Hollywood & Literature

High engagement resources for secondary ELA, film studies, and media studies educators. Teach film like literature, differentiate instruction, and scaffold lessons while maintaining rigor.

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How to Analyze a Film Sequence

Have you ever tried to analyze a film sequence moving frame by frame? The practice can help you to really unpack cinematic details. Practice thinking like a filmmaker, master your film sequence analysis assignments, or utilize your detailed analysis skills with a different part of your brain in this free mini course.

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Hollywood and Literature || Film & Lit Studies

Film Studies and Literature deep dives that may include lessons, activities, and enrichment.

Latest On the Blog

Skipping the Syllabus for Back to School

I just finished my first week of back to school! Apologies that I've been a bit quiet this summer. We packed our summer full of activities with my own children, and I tried to lean in to reading for pleasure as much as possible (which has inspired me

If you can't beat 'em, lean in and teach them

Struggling to get students to pull meaningful evidence or analyze language deeply? Discover how using AI outputs as a flawed "mirror" can become the perfect low-stakes entry point for rigorous CER commentary and sci-fi synthesis. Complete lesson packet and mastery-based rubric included.

Why Selma Might Be The Movie for the Moment in Secondary ELA Classrooms

I remember 2020-2021 vividly as a re-awakening about my racial and cultural identity. For me personally, I grew up in a staunchly mixed-race household, torn and tousled between the white world of my father's family and the Vietnamese world of my refugee mother's.

Teaching Indigenous Texts During Native American Heritage Month

I've been in a reading slump for a good six months now, but I recently subbed for a class that was reading The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, and after reading for the class, I then blasted through the rest of the book in two days. Tommy Orange

How to Make Edgar Allan Poe Relevant: Scaffolded Creative Writing for Secondary ELA

I love Gothic literature. Something about it. The monsters as metaphor. The rich, dense language that forces me to slow down. The layers of figurative language that overlap imagery, weaving it into extended metaphor, accentuating with sound devices, and all of it coming together to suggest theme. What ELA teacher

Why Frankenweenie Is the Ideal Halloween Movie to Teach This Year

Frankenweenie is the ideal film to teach this spooky season. Light, but many opportunities for rigorous analytical work.

Coraline, Eccentric Adults, and the Line Between Weird and Unsafe

Coraline shows kids learning bravery amid odd adults. Use these passages and guiding questions to explore safety, risk, and coming of age.

Poe, Coraline, and Autumn Atmosphere

Close reading for figurative language, symbolism, foreshadowing, mood, and tone in chapter 1 of Coraline by Neil Gaiman. Free resource for Halloween high school ELA teaching.

Best Frames for Film Analysis in Coraline

Best frames for Film Analysis in Coraline. Free template to request ShotDeck funding from admin, too!

Coraline Act 3 Film Analysis Frame Examples

Shots to analyze in Act 3 of Coraline. Contrast/map development from Act 1, 2, and 3.

Shots to Analyze in Coraline Act 2

Film frames to analyze or compare/contrast from Coraline Act 2. Film Analysis, Film Studies & ELA.

Best Shots for Film Analysis in Coraline Act 1

Best shots for film analysis of Coraline.