Franklin D. Roosevelt Discussion Prompts and Pause Points

Before the Movie

What do you know about Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR)? (Activate prior knowledge) 

What do you hope to learn about FDR? (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 1:45: What can you conclude about FDR’s character based on how he coped with illness? (Analyze character; Draw conclusions)

Timecode 2:25: How did FDR’s attitude make him a good president to lead the country through the Great Depression? (Make judgments)

Timecode 3:04: Why do you think many of the New Deal programs remain in place today? (Draw conclusions)

Timecode 4:47: How did Roosevelt work to support the Allies, both before and during the war? (Organize information)

After the Movie

Look at the four related movies at the bottom of the page. Explain how each is connected to the Franklin D. Roosevelt topic. (Make connections)

What did Roosevelt mean by “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself?” (Make inferences)

BrainPOP recommends reading the movie description that appears on the Franklin D. Roosevelt 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.