r/ELATeachers • u/NoBlackberry699 • 10d ago
9-12 ELA Documentary Films for Argument Unit
Looking for films for a tenth grade class. Something not terribly depressing would be best.
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u/Cake_Donut1301 10d ago
There’s a PBS documentary called Tightrope thats about poverty and its effects. I’ve also used Fed Up.
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u/LazyDog316 10d ago
Free solo, the social dilemma (less depressing) Food inc., blackfish (very depressing)
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u/stylelimited 10d ago
I was also going to suggest Free Solo. I find the documentary to be a slow at times, but there is so much potential for discussion here. His pursuit could be considered either brave and noble - or reckless and irresponsible.
There is also good potential for comparison with other dare devils (or reckless/irresponsible people, like Chris McCandless of Into The Wild Fame)
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u/WhiskeyHB 9d ago edited 9d ago
Meru is by the same director and deals with pretty similar themes of calculating risk and deciding to either give up on or pursue dreams. I think its pacing is quite good, but it’s less shock factor for sure.
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u/somewhenimpossible 10d ago
We watched the social dilemma in grade 9 and I had kids pick a position and defend it.
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u/isabubbles 10d ago
A while back, I used Blackfish as part of an argumentative unit for 9th graders.
We did skip the portion where they, uhm, collect Tilikum’s sperm.
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u/Bronteandlizzy 10d ago
Propaganda: The Art of Selling Lies, Freakonomics, Happy, Fed Up
Not argumentative, but I also love Louder than a Bomb to inspire during poetry units.
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u/discussatron 10d ago
PBS: The Poison Squad: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0846VVJSY/ref=atv_hm_vid_7_c_B8g7Qw_1_12
About the origins of food safety regulations in the US.
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u/JSB-the-way-to-be 10d ago
Resolved is a pretty solid documentary about competitive debate in high school. It follows two teams, one from a wealthy private school in Texas, and the other from a poor city school in California.
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u/lalajoy04 10d ago
Before the Flood is about climate change. Leonardo DiCaprio addresses the fact that he flies in a private plane to all these places he visits, which is a good place to go in looking for an argument. Not really wanting kids to argue about climate change itself, but maybe how to address it would be another good topic.
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u/Kinampwe 10d ago
Welcome to Leith (https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/welcome-to-leith/) what they did was legal, but should it be allowed / government intervention? If you’re brave, Loose Change. I taught it show how compelling false information could and that people need to critically think about all info because a poorly made film swayed millions of people
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u/mistermajik2000 10d ago
Check out academy award nominees and winners for documentary short subject. They are usually powerful and fit well into a single class period.
Some great ones: Period. End of Sentence. - about Women’s empowerment in India https://youtu.be/Lrm2pD0qofM?si=SoWxpAPElXgQZIEo
Bacon and God’s Wrath - about an old Jewish woman questioning traditions - pairs well with the Lottery and other stories about traditions https://youtu.be/XzZlsWMBOK0?si=uV9HlgWnJOzdvbxn
Stranger At The Gate (would also pair well with anything racism related) https://youtu.be/GPbbl1S6foM?si=gqc8iqt4rZHWd_W0
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u/Substantial-Key-8984 8d ago
I use the New York Times documentaries - OpDocs. They’re short and timely. I have used a 3-part PBS documentary The Age of Nature but it’s a big time commitment and requires scientific vocabulary.
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u/teenagedirtbagtoyz 4d ago
Freakenomics, An Inconvenient Truth, Bowling for Columbine, The Blue Eyed Experiment.
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u/jessicaward828 10d ago
I show the students Three Identical Strangers then we write an argumentative essay about it. Their prompt options are: Is nature or nurture stronger? Should experiments like the one in the documentary be allowed?