Tuskegee Airmen Discussion Prompts and Pause Points

Before the Movie:

What do you think it must’ve been like to be among the first African American military pilots during WWII? (Make inferences)

What do you hope to learn about the first African-American military pilots? (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 2:08: In what ways did racism shape America’s armed forces? (Summarize) 

Timecode 3:32: What obstacles did the Tuskegee Airmen face aside from segregation? (Recall)

Timecode 4:26: Why did bombing crews request the Red Tails for missions? How did they differ from other pilots? (Identify cause/effect; Compare/contrast)

After the Movie:

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

What can you tell about the character of the Tuskegee Airmen? (Reflect; Revisit goals)

BrainPOP recommends reading  the movie description that appears on the Tuskegee Airmen 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.