We asked our Facebook homeschool-friends to share their favorite movie adaptations of a book. (We love good movies for enriching our children’s educational experiences.)
Here they are:
History Movies for Homeschool – Our Favorite Titles for High School
(Note: Some of these are most appropriate for high schoolers.)
Ancient History
Spartacus
The Robe
Ben Hur
St. John in Exile
Medieval/Renaissance
Ever After
The 1600s
The Three Musketeers (Use this study guide to enhance your student’s learning) You could also follow up by reading the book and doing a study guide!
The 1700s
Master and Commander
Amazing Grace
Pride and Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility (This is a good one to watch as a follow up for the book and Study Guide. We LOVE Jane Austen.)
Emma
The 1800s
Les Miserables (EVERYONE’S favorite! AND a good one to watch as a follow up for the book and Study Guide.)
A Christmas Carol (either the Muppets or the old B&W) This is a good one watch as a follow up for the book and Study Guide
This is a good one watch as a follow up for the book and Study Guide]
Gettysburg
Friendly Persuasion
Anne of Green Gables (TV series) (Another good one to accompany the book and FREE Study Guide)
Christy (TV series)
The Secret Garden
The 1900s
Captains Courageous
The Miracle Worker
The King’s Speech
Sgt. York
Chariots of Fire
It’s a Wonderful Life
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
The Wizard of Oz
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
The Sound of Music
The Hiding Place (Excellent follow-up to the book and Study Guide)
Chronicles of Narnia (old BBC version and the new movies)
The Imitation Game
On the Waterfront
To Kill a Mockingbird
Lilies of the Field
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
Mother Teresa (Excellent movie, and good follow-up for the biography: Something Beautiful for God with Study Guide.)
Rudy (check out our study guide to enhance your student’s learning)
Walk the Line
Des Hommes et Des Dieux (Of Gods and Men)
Here are ways to use History movies for homeschool:
- Follow up the reading of the book
- Illustrate the life challenges of a historical period
- Discussion and writing prompts for compare/contrast essays
- Inspire your own film projects
- If you find you are enjoying the use of movies to enhance learning, check out a full year of Cinema Studies for Literature Learning:
- Log hours to add to your “leveling-up” of credits
Make sure you consider our World History High School Curriculum for your student — No Busywork, and a introduction to Philosophy woven through the study of important people and events. So rich!
Need more inspiration for helping teens understand how meaningful and important it is to study history? Check out this on why History is boring and how to make it better.
More ways to earn a history credit in high school.
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We just watched “Woodlawn” and it was excellent. It takes place in the late 1960’s through 1979 in Alabama. It is based on a true story and they do an excellent job of setting up the story with the history of the area and time, including actual news footage and interviews. Very clean content, excellent script, casting, acting, camera work, and I felt like I was back in the 70’s with the clothes, haircuts, technology, etc. I think it would be a great addition to this list.
Thanks for the excellent suggestion, Jody!