Citizen Kane (1941) - CurrClick

DVD Learning Guide Citizen Kane

(1941) ®

A Homeschool Learning Network Learning Guide Format: Age Levels: Genre: Category: Rating: Length: Producer: Warnings:

DVD Middle School, High School Classic Entertainment NR 119 minutes Warner Video None

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Summary

Vocabulary (Grades 6-12)

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Citizen Kane is considered to be one of the greatest American films ever made. Orson Welles directed, co-wrote and starred in this film classic. The film won an Academy Award in 1941 for Best Original Screenplay, and focuses on the life of an influential publishing tycoon, Charles Foster Kane. Citizen Kane gives us a glimpse of life in America in the early 1900’s and highlights themes of power, corruption and vanity as exhibited by Kane. We meet Kane on his deathbed, and then look back through the events of his life that lead to his lonely, final minutes. The characters in the film focus on the last word uttered by Kane, “Rosebud”, as they remember the events of his life and try to understand this legendary man.

Try the following activities with the vocabulary words to the right. Depending on the age and ability of your students, they may be able to complete assignments from multiple grade levels. 6-8:

Write a description or review about this DVD using the vocabulary words. Above each vocabulary word, write N if it is a noun, V if it is a verb; ADJ if it is an adjective; ADV if it is an adverb.

6-12: Copy the vocabulary words onto a sheet of paper. What do you think each word means? Write down what you think the words mean from your own knowledge. Now, look up each word in a dictionary, and compare definitions. How close were you? Write each word in a sentence, or write a paragraph or DVD summary using the words.

Vocabulary Tycoon Lode Dramatic Loot Declaration Principles Sentimental Monument Empire Xanadu

9-12: Write down words you hear in the video you don’t understand. Break the words into parts and see if you can determine the meanings. Look up the meanings.

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DVD Learning Guide Discussion Questions Ask students to read through their questions carefully before watching the film, and take notes during the film. After watching it, ask students to write their answers to the following questions on a separate piece of paper. Intermediate 1. In the opening scene of the movie, Kane is seen on his deathbed. He holds something in his hand and he utters one word. What is in his hand and what does he say? 2. Before the News On The March newsreel can be released, what is the reporter sent to find out? 3. Why was Charles Foster Kane sent to live with Walter Thatcher? 4. When Kane took over the Inquirer, he issued a Declaration of Principles. What did he promise in the declaration? 5. We see Kane’s son, Junior, during his campaign rally. What happens to him? 6. What did Kane and Susan Kane, his second wife, do the first night they met?

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7. Kane built two great buildings for Susan. What were they?

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8. Kane fires his friend, Jed Leland, after Leland writes a review of Susan’s performance. Kane sends him a check for $25,000 with his termination notice. What does Jed send back to him and what does Kane do with it?

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9. There are two instances in the film where Kane is holding the snow globe and utters the word “Rosebud”, what are they?

1. Charles Foster Kane is not told by his mother ahead of time that he will be going to Chicago to live with Walter Thatcher. When he is told that he must leave immediately, he protests. How do you think this affects his life? Do you think that his life would have been different if his mother had consulted with him in making the decision? 2. In the film we see Kane and his first wife, Emily Monroe Norton in a series of shots at the breakfast table over the course of several years. How do the various images depict the breakdown of the marriage? 3. Kane insists that Susan continue to perform opera until she finally attempts suicide. Why do you think it was so important to him that she continued to perform? 4. Kane spent his life collecting many things; some works of art were never even removed from their crates. Why do you think he was obsessed with collecting so many things? 5. What was Rosebud and what did it symbolize?


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DVD Learning Guide Lessons & Activities Publish A Morning Newspaper Edition Subjects: Grades: Style:

Language Arts, Math 9 -12 Visual /Experiential

Concepts: Students will learn about the various components in creating a newspaper layout. They will write, design, layout and produce a front page of a newspaper, reporting on the death of Charles Foster Kane.

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Lesson: Charles Foster Kane took over the Inquirer newspaper and increased its circulation from 26,000 to 684,000 in less than 6 years time. Your task is to create the front page of the Inquirer as it reports on the life and death of Charles Foster Kane. Browse the following resources related to newspaper design before you begin: Newspaper Design: Design with Reason http://www.ronreason.com/

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Newspaper Design and Production http://web.archive.org/web/20040302150115/http://www.gsn.org/project/newsday/design.ht ml

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Newspaper Design http://uspolitics.about.com/cs/design/

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Now get started with your own design: •

Decide on the content of the page. What information do you want to include about Kane and his life?

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Decide on the layout of the paper. Will you include pictures? How many columns will you have? How large will the banner be? You will need to figure out the measurements of the various columns and components of the page.

• Depending on availability of computers, students may design, create and print the page from the computer using such programs as Microsoft Word, AppleWorks, PageMaker, Quark or a similar program. •

If the students do not have access to computers, they may design and create the page by hand. The size of the page may vary depending on what materials are available.

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Students should review their local newspaper for hints on how to layout and arrange a front page.

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Students will include on their page an obituary of Charles Foster Kane. They will also include articles talking about his life, based on information they have learned from the film.

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What else was going on in 1941? Review the 20th Century Timeline at About.com and add headlines appropriate to the time: http://history1900s.about.com/library/weekly/aa110900a.htm


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DVD Learning Guide Learn More! Books and Online Resources BOOKS Citizen Kane Mulvey, Laura. University of California Press; ISBN: 0851703399 Rosebud: The Story of Orson Welles Thomson, David. Vintage Books; ISBN: 0679772839 Making Of Citizen Kane Carringer, Robert L. University of California Press; ISBN: 0520205677

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The Great Movies Ebert, Roger. Broadway Books; ISBN: 076791032X

ONLINE RESOURCES

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Citizen Kane – Citizen Kane Page http://web.archive.org/web/20050429182657/http://www.inform.umd.edu/CMLT/cmltfac/mlifton/.ros ebud/Essays/citizenkanepage.html Along with production notes and essays about this important American film, find a video clip showing the famous "married life" scene. Citizen Kane – The American Experience http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/kane2/ PBS series on American history spotlights the popular drama film and details the conflict that erupted between Orson Welles and William Hearst. Citizen Kane - 1941 http://www.filmsite.org/citi.html Site explores the film and the controversy involved in the making of the film. Citizen Kane http://www.godamongdirectors.com/scripts/citizenkane.shtml This is the script for the Citizen Kane movie by Herman J. Mankiewicz Typed/Donated by John Powers and Jon Reifler.

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Orson Welles.

A Viewers Companion to Citizen Kane http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/greatmovies/kcomp.html Review of the film and techniques used in creating the film.


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DVD Learning Guide Orson Welles at Reel Classics http://www.reelclassics.com/Actors/Welles/welles.htm Pictures, audio clips and film details of Orson Welles, one of classic Hollywood's most acclaimed actors and directors. Review: Citizen Kane http://web.archive.org/web/20060111144419/http://moviereviews.colossus.net/movies/c/citizen.html A Film Review by James Berardinelli ... When it comes to Citizen Kane, one question eclipses all others: Is it the best film ever made? Citizen Kane @ Hollywood.com http://www.hollywood.com/movies/detail/movie/182018 Citizen Kane synopsis, movie review and trailer.

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BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Film | Citizen Kane tops critics' poll http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/2182554.stm Citizen Kane tops critics' poll. Citizen Kane is a perennial critics' favorite.


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