Lessons On Movies.com
  Free Handout + MP3 + 8 Online Quizzes on Saving Private Ryan

  GAMES:

  • Fill-in-the-blank
  • Matching
  • Hangman
  • Flash cards
  • Sentence jumble
  • Missing words
  • No letters
  • Crossword puzzle

Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American epic war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. It was directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. It is noted for its graphic and realistic portrayal of war. The film is especially notable for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes, which depict the Omaha Beach assault of June 6, 1944. Afterwards, it follows Tom Hanks as United States Army Rangers Captain John H. Miller. He and seven other soldiers search for paratrooper James Francis Ryan (played by Matt Damon), who is the last-surviving brother of four servicemen. Rodat based the story on a monument dedicated to eight bothers killed in the American Civil War.

Saving Private Ryan was well received by audiences and got considerable critical acclaim, winning several awards for film, cast, and crew. It earned significant returns at the box office, grossing US$481.8 million worldwide. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominated the film for eleven Academy Awards. Spielberg's direction won him a second Academy Award for Best Director. Filmmaker Oliver Stone, however, has accused the film of promoting "the worship of World War II as the good war". He likens it to films such as Gladiator and Black Hawk Down that he believes were well made, but may have contributed to America's readiness for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saving_private_ryan

  TRAILER AND POSTER

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN POSTER

1. SIX WORDS: Look at the poster and write down six words (more if you like) that you think of as you look at it. Share the words with your partner(s). Why did you choose them?

2. STORY: Talk about what you think the story of the movie is – the start, beginning, end, etc. Change partners and share stories.

3. CREDITS: Look at the credits on the poster (the actors, director, producer…) and talk about them with your partner(s).

4. MUST-SEE: Talk with your partner(s) about whether the poster and movie title are good and make you want to see the movie.

5. STARRING YOU: Imagine you are one of the stars of the movie. Talk about your role with your movie star partner(s).

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN TRAILER

1. RETELL: Watch the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).

2. CHUNKS: Watch 10-to-15 second chunks of the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).

3. QUIZ: Watch the trailer and write down some quiz questions for your partner(s). Watch a second time to find the answers to the questions.

4. VOCABULARY: Make a note of words in the trailer that you see or hear. Talk about them with your partner(s).

5. GOOD / BAD: Watch the trailer and write down why you think the film might be good or bad. Share your ideas with your partner(s).

  MATCHING

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	invasion	a.	show
2	graphic	b.	blamed
3.	intensity	c.	memorial
4.	depict	d.	detailled
5.	monument	e.	storming
6.	considerable	f.	actors
7.	cast	g.	preparedness
8.	accused	h.	encouraging
9.	promoting	i.	fierceness
10.	readiness	j.	sizable

PHRASE MATCH

1.	set	a.	and realistic portrayal of war
2	noted for its graphic	b.	of World War II as the good war
3.	the intensity	c.	surviving brother of four servicemen
4.	the last-	d.	by audiences
5.	a monument	e.	returns at the box office
6.	well received	f.	during the invasion of Normandy
7.	It earned significant	g.	for the 2003 invasion of Iraq
8.	grossing	h.	dedicated to eight bothers
9.	promoting the worship	i.	of its opening 27 minutes
10.	America's readiness	j.	US$481.8 million worldwide

  LISTENING / READING GAP FILL

Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American epic (1) _____________ the invasion of Normandy in World War II. It was directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. It is noted for its graphic (2) __________________ of war. The film is especially notable for the (3) __________________ 27 minutes, which depict the Omaha (4) __________________ 6, 1944. Afterwards, it follows Tom Hanks as United States Army Rangers Captain John H. Miller. He and seven other soldiers search for paratrooper James Francis Ryan (played by Matt Damon), who is the last-surviving brother (5) __________________. Rodat based the story on a (6) ____________________ eight bothers killed in the American Civil War.

Saving Private Ryan was well (7) __________________ and got considerable critical acclaim, winning several awards for film, cast, and crew. (8) __________________ returns at the box office, grossing US$481.8 million worldwide. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (9) __________________ for eleven Academy Awards. Spielberg's direction won him a second Academy Award for Best Director. Filmmaker Oliver Stone, however, has (10) __________________ promoting "the worship of World War II as the good war". He (11) __________________ as Gladiator and Black Hawk Down that he believes were well made, but may have contributed to (12) __________________ for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

  CORRECT THE SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	epic war film set diungr the invasion of Normandy
2.	noted for its hapcrig and realistic portrayal of war
3.	notable for the intensity of its ngipone 27 minutes
4.	the Omaha Beach tusslaa of June 6
5.	the last-gurvisinv brother of four servicemen
6.	a emmtnuon dedicated to eight bothers
Paragraph 2
7.	well received by nedescaui
8.	It daeren significant returns at the box office
9.	gognsisr US$481.8 million worldwide
10.	Spielberg's oertncdii won him a second Academy Award
11.	promoting the wpsirho of World War II as the good war
12.	America's ersdanise for the 2003 invasion of Iraq

