Nellie Bly Discussion Prompts & Pause Points

Before the Movie

What do you think investigative reporters do? (Tap prior knowledge)

What can you tell about Nellie Bly from the movie description? (Make inferences)

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 1:56: How did Nellie Bly differ from other news reporters? (Compare/contrast; Identify character traits)

Timecode 4:05: In what ways did Bly’s reporter help bring attention to women’s issues and struggles? (Identify cause/effect)

Timecode 6:11: Discuss the importance of the first amendment in terms of freedom of the press. How does it protect reporters like Nellie Bly and ensure that important stories get told?  (Identify main idea and details)

After the Movie

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

Do you think it is ethical to go undercover to break news stories? Why or why not? (Form opinion; Apply new knowledge)

BrainPOP recommends reading the movie description that appears on the Nellie Bly 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.