History Through Film:a New Course at AHS!

History through film is a new semester class taught by Mr. Price at our school. The class is about learning events in history through watching a movie. “It’s a very fun class that isn’t too rigorous while still piquing your interest in history,” student Cole Walton shared.

After teaching history for a plethora of years, Mr. Price noticed that he would always reference the events he was teaching his students to movies. “Instead of focusing on facts and timelines, we critically examine how movies portray historical events,” Mr. Price mentioned. The course was created off of that idea, it uses Hollywood films to expand students' understanding of history. “I think it is a very cool and effective way to approach history, seeing different interpretations through the movies,” senior Harrison Mullin shared.

Each semester has different movies and is picked by a collection of films that covers world history and American history. “My goal is to introduce students to stories they may not already know while avoiding movies typically used in traditional history courses,” Mr. Price shared. Throughout the semester, Mr. Price encouraged students' input and suggested movies they might want to watch. “I want to make sure the films keep the students' attention while also identifying areas for improvement,” Mr. Price said.

“This class is for everyone. Whatever you’re a history buff, a movie enthusiast, or someone who’s curious about both,” Mr. Price shared. The course also allowed students to watch movies they wouldn’t typically watch on their own.

Senior Cole Walton shares that his favorite movie to have watched this year was “The Godfather.” “I thoroughly enjoyed this movie as it is not only a classic movie that is very highly rated, but it also touches a piece of history (the mob) that is not commonly taught in depth,” Walton mentioned. Walton also likes the variety of projects, sometimes the project is to make an alternate ending or a debate. He recommends this class to any upperclassmen since it’s a laid back class but you still get to learn about history. “While watching movies you are not required to take notes, you just get to enjoy the movie. This adds to the enjoyment and makes learning about the topics even more interesting,” Walton said.

When asked which movies was her favorite, senior Mia Lovell said “War Horse”, “1917”, and "On the Basis of Sex”. “They are all movies that made me think deeper into topics that I have never really thought of before,” Lovell shared. Mia mentioned that after watching a movie, they would do an assignment on it. The assignment would include answering questions about the movie’s events, presentations, or a debate. Lovell enjoyed the class and highly recommends it to others.

This course is for anyone who is interested in history, movies, or both! It’s a great way to experience a different way of learning about history.