Modern Parables Vol. 1 - Additional Teaching Modules

Homeschool – Middle or High School

The following material is intended to help a homeschooling parent prepare his or her class. We have included the files as editable documents so that you can make changes to meet your particular needs.

The goal of this homeschool scope and sequence is to let a parent or a self-guided student learn both about the parables as well as thinking about film. We recommend that parents prep the material beforehand, however, since so many older homeschool students are self-guided, this scope and sequence has been designed so that they can follow it without any prep needed.

There are also creative ideas at the end of the document for further ways to use the material.

PARENTAL NOTE: A number of secular films are included in this scope and sequence as possible additional teaching options. Some parents may not feel these films are appropriate for their teenager, so we recommend that all films listed here be researched by a parent and approved before being shown.

Grades: Middle or High School

Lesson length: 45 minutes to 1 hour with additional time for “Going Further”

Duration: 18 lessons

Teacher’s Guide = TG

Student Book = SB

Wikipedia - Internet Encyclopedia at

Senses of Cinema – Internet cinema site at There is a good database of essays exploring famous directors that is linked on the left-hand side of the home page.

Netflix ( online movie rental which offers all the films listed in this guide.

HIDDEN TREASURE

  1. Class 1 – Understanding Hidden Treasure
  2. Read the SB Introduction (p.1-4)
  3. Watch film Hidden Treasure on DVD 1 – 13 minutes
  4. Read the SB Lesson 1 (p.5-20)
  5. GOING FURTHER: Read Matt 13:45, then compare and contrast the two parables. What is similar? What is different?
  1. Class 2 – Living Hidden Treasure
  2. Re-read Matthew 13:44
  3. Watch the Hidden Treasure Application Video on DVD 1 – 10 minutes
  4. Read the TG Teacher’s Overviews (p.7-28)
  5. GOING FURTHER: Read the questions on TG p.36 under Step 3. Choose one or more and answer them in writing or, if you have multiple students or a parent with you, discuss the answers to the questions
  1. Class 3 – Film Style of Hidden Treasure
  2. Watch Hidden Treasure Director’s Commentary on DVD 1 (select Commentary at bottom of screen on DVD menu)
  3. Look up “Frank Capra” on the internet at wikipedia.com
  4. Read the questions in Cinematic Theology, Lesson A in the TG (p.98-99). Choose one or more questions and write a brief essay (or essays). Or discuss the questions with a parent or student group.
  5. GOING FURTHER: Rent a Frank Capra film and watch it. Recommendations are Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), It Happened One Night (1934), and It’s a Wonderful Life (1946).

SAMARITAN

  1. Class 1 – Understanding Samaritan
  2. Watch film Samaritan on DVD 1 – 13 minutes
  3. Read the SB Lesson 3
  4. GOING FURTHER: Use a Bible concordance to look up all the references to Samaritans in the Bible, as well as a Bible dictionary or Bible encyclopedia to research the situation with Samaritans in the Old and New Testaments.
  1. Class 2 – Living Samaritan
  2. Re-read Luke 10:25-37
  3. Watch the Samaritan Application Video on DVD 1 – 10 minutes
  4. Read the questions in TG Lesson 4 under Step 3. Choose one or more and answer them in writing or, if you have multiple students or a parent with you, discuss the answers to the questions.
  5. Read the additional Biblical verses for reflection. Why were these verses included?
  6. GOING FURTHER: Read Lesson 4 in the SB and review what the speaker said. Select some statements that you either strongly agree with or perhaps disagree with. Write them down, then explain why you agree or disagree with them, supporting your views with references from the Bible.
  1. Class 3 – Film Style of Samaritan
  2. Watch Samaritan Director’s Commentary on DVD 1 (select Commentary at bottom of screen on DVD menu)
  3. Look up “Ingmar Bergman” on the internet at A essay on Ingmar Bergman can also be found on the Senses of Cinema website at (select great directors critical database). [Note that Ingmar Bergman rejected his Lutheran faith at age 8, and was an outspoken agnostic through his films for his entire life. He can sometimes deal with subjects very explicitly, and although this honesty is forthrightness makes his films powerful, some of the subject matter is not appropriate for teenagers. Please be very sensitive if you desire to explore Bergman’s films.]
  4. Read the questions in Cinematic Theology, Lesson B in the TG. Choose one or more questions and write a brief essay (or essays). Or discuss the questions with a parent or student group.
  5. GOING FURTHER:
  6. Research “existentialism” to understand how this 20th-century philosophy is expressed in Bergman’s films.
  7. [NOT FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS] Consider renting an Ingmar Bergman film and watching it. Some of Bergman’s more accessible films are Wild Strawberries (1957), The Seventh Seal (1957), and Winter Light (1962). Be warned that these are the films of an outspoken agnostic who vehemently struggled against God, and the subject matter reflects it. We recommend that if they are watched, they be done so with an adult or with adult supervision of the material.

