Wounded Knee Massacre Discussion Prompts and Pause Points

Before the Movie

What do you think the Wounded Knee Massacre may have been about? (Tap prior knowledge)

What do you want to know about Wounded Knee Massacre? (Set goals)

During the Movie (Pause Points)

Stop at the following times in the movie and ask questions or prompt a discussion to keep students focused and to assess their understanding before moving on:

Timecode 1:16: In what ways had the Lakota Sioux’s existence been threatened before the massacre? (Apply new knowledge)

Timecode 2:37: How and why did the Ghost Dance give the Lakota Sioux a feeling of empowerment? (Identify cause/effect)

Timecode 3:47: Why did the soldiers view Big Foot’s people as a threat? (Draw conclusions)

After the Movie:

Look at the four related movies at the bottom of the page. Explain how each is connected to the Wounded Knee Massacre Topic. (Make connections)

Was there any way the massacre could have been prevented? (Apply new knowledge, Make inferences)

BrainPOP recommends reading the movie description that appears on the Wounded Knee Massacre Topic Page to your class. Then show the movie once through without pausing.  Watch it again, this time using the discussion prompts.

*BrainPOP’s Discussion Questions and Prompts align to CCSS Speaking and Listening Standards.