MediaStudy

Have you ever wanted to meet a famous figure from history? We can learn the facts about a famous person’s life, but we can’t know what it would be like to sit down and talk to him or her. In this lesson, you’ll watch a biographical documentary about Anne Frank. You’ll explore how the filmmakers try to bring you into Anne’s world and give you a sense of what she was really like.

BackgroundBehind the Symbol Anne Frank’s diary has sold over 31 million copies in approximately 67 languages. She has become an enduring symbol of the tragedy of the Holocaust. But behind that symbol was a real girl, a teenager trapped for two years in a small hiding place with seven other people.

Anne Frank Remembered is a documentary that explores the life and death of the girl behind the symbol. The film takes viewers inside the Franks’ hidden annex, revealing what it was like to live in such cramped quarters. It also tells the story of Anne’s diary, and how her private thoughts became the book that has touched readers throughout the world.

Can films make

HISTORY fresh?

from Anne Frank RememberedFilm Clip on Media Smart dvd-rom

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RI 7 Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums to present a topic.

* Resources for Differentiation † Also in Spanish ‡ In Haitian Creole and Vietnamese

Focus and Motivate

Media Study Resources

RI 7 Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums to present a topic.

summaryThe first clip from Anne Frank Remembered gives a tour of the Frank family’s secret annex and a reading from Anne’s diary in which she describes its rooms. The second clip explains how her diary came to be published and the great success it achieved. The third clip shows footage of Anne looking out an Amsterdam window, childhood photos of her, and another poignant reading from her diary.

Can films makeHISTORY fresh?

Discuss the question. Ask students to refer to any historical films or TV shows they have seen. After students read the paragraph in the student edition, invite them to discuss famous figures in history they would like to meet or know more about.

backgroundThe Frank family left their homeland of Germany in 1933, when the Nazi party came to power there. The family had several happy years in Amsterdam before the German army invaded in 1940 and introduced discriminatory policies against Jews. By 1942, Anne and her family had been forced into hiding. The building and annex in which Anne and her family lived for two years is now the site of a popular museum. Visitors can view Anne’s diary as well as other original letters, docu-ments, and objects; walk the rooms of the annex (shown in the documentary); and learn about history.

RESOURCE MANAGER UNIT 4Plan and Teach, pp. 125–128Summary, pp. 129–130†‡*Viewing Guide, p. 131Close Viewing, p. 132Media Activity, p. 133Produce Your Own Media, p. 134

TECHNOLOGY

Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM

Student One Stop DVD-ROM

MediaSmart DVD-ROMMediaScope on thinkcentral.com

See resources on the Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM and on thinkcentral.com.

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Media Literacy: DocumentaryA documentary is a nonfiction film that often presents social, political, or historical subject matter. Famous historical figures make good subjects for documentaries, because the filmmakers can tell the story of both the individual and the time period. To create a documentary, filmmakers often gather primary sources, firsthand information such as diaries, photographs, and eyewitness accounts. They then combine these materials with voice-over narration and, often, a re-enactment of scenes or settings to re-create the times for viewers.

features of a documentary

STRATEGIES FOR VIEWING• Identify the different types of footage. Notice how the filmmakers

combine primary source footage with footage they shoot themselves, such as interviews and re-enactments, to tell the whole story.

• Think about the purpose of the voice-over narration. Different narrators can present different sides of someone’s personality.

• Notice the type of information you learn from any re-enactments. Re-enactments are often used in historical documentaries. Think about why the filmmakers might have chosen to present the information in this way.

Footage is recorded material that gives information about a subject. It includes film clips, photographs, news reports, and interviews. Footage from a particular time period can show viewers what life was like back then.

Voice-over narration is the voice of an unseen speaker that is heard in a documentary. The voice-over tells the subject’s story and explains the footage. Primary sources, such as diary entries, can also be read as part of the voice-over narration.

Re-enactment is the re-creation of key events or important settings. Filmmakers shoot scenes or settings using sets, props, actors, and costumes. They try to re-create the subject’s story as realistically as possible.

media study 579

Teach

media study: teaching options

Teaching Option 1: The Basics (1–2 Days) 1. Begin the Media Study using the mate-

rial provided on pages 578–579. 2. Show the Introduction on MediaSmart.

Then show the First Viewing. As they watch, have students use the View-ing Guide on page 580, along with the corresponding copy master on page 131 of the Resource Manager. Discuss their responses.

