Friday, May 20, 2011

Can't get enough of Jim Jones and his Creepiness?

This week in class we watched the WGBH American Experience film "Jonestown," which is the story of the People's Temple and its ultimate tragic end in 1978. The film is LITTERED with examples of basic principles of social psychology, and I think my students did a great job identifying them.

For those of you who can't get enough of the People's Temple, Jim Jones, or survivor stories, there are plenty of resources online for you to consult. A great place to start is the film's companion website. The teacher's resources section has links to several different websites that each examine the incident from a different angle, as well as a list of printed resources for futher study. There's also a photo gallery that includes many of the still images seen in the film.

I'd highly recommend the film, though it does involve some very "mature" and disturbing content. My students can attest to the fact that it is shocking and emotional, and extremely well done.

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