OUR AMERICA FILM
OUR AMERICA FILM
Your assignment is to view the film entitled Our America (2002).
Click on the below web address for the film:
https://m4uhd.tv/watch-movie-our-america-2002-238094.htmlLinks to an external site.
(Turn on the film’s speaker at lower left. Skip any ads that may appear.)
Film Synopsis
The film you will be watching is true. It is based on actual events that occurred and as portrayed through the eyes of two young African-American boys, LeAlan Jones and Lloyd Newman. It’s a documentary about life in “the hood” on Chicago’s tough south side, the account of two ambitious teens who, living in one of the worst inner-city neighborhoods in the country, tell their story of ghetto life when they get a chance to become investigative reporters for NPR Radio (National Public Radio), in their tape of “Ghetto Life 101.”
Their reporting becomes even more compelling when they gather the courage to tell the truth about witnessing two of their peers throw a 5-year old boy, Eric Morse, out of the 14th story window of the dilapidated and abandoned Ida B. Wells Public Housing complex on Thursday, October 13, 1994.
For one week, the two amble through the projects, tape recorder in hand, to assemble a “sound portrait” of ghetto life in the hood. But they run into resistance and threats from their neighbors, who warn them that they are being exploited by “whitey.” But they only wanted to tell their story as things really are. This is their neighborhood, their city . . . their America.
They are awarded the 1997 Chicago Citizen of the Year Award. They, along with their mentor and the show’s producer David Isay, win the prestigious Peabody Award for their journalistic work.
Warning: This film contains scenes that some viewers may find objectionable as to language and other content, but which are necessary as part of the actors’ character portrayals in this film.
Instructions: Please read and follow all instructions before beginning this assignment to avoid loss of grade points. Take the time to give me your best effort in the assignment. This is a summative, not a formative, assignment. That means it’s not a draft but a final submission. I have no do-overs or make-ups on assignments.
The specifics regarding this assignment will be presented after the general instructions for doing this assignment.
The essay rubric for my typed assignments can be found under Module 0 (Rubrics) for all my courses. Refer to the rubric as a guide.
Using the Text Entry Box in the Rich Content Editor feature of Canvas
Assignment papers must ONLY be submitted via Canvas’s Text Entry field in its Rich Content Editor (RCE) feature.
To access the Text Entry Box inside of Canvas, click on ASSIGNMENTS in the left-side (blue on white) Course Navigation Panel or look for the assignment in the weekly module where it will also be posted. After you locate and click on the assignment, click on the START ASSIGNMENT button. The Text Entry box will appear under the heading and below the tools bar.
You can either type directly in the RCE box or you can copy & paste it into the RCE box field after having previously typed it on a separate Word document. When you complete typing (or copying & pasting) your paper, click on the SUBMIT ASSIGNMENT button to send it to me.
I don’t accept emailed papers, hard-copy papers, late papers, or papers submitted in any other format other than in Canvas RCE. You will be given plenty of time to do the assignment. Avoid problems that may arise by waiting until the last minute to begin your paper.
Number of Typed Words
Use black 14pt Times New Roman Font and default 1.0 single spacing. Your paper should be between 1,300 – 2,000 words total. (The number of words typed appears on the lower right of the Rich Content Editor box in Canvas).
Include lots of “white space” by separating groups of sentences into bite-size “chunks” using a double-space between paragraphs. This makes your paper easier to read and digest your paper, rather than having to read through crowded line-after-line of type. (White space gives the reader a chance to take a breath while reading).
Prompts
Before responding to each prompt, first copy & paste (or type in bold) the prompt into the RCE. Then respond to the prompt immediately below it in regular non-bold type. Do this for each prompt, separately. This will allow you to stay focused on the prompts, and allows me to focus on what you are trying to answer. I assess your responses on how well and complete you respond to the prompts. You must respond to ALL of the prompts.
Answer the prompts in narrative writing, not just a series of short bullet points. Write complete, well-written sentences, using correct English grammar and punctuation. PROOF-READ your paper before you hit the submit button. It should be clear and coherent, and easy to understand. I am looking for a robust and thoughtful discussion on the prompts showing deep thinking, analysis, and reflection, not a quickly-typed paper just to “get by.”
Stay focused on each prompt, making sure you are addressing what is being asked so that you don’t end up going off on some long passionate tangent which doesn’t really answer what is being asked for in the prompts. Double-check to ensure that you’ve addressed the prompts sufficiently after you finish each one.
I’m not looking for a “book report” where you simply go over the film scenes, taking up a lot of your time and typing space that adds nothing to the assignment. I am more interested in knowing how you are synthesizing the various parts of the film and how they relate to your responses. Refer to scene examples only briefly, if needed, in your responses.
Avoid “copying & pasting” responses from the internet, or from previous work done, or from another student, or from anywhere else. (We both know that’s plagiarism.) Do your own work. Stay focused on and answer all of the prompts.
This assignment will be point graded (translates to a letter grade), and along with other assignments, if any, will count toward 25% of your final course grade. There is only one attempt allowed on this assignment.
Prompts (Copy and paste each of these prompts on your assignment, and then answer below each.)
Refer to cast members by their film names (or position/relationship in the film) so that I am clear who you may be referring to.
1. Describe the impact that David Isay had on LeAlan and Lloyd. In what ways was he and his NPR radio show able to have an influence on them?
2. Besides David Isay, which two characters do you feel would have been in the best position to positively influence LeAlan and Lloyd? Discuss why.
3. What specific lessons did you learn from this film that could be valuable in helping youth become successful, productive, and responsible citizens? How could they be put to use today?
4. Research the internet on LeAlan and Lloyd. Where are they today? What do you think about it?
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