Viewing Activities

PERSONAL REFLECTION FREEWRITE

Directions:

The film you are about to watch explores a school that risks being closed by the local school board. Consider your personal connection to this type of story in a short free-write entry reflecting on what would happen if your school were to close.

Some points to consider: • How would you feel personally? • What is the next nearest school to yours that has the same grade levels? How would students get there? • How would students, families, teachers, and other school staff be affected? • How would the community beyond the school be affected?

DIRECT ACTION NOTECATCHER

Directions:

Throughout the film, various people engage in specific direct actions to try and influence the future of National Teachers Academy. As you watch the film, take notes in this chart to track important actions and understand how the debate unfolds.

What was the action?

What did they do? Where did they do it?

Who initiated it?

How are they connected to NTA? Are they for or against NTA’s closure?

What was the outcome?

Did it lead to new policies or reactions from other community members?

RESPONSE QUESTIONS

Directions:

Respond to each question, referring to specific scenes, events, and dialogue from the film as evidence for your interpretation.

1. What made NTA seem unique or special as a school? In what ways does it remind you of your own school?

In what ways is it different?

2. Briefly summarize the main arguments for closing NTA and the main arguments for keeping the school open. Which argument was more compelling? Why?

3. A variety of people took actions to either oppose or defend NTA’s closure, including students, school employees, parents, real estate agents, the school board, and even Chance the Rapper. Whose actions do you think had the biggest impact on the final outcome? Why do you think so? ________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. When director Kevin Shaw started to make this documentary, the outcome for NTA was uncertain. How do you think Shaw’s presence as a documentarian during the year might have affected the actions or opinions of people in the community? Could it have had an impact on the outcome?

FOUR C’S

Directions:

Respond to each prompt in complete sentences, citing specific scenes, events, and dialogue from the film as evidence for your response.

CONNECTIONS

What connections do you draw between the film and your own life or other learning?

CHALLENGE

What ideas, positions, or assumptions do you want to challenge or debate in the film?

CONCEPTS

What key concepts or ideas do you think are important and worth holding on to from the film?

CHANGES

What changes in attitudes, thinking, or action are suggested by the film, either for you or others?

Adapted from Harvard Project Zero’s Think Routine Toolbox:

http://www.pz.harvard.edu/resources/the-4-cs