class Period: ________ The Vietnam War as Portrayed in Forrest Gump Directions: Read the following questions carefully and keep them in mind while you watch the clips from the film that portrays the Vietnam War. After the film, respond to each question as fully as you can. Use a separate sheet of paper or the back to respond if you need more room. Clip #1: 1. Why does Forrest join the military? Why does Bubba join the military? How do you know this? 2. How does the film address race relations in the military in this clip? Give evidence for your response. 3. Why does Forrest do so well in the military? What does this imply about the military? 4. How is the military portrayed in this clip overall? Give evidence behind your response. 5. What is life like during basic training according to this clip? What techniques are used to emphasize this portrayal? Clip #2: 1. What is the landscape, geography, and climate of Vietnam portrayed like in this clip? How do you think this influenced young American soldiers serving there? 2. How does the first song played affect your view of that scene when Forrest and Bubba first arrive at their camp in Vietnam? Why do you think it has that effect? 3. How is the military portrayed in this clip? Give evidence for your response. 4. How is battle portrayed in this clip? Give evidence for your response. 5. How does Forrest feel about the men he served in Vietnam with? How do you know? Why do you think the makers of the film included this? 15 6. How does Forrest respond when his platoon takes fire originally? What does he do afterward? 7. Why does Lieutenant Dan resist Forrest's help? 8. What happened to Bubba? How does he respond? 9. What types of weapons were used in this war? 10. What is life like for Forrest while he is recuperating from his wounds? How did the soldiers pass time? 11. How does the film treat the effects of the war on the individual soldiers? What effect did the war have on Lieutenant Dan? Was his experience unique? Give evidence for your response. 12. How do Lieutenant Dan and Bubba's views toward the war and death in the war differ (Think of when Lieutenant Dan is injured and when Bubba is dying)? How does this reflect American sentiment on a wider scale? 13. Why was Forrest introduced to President Lyndon Johnson? Why was Forrest integrated into this clip of historical footage? Evaluate its effectiveness. 14. What perspectives were left out of this portrayal of the Vietnam War? 15. Overall, how did the film portray the Vietnam War? Was it positive, negative, both, or neutral? Give evidence for your response. 16 Lesson #3: Anti-Vietnam War Demonstrations in Forrest Gump Introduction and Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to examine the controversy over the Vietnam War in Forrest Gump and expand student understanding of this controversy through the film. This lesson should be completed after students have a basic understanding of what the Vietnam War was, when it was fought, where it was fought, between whom was it fought, why it was fought, how it was fought, and what its results were as well as what the American homefront was like during this time and how it responded to the war. This lesson will enhance student understanding of the conflict abroad and at home. Goals and Objective: The primary goal for this lesson is for students to gain a more complete understanding of what the Vietnam War was, why it occurred, why it was controversial, and what the results were. This lesson addresses the North Carolina Standard Course of Study goal 11, objectives 11.01, 11.03, 11.04, and 11.06 as well as NCSS thematic strands I-VI. Materials: -Forrest Gump DVD -Copies of the Anti-Vietnam War Demonstrations Exercise for each student -Chalk and chalkboard or marker board and markers -Forrest Gump Motion Picture Study Guide Once students have had ample time to complete the questions, the teacher will guide students in a discussion of the questions and answers. Students should be encouraged to ask questions if they have any. Teacher Input: The teacher will now give students an overview of Forrest Gump and the Anti-Vietnam War Demonstrations Exercise worksheet on the next page. She will review the questions, which help guide what the students should be asking during the viewing of the clip from the film. The teacher will explain that students may take notes while watching the clip or wait until after viewing to write their responses. Guided Practice: The teacher should now play minutes 1:03:25 to 1:07:35 from the DVD for the students. The teacher should monitor student behavior and attention. Once the clip has been shown, the teacher will assign one question to each student by numbering them off 1-5. They should have around three minutes to formulate a response. Once the time has elapsed, the teacher will call the class back together and form them into groups of five- each member with a different question. They should share their responses together, and then the class should discuss the questions briefly as a whole. Closure: The teacher should ask students to discuss whether or not students felt that the film accurately reflected the controversial nature of the Vietnam War in Vietnam and the United States. To examine the anti-war front more closely, the class may then discuss Abbie Hoffman, who he was, what he did, and how he was portrayed in the film in more depth. Getting Started Activity: The teacher should write the following assignment on the board for students to work on independently: "Getting Started: 5 minutes: Write a short response for each of the following questions on a blank sheet of paper: 1) Why was the Vietnam War so controversial? 2) How did many Americans feel about the war originally? 