Lights, Camera, Take Action!

This document provides guidance for using documentaries in the classroom by outlining the key elements of documentaries, necessary equipment, and production process. It explains that documentaries deal with real life topics through a research question, use interviews and footage to support a viewpoint or explore multiple perspectives, and can take a stance or remain objective. The document also notes some of the challenges of copyright and provides alternatives like VoiceThread and tools from the National Archives that allow use of primary sources.