13th Documentary Worksheet

Students analyze an actual argument in Ava DuVernay's 2016 documentary 13TH by tracking one claim, recording evidence from the film and judging how well that evidence supports it. Page 1 opens with the text of Section 1 of the 13th Amendment (ratified December 6, 1865) from the National Archives, clearly labeled as outside context, and asks students to restate the ban and its exception in their own words.

Ten tasks follow across three student pages. Students name the selection they viewed, state one claim the film makes about race, criminalization or imprisonment, and record two evidence moments with the speaker or visual, a time or scene locator, a paraphrase and a link to the claim. They then compare which evidence is more useful, explain how one choice in images, sound, interviews or editing shapes the argument, and connect a film claim to the amendment's exception. The last page of student work plans a primary-source check and asks for a 3–4 sentence judgment, followed by a one-sentence revision.

A teacher guide on page 4 covers viewing preparation for this TV-MA title, response criteria for every task and a 6-point scoring scale for evidence accuracy, reasoning and limits. Because answers depend on the part of the film you assign, the guide describes what a strong response includes rather than listing fixed scene answers.

• High school and adult learners: history, government or media literacy classes
• Four pages: three student pages and a one-page teacher guide with sources
• Print choices: one color file and one black and white file of all four pages