3) How did American public opinion of the war change over time?" 17 Name: _____________________________ Date: __________________ Class Period: ________ The Anti-Vietnam War Demonstrations as Portrayed in Forrest Gump Directions: Read the following questions carefully and keep them in mind while you watch the clips from the film that portrays the American homefront during the Vietnam War. After the film, respond to each question as fully as you can. Use a separate sheet of paper or the back to respond if you need more room. 1. What type of demonstration is Forrest pulled into during this clip? How do you know? Where was it occurring? Was Forrest aware of what he was being pulled into? 2. Who was the man in the American flag shirt supposed to be? What was his role in this clip? 3. What was the overall attitude of the crowd? How could you tell? 4. Why did another soldier pull the cords out of the audio equipment while Forrest was speaking? How is this reflective of the different sides in the conflict on the American homefront? 5. How were the people involved in the demonstration portrayed? Give evidence for your response. 18 Lesson #4: Life in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s in Forrest Gump Introduction and Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to examine how American life and history was portrayed in the four decades across which Forrest Gump spans. This lesson is intended to be used when the film is viewed in its entirety. However, it is most effective when the film is divided up according to the decades and students view and discuss each section at a time. This lesson should be used after students have covered this material in class as a review of these decades. The other lessons in this study guide may be used along with this lesson. *Note: If viewing the film in its entirety, there are some scenes that may not be appropriate in the classroom and can easily be skipped. The teacher should view the film prior to showing it to the class to determine if any scenes need to be skipped. Goals and Objective: The primary goal for this lesson is for students to gain a more complete understanding of America in the 1950s-1980s. This lesson addresses the North Carolina Standard Course of Study goals 11 and 12 as well as NCSS thematic strands I-VI. Materials: -Forrest Gump DVD -Copies of the 1950s-1980s Overview Graphic Organizer for each student -Chalk and chalkboard or marker board and markers -Forrest Gump Motion Picture Study Guide 1) On a blank sheet of paper, create a timeline from 1950 to 1990. 2) Label the key events and what presidents served during this time." Students will be given ample time to complete this exercise and then the class will add to the timelines as a whole- brainstorming what they know about each decade. (Students may have one from the Pre-Viewing Lesson and may use that to review if that activity was completed prior to this lesson) Teacher Input: The teacher will now give students an overview of Forrest Gump and a copy of the 1950s to 1980s Overview Graphic Organizer. She should explain that the students will be watching the film in four sections- one on each decade. The students should watch each section carefully and take notes on the graphic organizer, and the class will discuss the decade after each viewing. Independent/ Guided Practice: The class should now watch the film in the following segments: Decade Time on DVD 1950s 0-19:50 1960s 19:51-1:17:00 1970s 1:17:01-1:58:00 1980s 1:58:01-2:15:00 After viewing each segment, the teacher should give students around ten minutes independently to finish their notes on their graphic organizer. The class should then discuss what it already knew about that decade, how the film portrayed America during that decade, and what it left out. Closure: Once the entire film has been viewed, the class should discuss the film as a whole, how it portrayed American life during the 1950s-1980s, and what the film's purpose was. The class should also discuss the style of the film and how effective integrating and manipulating real historical footage was. Getting Started Activity: The teacher should write the following assignment on the board for students to work on independently: "Getting Started: 5 minutes: 19 1950s-1980s Overview Graphic Organizer What major events occurred during this decade? How were they addressed in the film? What was left out? Who were the American presidents during this decade? How were they portrayed in the film? 20 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s What was American society like during this time period? How was it portrayed in the film? What historical footage was used to represent this decade in the film? Overall, how was this decade presented in the film? 21 Lesson #5: Forrest Gump in Historical Footage Introduction and Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to examine how American life and history was portrayed in the four decades across which Forrest Gump spans. This lesson is intended to be used when the film is viewed in its entirety. However, it is most effective when the film is divided up according to the decades and students view and discuss each section at a time. This lesson should be used after students have covered this material in class as a review of these decades. The other lessons in this study guide may be used along with this lesson. *Note: If viewing the film in its entirety, there are some scenes that may not be appropriate in the classroom and can easily be skipped. The teacher should view the film prior to showing it to the class to determine if any scenes need to be skipped. Goals and Objective: The primary goal for this lesson