3. Return to the student edition for the extension activities on page 581.

Teaching Option 2: In-Depth Study (2–3 Days) 1. Begin the Media Study using pages 578–579. 2. Show the Introduction and First View-

ing from MediaSmart. Continue on MediaSmart with the Media Lessons, using the teacher notes in the Resources section.

3. Show the Guided Analysis presentation. Have students record their observations on the Student Viewing Guide in the Resources section from MediaSmart.

4. Return to the pupil’s edition, page 581.

Teach

Media LiteracyHave students again refer back to any his-torical films and documentaries they have seen. Ask them to recall how information was presented in these films. Was there firsthand information such as photographs and eye-witness accounts? Did a speaker explain what was happening in the documentary? Share information about documentaries you have seen. Then discuss the chart on page 579.• Footage Ask students to think about the

power of having actual footage from a par-ticular time period or event. Ask: What is the purpose of including primary source footage such as old film clips or photographs? What effect might these images have on viewers? Have students think about distant historical events for which there are no photographs or film footage. Do students relate to these events any differently than they do to more recent events for which there is footage?

• Voice-over Narration Explain that voice-over narration is necessary to provide additional facts and explain what viewers are seeing. Tell students that filmmakers must choose their narrators carefully, as the sound of a narrator’s voice and the narrator’s attitude toward the subject of the documentary can affect how people interpret the information. Have different students read aloud the same passage from this lesson to demonstrate the effect of different reading styles. Students might experiment with volume and try em-phasizing different words.

• Re-enactment Have students examine the photograph on page 579, which depicts the kitchen area of the secret annex in which Anne Frank and her family lived. Note that everyday items such as pots and pans, a teapot, and a painting on the wall have been added to the scene to re-create the original setting. Ask: Why have people gone to the trouble of adding these items? Do you think viewers can relate more easily to the histori-cal people and their situation when they see such items rather than just an empty room? Explain.

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Viewing Guide forAnne Frank RememberedYou’ll view three clips from Anne Frank Remembered. They reveal the Franks’ secret annex in Amsterdam, the story of the publication of the diary, and the only known moving footage of Anne Frank. As you view the clips, think about how the documentary features add a freshness to her story. You’ll hear two different voice-over narrators. Notice the different types of information you learn from each. Watch for different types of footage and any re-enactment of setting the film provides. Before answering these questions, you may want to view the clip more than once.

now view

FIRST VIEWING: Comprehension

1. Recall After Otto Frank had such trouble getting Anne’s diary published, what finally caused a publisher to step forward?

2. Clarify Give two examples of primary source material used in the clips you viewed.

3. Examine the Visuals Think about the re-enactment of the setting of the secret annex. Why do you think the filmmakers show the food and furniture fading away to leave empty rooms?

4. Analyze Voice-over Narration Think about the different types of information the two voice-over narrators provide. Why might the filmmakers have decided to use two narrators rather than one?

5. Determine Filmmakers’ Purpose The clip of Anne Frank standing at the window is from the end of the documentary. What effect do you think the filmmakers intended this clip to have on viewers?

CLOSE VIEWING: Media Literacy

Media Smart dvd-rom• Film: Anne Frank Remembered• Director: Jon Blair• Voice-over Narrators: Kenneth

Branagh and Glenn Close• Genre: Documentary• Running Time: 4 minutes

580

Practice and Applyviewing guide 1. As students prepare to view the clips from

the documentary, explain to them that they will be asked to point out specific ele-ments used by the filmmakers. Encourage them to observe the following:• the use of primary source footage such

as diary pages, photographs, and film footage

• voice-over narration that includes two distinctly different narrators

• use of re-enactment to re-create the set-ting of the secret annex

2. Suggest that students view the clips more than once. When watching them for the first time, they should watch and listen for information. During the second view-ing, students should take notes about the voice-over narration and the way the film-makers present footage and information. Encourage students to think about why filmmakers included certain scenes and footage and why the documentary uses two narrators.

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MastersViewing Guide p. 131Close Viewing p. 132Media Activity p. 133

Use this resource with the Viewing Guide:

MediaSmart DVD-ROMMediaScope on thinkcentral.com

answersFIRST VIEWING: Comprehension 1. A newspaper article written about the diary

by a friend of a friend of Otto Frank caught the attention of a publisher.

