IMy favorite genre is historical fiction.  There is just something about fiction, that contains elements of reality, moments from a shared past, that speaks to me.  History comes alive and seems real.  That sense of understanding is what prompted me to start having students create their own historical fiction.

To make history come alive for your students, have them tell the story, first person, in a movie. 

This may seems like a huge undertaking for a regular classroom teacher, but I’ve found a way to make it simple, in ten steps.

1. 1.Know your stuff ~ build background knowledge by researching, finding a primary source document or if possible interviewing someone who lived through the event. Have your student discuss the historical event.
   

2. 2.Write a first person account or journal of an event.  Use the writing process to produce a really good piece of writing with a balance between facts and opinions.
   

3. 3.Practice reading with expression and fluency, keeping it between 30 - 60 second when read aloud.  You might need to edit and revise for time’s sake.
   

4. 4.Collect historical photos and primary documents for the students to use in their movies.  Or use my Oregon Trail of Ellis Island photos found on Picasa.
   

5. 5.Take student photos (think about background and costume) and apply aging (sepia) effect.
   

6. 6.Use a storyboard to plan the combination of text, photos, and narration.
   

7. 7.Create your documentary using GarageBand, iMovie, or PhotoStory (PC).
   

8. 8.Export students’ movies to play as a stand alone.
   

9. 9.Combine individual movies to create full length film (optional).  Check out our Oregon Trail Film.
   

10. 10.Invite the public and pop the popcorn!