  PUNCTUATE & PUT CAPITALS IN THE TEXT

saving private ryan is a 1998 american epic war film set during the invasion of normandy in world war ii it was directed by steven spielberg and written by robert rodat it is noted for its graphic and realistic portrayal of war the film is especially notable for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes which depict the omaha beach assault of june 6 1944 afterwards it follows tom hanks as united states army rangers captain john h miller he and seven other soldiers search for paratrooper james francis ryan (played by matt damon) who is the last-surviving brother of four servicemen rodat based the story on a monument dedicated to eight bothers killed in the american civil war

saving private ryan was well received by audiences and got considerable critical acclaim winning several awards for film cast and crew it earned significant returns at the box office grossing us$4818 million worldwide the academy of motion picture arts and sciences nominated the film for eleven academy awards spielberg's direction won him a second academy award for best director filmmaker oliver stone however has accused the film of promoting "the worship of world war ii as the good war" he likens it to films such as gladiator and black hawk down that he believes were well made but may have contributed to america's readiness for the 2003 invasion of iraq

  INSERT THE VOWELS

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S_v_ng Pr_v_t_ Ry_n w_s w_ll r_c__v_d by __d__nc_s _nd g_t c_ns_d_r_bl_ cr_t_c_l _ccl__m, w_nn_ng s_v_r_l _w_rds f_r f_lm, c_st, _nd cr_w. _t __rn_d s_gn_f_c_nt r_t_rns _t th_ b_x _ff_c_, gr_ss_ng _S$481.8 m_ll__n w_rldw_d_. Th_ _c_d_my _f M_t__n P_ct_r_ _rts _nd Sc__nc_s n_m_n_t_d th_ f_lm f_r _l_v_n _c_d_my _w_rds. Sp__lb_rg's d_r_ct__n w_n h_m _ s_c_nd _c_d_my _w_rd f_r B_st D_r_ct_r. F_lmm_k_r _l_v_r St_n_, h_w_v_r, h_s _cc_s_d th_ f_lm _f pr_m_t_ng "th_ w_rsh_p _f W_rld W_r __ _s th_ g__d w_r". H_ l_k_ns _t t_ f_lms s_ch _s Gl_d__t_r _nd Bl_ck H_wk D_wn th_t h_ b_l__v_s w_r_ w_ll m_d_, b_t m_y h_v_ c_ntr_b_t_d t_ _m_r_c_'s r__d_n_ss f_r th_ 2003 _nv_s__n _f _r_q.

  MARK THE SPACES

SavingPrivateRyanisa1998Americanepicwarfilmsetduringtheinvasi
onofNormandyinWorldWarII.ItwasdirectedbyStevenSpielbergandw
rittenbyRobertRodat.Itisnotedforitsgraphicandrealisticportrayalofw
ar.Thefilmisespeciallynotablefortheintensityofitsopening27minutes
,whichdepicttheOmahaBeachassaultofJune6,1944.Afterwards,itfoll
owsTomHanksasUnitedStatesArmyRangersCaptainJohnH.Miller.He
andsevenothersoldierssearchforparatrooperJamesFrancisRyan(pla
yedbyMattDamon),whoisthelastsurvivingbrotheroffourservicemen.
Rodatbasedthestoryonamonumentdedicatedtoeightbotherskilledin
theAmericanCivilWar.SavingPrivateRyanwaswellreceivedbyaudien
cesandgotconsiderablecriticalacclaim,winningseveralawardsforfilm
,cast,andcrew.Itearnedsignificantreturnsattheboxoffice,grossingU
S$481.8millionworldwide.TheAcademyofMotionPictureArtsandScie
ncesnominatedthefilmforelevenAcademyAwards.Spielberg'sdirecti
onwonhimasecondAcademyAwardforBestDirector.FilmmakerOliver
Stone,however,hasaccusedthefilmofpromoting"theworshipofWorld
WarIIasthegoodwar".HelikensittofilmssuchasGladiatorandBlackHa
wkDownthathebelieveswerewellmade,butmayhavecontributedtoA
merica'sreadinessforthe2003invasionofIraq.

  DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

  SAVING PRIVATE RYAN SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Saving Private Ryan in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	Student 1 __________	Student 2 __________	Student 3 __________
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Q4.
Q5.

• Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

  WRITING

Write your own movie review. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other's work.

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

  HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about "Saving Private Ryan". Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about "Saving Private Ryan". What are (did) critics and moviegoers saying (say) about it? How good were the actors' performances? What was good and bad about the movie? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. "SAVING PRIVATE RYAN" POSTER: Make a poster about "Saving Private Ryan". Make sure you put tag lines, audience and critics' reviews, why people should see it, etc.  Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.

5. MY PREQUEL / SEQUEL: Make your own prequel or sequel for  "Saving Private Ryan". Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

6. CHARACTER STORY: Choose one of the characters from the movie. Imagine you are that character. Write your story about what you did in the movie. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

7. ONLINE SHARING: Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, Twitter stream, or any other social media tool to get opinions on "Saving Private Ryan". Share your findings with the class.

  ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	invasion	a.	storming
2	graphic	b.	detailled
3.	intensity	c.	fierceness
4.	depict	d.	show
5.	monument	e.	memorial
6.	considerable	f.	sizable
7.	cast	g.	actors
8.	accused	h.	blamed
9.	promoting	i.	encouraging
10.	readiness	j.	preparedness

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Please check for yourself by looking at the movie review article at the top of the page.
(It's good for your English ;-)