Standards Correlations

R.1, R.3, R.4, R.7, R.9, W.3, SL.1, L.4, L.6

Learning Objective

Students will compare and contrast information from two texts.

Key Skills

compare and contrast, text features, vocabulary, inference, cause and effect, sequence of events, critical thinking, narrative writing

Complexity Factors

Purpose: The first text explores how movies first became popular in the United States. The second explains how new technology changed the way we watch movies.

 

Structure: Both texts are informational and chronological.

 

Language: The language is clear and accessible. It sometimes addresses the reader directly (e.g., “Picture this”).

 

Knowledge Demands: No prior knowledge is needed.

Levels

Lexile: 700L-800L 

Guided Reading Level: T 

DRA Level: 50

Lesson Plan: The Magical Story of Movies/New Ways to Watch

Essential Questions:

  • How does changing technology shape the way we connect as a society?
  • Does progress in technology always lead to progress in human experience?

Literature Connections:

  • Nonfiction: Action! How Movies Began by Meghan McCarthy
  • Nonfiction: The 12 Most Influential Movies of All Time by Barbara Krasner 

1. Preparing to Read 

Preview Text Features (10 minutes)

Guide students to locate the articles in their magazines or at Action Online. Preview the text features by asking the following questions:

  • Read the titles and subtitles of the articles. What do you think these articles are about? Make a prediction. The articles seem to be about how movie watching has changed over time—from theaters to streaming at home.
  • Look at the pictures and captions in the articles. What do they show you about how movies used to be watched? What questions do they make you curious about? The pictures show old-style theaters, a movie poster for The Wizard of Oz, people watching movies on different devices, and VHS tapes. They might make you wonder how it felt to see a movie for the first time when movies were new or how streaming changed the kinds of movies people watch today.

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

  • Point out the vocabulary box. Read the words (technology, luxurious, documentary, dominated, communal) aloud and discuss their definitions.
  • Play the Vocabulary Slideshow.

Make a Plan for Reading

Before students start to read, walk them through a reading plan:

  • Set a purpose for reading by telling students that the first article will explain how movies first became popular in the United States, while the second explores how new technology has changed the way we watch movies today.
  • Tell students that after they read, they’ll compare and contrast information from both texts to understand how movie watching has evolved and what that says about changes in technology and society.

 2. Reading and Unpacking the Text

Read the texts. (Higher- and lower-Lexile versions are available on the Story page at Action Online. Click Presentation View to access an audio read-aloud.) Then discuss the following close-reading and critical-thinking questions.

Close-Reading Questions (20 minutes)

  • The article says that a nickelodeon was a kind of movie theater that cost five cents. What can you infer about why it was called a nickelodeon? (inference) You can infer that the word nickelodeon comes from the word nickel, which is a five-cent coin.
  • Why were nickelodeons so popular in the early 1900s? (cause and effect) Nickelodeons were popular because they were cheap and offered exciting new technology: moving pictures. They were accessible to many people and included not just short films but also live entertainment like music and comedy. Going to the movies quickly became a popular shared activity for Americans.
  • How has the way people watch movies changed over time? (sequence of events) At first, people watched short, silent films in small theaters. Then movie palaces offered longer movies with sound and live orchestras. Later, movies could be watched at home on VHS tapes and DVDs. Today people often stream movies online, skipping the theater entirely.
  • What are some differences between watching a movie in a theater and watching a movie at home? (compare and contrast) Watching in a theater is a shared, communal experience where people can react together—laughing, crying, or cheering. At home, watching is more private and flexible. You can pause or rewind, but you lose the experience of being part of a large audience.

Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)

  • The articles include details about giveaways like “dish night” and adding activities like laser tag to theaters. How are these offerings similar? Both are examples of how movie theaters have adapted to stay popular over time. Theaters offered “dish night” to attract people during the Great Depression, and laser tag is meant to appeal to customers today. These examples help readers see how theaters change to meet people’s needs.
  • Think about the changes in the way we watch movies, from the early 1900s to now. What do these changes say about what we are looking for in our entertainment? Answers will vary. Students may point out that people today want convenience and choice, which is why many prefer to watch on streaming services at home. In the past, people valued shared experiences and entertainment outside the home, which is why nickelodeons and movie palaces became popular.

3. Skill Building and Writing

Language-Acquisition Springboard

Have students write summary questions for self-assessment.

Divide students into two groups. Assign the first article to one group and the second article to the other. Point out that, unlike some other features in  Action, the Paired Texts don’t have Pause and Think questions at the end of each section. Ask each group to create these questions for its assigned article. 

Sample questions for “The Magical Story of Movies”:

  • Opening section: What was a nickelodeon theater? A nickelodeon theater was a theater with a five-cent admission fee in the early days of film.
  • “A Night at the Nickelodeon”: When did the first nickelodeon open? The first nickelodeon opened in 1905.
  • “The Movie Palace”: What was special about the Strand? The Strand was the first theater built just for watching movies, and it was very fancy.
  • “Movie Magic”: What was the Great Depression? The Great Depression was a period of time when, for about 10 years, many Americans were poor and without jobs.  

Sample questions for “New Ways to Watch”:

  • Opening section: What are three devices people use to watch movies? Three devices people use to watch movies are a computer, a TV, and a tablet.
  • “Bringing Movies Home”: What was Blockbuster? Blockbuster was a video rental store. 
  • “Streaming Wars”: What did Netflix do in 2007? In 2007, Netflix launched its streaming service. 
  • “Back to the Theater”: What are some things theaters do to attract more customers? To attract more customers, theaters offer arcades, laser tag, bowling alleys, cushy seats, and collectible popcorn buckets. 

Looking for more ELL support? Download our full lesson plan and scroll to p. 5 to find questions that will help your ELLs respond to the text at the level that’s right for them.

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