2. Primary source materials include the read-ings from Anne’s diary, the photographs of Anne and the rest of the Frank family, the film footage of Anne at the window, and the newspaper article about the diary.

CLOSE VIEWING: Media LiteracyPossible answers: 3. The filmmakers may have wanted to re-

create the Franks’ annex as realistically as possible, but also to give the setting a feeling of impermanence. The fading away

of the food and furniture creates a ghostlike feeling—a reminder of the Franks’ fate.

4. The male narrator tells Anne’s story, and the female narrator reads from Anne’s diary. This allows the viewer to know instantly when a diary excerpt is being read, and it gives a more personal feeling to the diary entries.

5. In showing footage of Anne when she was alive, filmmakers may have wanted to end the film on a touching note and to show how Anne continues to live on through her words. The shot also serves as a reminder that Anne was a living, breathing child and not just a mythical figure associated with words on a page.

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Media Study

Go to thinkcentral.com.KEYWORD: HML8-581

MediaTools

Write or DiscussCompare the Texts Think about the impression you had of Anne Frank from the play you read. Now think about the documentary clips you viewed. Write a brief comparison of the Anne you read about in the play and the Anne described in the film. Which is most effective at going beyond the symbol and revealing what you believe to be the real Anne Frank? Think about the following:• the documentary footage of the actual secret annex where the Franks hid • how the play portrays Anne’s personality• the footage of Anne at the window, and the voice-over reading of her diary

Produce Your Own MediaCreate a Visual Timeline When filmmakers plan a biographical documentary, they look closely at their subject’s entire life story. They decide what events to include in the documentary and what to leave out. Imagine you’re planning a documentary about a friend’s life. Choose five or six events in that person’s life, and create a visual timeline depicting these events. Your timeline should include a photograph or drawing and a caption for each event. HERE’S HOW Here are a few suggestions for preparing your visual timeline:• Start by choosing the events you want to show. Choose the most exciting

and interesting things that have happened to your friend.• Collect or take photographs to illustrate each event. You might want to have

your friend re-enact a favorite event, such as a time he or she won a contest. • Write a brief sentence for each picture that describes the event depicted.• Arrange your pictures on a board in chronological order.

Tech TipIf available, use a computer software program to present your timeline.

He takes second at the spelling bee, after missing

the “h” in “gherkin.”

Joel’s competitive nature shows through, both on

the mantel . . .

. . . and on the basketball court.

Joel celebrates his first birthday.

At age six, a new friend enters Joel’s life. He

names the puppy Buster.

After a rough start, Joel finds his way at Frontier

Middle School.

Age 1 Age 6 Age 1011

Age 11 Age 1311 Age 1311

student model

media study 581

RI 7 Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums to present a topic.

Write or DiscussCompare the Texts To help students get started, encourage them to make a two-column chart in which they can record their thoughts about the play and the documentary. Students should think about which piece best helped them understand Anne Frank as a per-son. Students may conclude that both pieces were effective in different ways. For example, the play provides a dramatization of Anne actually interacting with family and friends in the annex. In the documentary, however, viewers get a better sense of how small and cramped the living quarters really were. The documentary also presents actual photos and footage of Anne. Students might mention that in the play they see a writer’s or an actor’s portrayal of Anne, while the documentary brings Anne’s actual words to life through voice-over narration.

media study wrap–upAsk students to summarize the elements film-makers use to create effective documentaries. Ask them to refer to specific examples from the Anne Frank Remembered clips. If necessary, remind them to focus on the use of footage, voice-over narration, and re-enactment.

reteachFor students who are unable to apply the Media Study skills, select from these reteaching options to help them create their timelines:• Choosing Events Have students work in small

groups to choose images that would be visu-ally interesting about a friend’s life.

• Finding Photographs Remind students that the images can be representational of an event instead of a specific photograph or illustration.

• Chronological Order Encourage students to try different arrangements of their images and text to make the visual timeline interesting.

Produce Your Own MediaRubric: Create a Visual Timeline A strong visual timeline should have• five or six photographs or drawings that

depict important events in a person’s life• a brief sentence describing each event on the

timeline• pictures arranged on a board in chronological

order

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterProduce Your Own Media p. 134

Assess and Reteach

Media study keywords point to MediaScope, a Web site that helps students strengthen media analysis and production skills.

Media Tools

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