THE SHREWD MANAGER

  1. Class 1 – Understanding The Shrewd Manager
  2. Watch film The Shrewd Manager on DVD 2 – 17 minutes.
  3. Read the SB Lesson 5.
  4. GOING FURTHER: Read the additional verses for reflection in SB Lesson 6. Choose a particular passage that you think explains an important aspect of using wealth for the Kingdom, and explain why.
  1. Class 2 – Living The Shrewd Manager
  2. Re-read Luke 16:1-13.
  3. Watch The Shrewd Manager Application Video on DVD 2 – 8 minutes.
  4. Read the questions in TG Lesson 6 under Step 3. Choose one or more and answer them in writing or, if you have multiple students or a parent with you, discuss the answers to the questions.
  5. GOING FURTHER: Read Lesson 6 in the SB and review what the speaker said. Select some statements that you either strongly agree with or perhaps disagree with. Write them down, then explain why you agree or disagree with them, supporting your views with references from the Bible.
  1. Class 3 – Film Style of The Shrewd Manager
  2. Watch The Shrewd Manager Director’s Commentary on DVD 2 (select Commentary at bottom of screen on DVD menu)
  3. Look up “Woody Allen” on the internet at An essay on Woody Allen can be found at the Senses of Cinema website (select great directors critical database). [Note that Woody Allen has been called a comedic Bergman (Ingmar Bergnam was, in fact, one of his favorite directors). Woody Allen is well known for being both Jewish and agnostic. Like Bergman, he explores an existentialist philosophy (albeit humorous) in many of his films. Woody Allen’s films are almost all comedies, and they all include adult situations, language, and subject matter. Please be very sensitive if you desire to explore Woody Allen’s films.
  4. Read the questions in Cinematic Theology, Lesson C in the TG. Choose one or more questions and write a brief essay (or essays). Or discuss the questions with a parent or student group.
  5. GOING FURTHER:
  6. Research “existentialism” to understand how this 20th-century philosophy is expressed in Bergman’s films.
  7. [NOT FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS] Consider renting a Woody Allen film and watching it. Some of Woody Allen’s more popular, lighter films are The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985, PG) and Radio Days (1987, PG). Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989, PG-13) is a darker comedy, but perhaps one of his best films in terms of understanding his style, worldview and methods. Be warned that these are the films of an agnostic whose humor is often laced with sexuality. We recommend that if they are watched, they be done with an adult or with adult supervision of the material.

THE WIDOW & JUDGE

  1. Class 1 – Understanding The Widow & Judge
  2. Watch film The Shrewd Manager on DVD 2 – 17 minutes.
  3. Read the SB Lesson 7.
  4. GOING FURTHER: Read the additional verses for reflection in SB Lesson 7. Choose a particular passage that you think explains an important aspect of being persistent in prayer, and explain why.
  1. Class 2 – Living The Widow & Judge
  2. Re-read Luke 18:1-8.
  3. Watch The Widow & Judge Application Video on DVD 2 – 12 minutes.
  4. Read the questions in TG Lesson 8 under Step 3. Choose one or more and answer them in writing or, if you have multiple students or a parent with you, discuss the answers to the questions.
  5. GOING FURTHER: Read Lesson 8 in the SB and review what the speaker said. Select some statements that you either strongly agree with or perhaps disagree with. Write them down, then explain why you agree or disagree with them, supporting your views with references from the Bible.
  1. Class 3 – Film Style of The Widow & Judge
  2. Watch The Widow & Judge Director’s Commentary on DVD 2 (select Commentary at bottom of screen on DVD menu)
  3. Read the questions in Cinematic Theology, Lesson D in the TG. Choose one or more questions and write a brief essay (or essays). Or discuss the questions with a parent or student group.
  4. An excellent site that explores To Kill a Mockingbird from a cinematic/literary perspective is at
  5. GOING FURTHER:
  6. Watch the film To Kill a Mockingbird starring Gregory Peck and directed by Robert Mulligan.
  7. Read Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

