Share My Lesson, the nation’s largest online site for teaching resources, has posted lesson plans and other materials about former prisoner and South African President Nelson Mandela to coincide with the upcoming release of the feature film, “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.”
Share My Lesson is partnering with the film’s producers, The Weinstein Company, and the Nelson Mandela Foundation to bring this unique, high-quality, multimedia resource to classrooms nationwide. The lessons plans for grades 9-12, which are aligned to the Common Core State Standards, are available for educators, parents and other registered members, free of charge, at www.sharemylesson.com/mandela.
In addition, Share My Lesson and The Weinstein Company are offering educators who download the resources a chance to take their class of 30 students to see the movie. Three exclusive movie clips are now available for view at www.sharemylesson.com/mandelafilm, in addition to primary sources made accessible thanks to the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg.
“Lessons based on this rare and true hero are multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary. Teachers will be able to show clips of the movie in class to bring Mandela’s incredible story alive and lead students through discussions that will help broaden their thinking about Mandela’s imprisonment, his yearning for a democratic and non-discriminatory country, and the legacy of his sacrifice and accomplishments,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten.
The motion picture tells the inspirational story of Mandela, from his humble beginnings in Transkei, South Africa, to his 27-year incarceration for treason, to his eventual release to become the president of a fully participatory, democratic South Africa. Mandela’s story and the film provide educators with an opportunity to dive into the issues of freedom and forgiveness, equality and equanimity, reconciliation and redemption. The movie opens in select cities Nov. 29, with a nationwide release Dec. 25.