Making Curriculum Pop

As a Spanish teacher, I've found the following films to be great additions to curriculum units or stand alone discussion starters (all in Spanish, of course). I think that they could also work well when studying about various current issues especially relating to human rights.

Diarios de motocicleta (Motorcycle Diaries): Tells the story of Che Guevara and Alberto Granado's motorcycle trip through South America. The experience was one stepping stone that led to his work as a revolutionary leader. It includes scenes of indigenous people working in the mines and a leper colony.

La misma luna (Under the Same Moon): The story of a young boy who crosses the border between Mexico and the US to find his mother after his grandmother dies. It's a beautiful story and shows a border crossing through the eyes of a child...something I hadn't seen before.

El mar dentro (The Sea Inside): Tells the story of a paraplegic in Spain who wishes to die but needs help. Calls into question the idea of euthanasia and it's (non)legality.

The Devil's Miner: Documentary about children who work in the mines in Potosí, Bolivia. Also includes the theme of single mothers and how children have to help out at home. It's very easy to get students to put themselves in the place of the 14 year old in the movie and start a discussion about roles, responsibilities and rights.

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Replies to This Discussion

Hi,
I have one documentary you may be interested in that won the Sundance audience award for World Documentary in 2006; it's called De Nadie or No One and is about a Central American family's journey to the US and all the difficulties they encounter as immigrants. I think we learn about human rights in this film by seeing so many of these rights being violated. It teaches by negative example and makes a powerful impression.
I think watching Under the Same Moon, is a very important issue that many educators(who has ELL students) should see this movie. This is one of the most breaking heart realistic stories that still taking place in America. The theme would be: Human rights.

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