In our homeschool journey, we enjoy making things more real with DVDs from Netflix. Our World Geography and Cultures course is so much better with the occasional video to bring things to a different level for my boys.We often follow up our literature reading with a video version and then compare.
This week we watched Cry the Beloved Country with James Earl Jones and Richard Harris. My high school aged sons thought it was a powerful adaptation of the book. This book and DVD offers a gritty topic with many things to discuss. I would not suggest it for little ones.
Here is a link to Netflix where you can watch the movie trailer:Cry the Beloved Country
Another recent DVD that touched our hearts was God Grew Tired of Us. It made the people of Africa, modern day Africa, real people with real faces and real problems. The spirit of the individuals touched us deeply.
God Grew Tired of Us
I usually just do a quick search on Netflix with the book name or country name and I get a whole list of DVDs to choose from. I tend to check the previews and then do an internet search for appropriateness before I offer it to the boys.
One caution for the list I have in the image above: Globe Trekkers is NOT always appropriate for children. I usuall preview the DVD before I let my high school age sons view. (The Amsterdam DVD included topics I did not want to share with them during our geography time so I marked the sections we would watch together.)
I find Rick Steves travel DVDs to be helpful but we don't usually watch the whole episode. I like to give them a taste of the country but not bore them to death with lots of details.
I also don't like to include more than one DVD per week. I tend to choose just one selection and we don't always get to it during that particular week. (Sometimes I forget to add it to the queue on Netflix.....so we just watch it later when we have time.)
Here is another DVD from the African country of Ghana that we really enjoyed.
This was wonderful on so many levels. Emmanuel's Gift.
Don't forget the resources available on Netflix when you are planning. They are a wonderful way to break up the more academic side of high school history, geography, and literature.
Barb-Harmony Art Mom
8 comments:
Netflix is also great for the struggling reader! I have chosen some things to read, some to listen to and some to watch from the TofG lessons. I cannot believe the impact on my kids from watching "Ragtime"--definitely worth $15 a month!!!!
Thank you for this post. I find Netflix absolutely wonderful to use as supplements to our science and history studies. We are currently studying Astronomy and last night my oldest and I watched an excellent IMAX film about the International Space Station from Netflix.
Samantha
I consider our subscription as much of an educational expense than entertainment.
You might consider watching a movie that has been remade in several versions. For example Seven Samurai (Japanese original), Magnificent Seven (Western remake), China Gate (Bollywood version).
We found many of the classics on Netflix too and many are streaming. It's great to read the book and then compare to the movie. There are also several documentary films. Thanks!
indeed!
We have been subscribers to Netflix since oh, gosh-- 2002 i think it is and have enjoyed it not only for entertainment but increasingly for educational purposes.
Last week's dvd for homeschool viewing was WOMAN CALLED MOSES... and DD should be getting a "just for entertainment movie" in next. Then after that she'll be watching GONE WITH THE WIND.
I used to just grab DVDs for her willy-nilly but have since set up a user account specifically for her viewing and I just add/manage movies for her in that account.
Now, if they'd just extend the WATCH INSTANTLY area to include more titles that i have on her homeschool viewing list. LOL
have a great weekend, lady! It is sunny here right now! Hoping to get another walk in with baby today!
We are Netflix fans too. History, the Arts, how-to, literature, documentaries ... adding some movies to our book studies adds a nice variety ... spice, if you will.
Tammy
I have seen "God Grew Tired of Us" and it was great. I haven't seen the other one, but it looks awesome. Thank you for the reminder of how valuable these are for education. We used to do it, but had to cut expenses. I hope to be able to do it again. I miss NetFlix. :-D Enjoy!
Great idea. I get videos from the library and always end up paying ridiculous late fines. Netflix would definitely be better.
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