California Missions Discussion Prompts and Pause Points

Before the Movie:

Why do you think so many cities and towns in California have Spanish names? (Tap prior knowledge)

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 3:35: How would you describe the missionaries’ attitude toward indigenous peoples and cultures? Support your answer with examples. (Describe; Identify main idea and details)

Timecode 5:02: How did the change to a European form of agriculture lead to indigenous people becoming slaves? (Identify cause/effect)

Timecode 7:00: In what ways was living under Mexican government similar and different to living with the Spanish missionaries?  (Compare and contrast)

After the Movie:

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

Why did Spain send priests to settle California?  (Reflect )

BrainPOP recommends reading  the movie description that appears on the California Missions 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.