This fall, HBB’s PTA generously funded after school programs. I had so many ideas for clubs that I wanted to run: literary magazine, student newspaper, inquiry investigations, etc. For this first round, I decided on a Cinema Club, in which students would watch classic films and write reviews of them. Our first two films have been black and white features: The General and Stalag 17.

We are lucky to have an amazing cinema-sized screen and theatre at our school, and students use their Cinema Club Journals during the screening for pre-writing their film review  drafts. The best draft is published on the HBB principal’s blog.

To engage my cinephiles and provide context, I always give some background information about the filmmakers or relevant historical events. We also discuss throughout the film since we’re a small group. We cover so many of the Common Core Standards in Speaking and Listening, like collaborative discussions, summarizing visual information, and Writing, like writing opinion pieces. Not only are students being exposed to culture, but they’re meeting grade-level standards, too.

What is your favorite classic film? Maybe I’ll add it to the list for next year’s club!