is for students to gain a more complete understanding of America in the 1950s-1980s. This lesson addresses the North Carolina Standard Course of Study goals 11 and 12 as well as NCSS thematic strands I-VI. Materials: -Forrest Gump Special Features DVD -Copies of the Forrest Gump in Historical Footage Worksheet for each student -Chalk and chalkboard or marker board and markers -Forrest Gump Motion Picture Study Guide Getting Started Activity: The teacher should write the following assignment on the board for students to work on independently: "Getting Started: 5 minutes: know about each decade. (Students may have one from the Pre-Viewing Lesson and may use that to review if that activity was completed prior to this lesson) Teacher Input: The teacher will now give students an overview of Forrest Gump and a copy of the 1950s to 1980s Overview Graphic Organizer. She should explain that the students will be watching the film in four sections- one on each decade. The students should watch each section carefully and take notes on the graphic organizer, and the class will discuss the decade after each viewing. Independent/ Guided Practice: The class should now watch the film in the following segments: Decade Time on DVD 1950s 0-19:50 1960s 19:51-1:17:00 1970s 1:17:01-1:58:00 1980s 1:58:01-2:15:20 After viewing each segment, the teacher should give students around ten minutes independently to finish their notes on their graphic organizer. The class should then discuss what it already knew about that decade, how the film portrayed America during that decade, and what it left out. Closure: Once the entire film has been viewed, the class should discuss the film as a whole, how it portrayed American life during the 1950s-1980s, and what the film's purpose was. The class should also discuss the style of the film and how effective integrating and manipulating real historical footage was. 1) On a blank sheet of paper, create a timeline from 1950 to 1990. 2) Label the key events and what presidents served during this time." Students will be given ample time to complete this exercise and then the class will add to the timelines as a whole- brainstorming what they 22 Name: _____________________________ Date: __________________ Class Period: ________ Forrest Gump in Historical Footage Worksheet Directions: Read the following questions carefully and keep them in mind while you watch the clips from the Forrest Gump special features DVD. After the film, respond to each question as fully as you can. Use a separate sheet of paper or the back to respond if you need more room. 23 Works Cited Forrest Gump. Director Robert Zemeckis. Perf. Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, and Sally Field. 1994. DVD. Pararmount, 2001. Salomon, Gavriel. "Amount of Invested Mental Energy." Interaction of Media Cognition and Learning. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1994. *Images used in this guide are cited in the picture appendix. 24 Picture Appendix The following are the images included in this study guide and the website from which they were found in the order used in the paper. 1. http://images.starpulse.com/Photos/Previews/Forrest-Gump-p11.jpg 2. http://www.cineclub.de/filmarchiv/1994/forrest-gump.html 3. http://images.starpulse.com/Photos/Previews/Forrest-Gump-p11.jpg 4. http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/images/forrest-gump-feather.jpg 5. http://www.flickr.com/photos/natalius/2406012182/ 6. http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/061006/17191__forrest_gump_l.jpg 7. http://www.keryx.se/forrestgump/kids_forrest_jenny.jpg 8. http://www.cineclub.de/filmarchiv/1994/forrest-gump.html 9. http://sportsmed.starwave.com/i/magazine/new/forrest_gump_bama.jpg 25 10. http://www.cinema.com/film/2886/forrest-gump/gallery/page_4.phtml 11. http://www.cinema.com/film/2886/forrest-gump/gallery/page_4.phtml 12. http://www.cinema.com/film/2886/forrest-gump/gallery/page_4.phtml 13. http://www.forrest-gump.de/image/president2.jpg 14. http://plaza.ufl.edu/gator913/Images/gump_momma.jpg 15. http://www.fanboyx.com/images/me/007/128gump.jpg 16. http://www.film.org.pl/prace/filmografia_zemeckisa/forrest.jpg 17. http://content9.flixster.com/question/48/11/85/4811859_std.jpg 18. http://morte.martin-gunz.com/filme/drama/forrest_gump.htm 19. http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/images/forrest-gump-feather.jpg 26 20. http://l.yimg.com/img.movies.yahoo.com/ymv/us/img/hv/photo/movie_pix/paramount_pictures/for rest_gump/sally_field/gump1.jpg 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. http://www.flickr.com/photos/natalius/2406012182/ http://www.klepsidra.net/klepsidra5/bubba.jpg http://www.cinema.com/film/2886/forrest-gump/gallery/page_4.phtml http://content9.flixster.com/question/51/62/57/5162575_ori.gif http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foster_Auditorium 26. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Governor_George_Wallace_stands_ defiant_at_the_University_of_Alabama.jpg/250pxGovernor_George_Wallace_stands_defiant_at_the_University_of_Alabama.jpg 27. http://www.cswap.com/1994/Forrest_Gump/still/11.jpg 27 28. http://www.klepsidra.net/klepsidra5/forrest-bubba.jpg 29. http://www.cineclub.de/filmarchiv/1994/forrest-gump.html 30. http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/8/81/180pxHoffman_abbie4_med.jpg 31. 32. http://videodetective.com/photos/128/005389_11.jpg http://www.student.ru.nl/mariekemeijerink/gump_kennedy.jpg 33. http://www.cites.uiuc.edu/edtech/teaching_showcase/articles/baird/newsletter_2_05/images/gump_n _lennon.jpg 34. 35. http://thesiu.fm.interia.pl/medal.jpg http://www.forrest-gump.de/image/president2.jpg 28
© Copyright 2024