THE SOWER

  1. Class 1 – Understanding The Sower
  2. Watch film The Sower on DVD 3 – 13 minutes.
  3. Read the SB Lesson 9.
  4. GOING FURTHER: Read the additional verses for reflection in SB Lesson 10. Choose a particular passage that you think explains an important aspect of how the Kingdom grows, and explain why.
  1. Class 2 – Living The Sower
  2. Re-read Matthew 13:1-23.
  3. Watch The Sower Application Video on DVD 3 – 10 minutes.
  4. Read the questions in TG Lesson 10 under Step 3. Choose one or more and answer them in writing or, if you have multiple students or a parent with you, discuss the answers to the questions.
  5. GOING FURTHER: Read Lesson 10 in the SB and review what the speaker said. Select some statements that you either strongly agree with or perhaps disagree with. Write them down, then explain why you agree or disagree with them, supporting your views with references from the Bible.
  1. Class 3 – Film Style of The Sower
  2. Watch The Sower Director’s Commentary on DVD 3 (select Commentary at bottom of screen on DVD menu)
  3. Read the questions in Cinematic Theology, Lesson E in the TG. Choose one or more questions and write a brief essay (or essays). Or discuss the questions with a parent or student group.
  4. GOING FURTHER:
  5. Watch Robert Flaherty’s Nanook of the North (1922) and Dziga Vertov’s Man with a Movie Camera (1929), two silent film documentaries that show different documentary film styles. Some other good documentaries include Kon-Tiki (1951), The Civil War (1990)and The War (2007)by Ken Burns, and Hoop Dreams (1994).
  6. Read Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

PRODIGAL SONS

  1. Class 1 – Understanding Prodigal Sons
  2. Watch film Prodigal Sons on DVD 3 – 21 minutes.
  3. Read the SB Lesson 11.
  4. GOING FURTHER: Read the additional verses for reflection in SB Lesson 10. Choose a particular passage that you think explains the different issues facing sinners and the self-righteous in light of their relationship to God.
  1. Class 2 – Living Prodigal Sons
  2. Re-read Luke 15:11-32.
  3. Watch Prodigal Sons Application Video on DVD 3 – 14 minutes.
  4. Read the questions in TG Lesson 12 under Step 3. Choose one or more and answer them in writing or, if you have multiple students or a parent with you, discuss the answers to the questions.
  5. GOING FURTHER: Read Lesson 12 in the SB and review what the speaker said. Select some statements that you either strongly agree with or perhaps disagree with. Write them down, then explain why you agree or disagree with them, supporting your views with references from the Bible.
  1. Class 3 – Film Style of Prodigal Sons
  2. Watch Prodigal Sons Director’s Commentary on DVD 3 (select Commentary at bottom of screen on DVD menu)
  3. Read the questions in Cinematic Theology, Lesson F in the TG. Choose one or more questions and write a brief essay (or essays). Or discuss the questions with a parent or student group.
  4. Look up “Orson Welles” in wikipedia.com.
  5. GOING FURTHER:
  6. Watch Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane (1941). Look up “Citizen Kane” in wikipedia.com. A few of Welles’ other films are The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), The Lady from Shanghai (1947), Mr. Arkadin (1955), and Touch of Evil (1958).

Possible Writing Assignments

  1. Personal Application - Choose your favorite parable film from the series. Explain why you like it and how it has made you re-examine your own actions in light of Jesus’ teaching.
  2. Creative Writing - Choose a parable from the Bible and use it to write a modern day story that accurately re-contextualizes that parable. If you want to go further, you can write it into a screenplay. Search online for more information on proper screenplay form.

 2008 Compass Cinema. All rights reserved. This document is part of the Modern Parables curriculum series and was meant to be used with that set.