The Greatest Gift

It’s a Wonderful Life

WebQuest

Go to http://claytoncountylibrary.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/book-vs-
movie-the-greatest-gift-and-its-a-wonderful-life/ to answer the
following questions:
 Read the Book vs. Movie: The Greatest Gift and It’s a Wonderful
Life…
o What are the similarities represented in both the book and
the movie?
Both are about how an individual’s life is important.
o What do people say when comparing the book to the film?
The story is a little less descriptive than the movie.

Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Van_Doren_Stern to answer
the following questions:
 As an author, what genre was Philip Van Doren Stern best
known?
Short Story
 He wrote an anthology of Edgar Allan Poe’s work. What was that
anthology called?
Edgar Allan Poe, Visitor from the Night of Time.

http://www.cosmolearning.com/videos/its-a-wonderful-life-1946-1110/
Press the pause button on the video or turn off your volume while the
video plays.
Answer the following questions:
 When was the movie It’s a Wonderful Life made?
 When did it become a Christmas movie classic? Why?
 Where did the original story of It’s a Wonderful Life come?
 Why is this film titled, It’s a Wonderful Life?
 What other films have copied the plot of It’s a Wonderful Life?
 What is the story of It’s a Wonderful Life based on?
 How many Academy Award nominations did it get and in what
categories?
Go to http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/
 Play the Trailer then answer these questions:
 Would you go see this movie after watching the trailer? Why or
why not?
No, there is no action or comedy in it.
 Scroll to Director: and click onto Frank Capra to answer the
following questions:
o Where was Frank Capra born?
Dr. J. Smith, Facilitator ITU: SIMCHA JOY
Ms. J. Markley, Facilitator It’s A Wonderful Life
WebQuest
 Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy
o How many Oscars did he receive?
3
o Click on more in the Awards: category to answer the
following questions:
 How many Golden Globes did he receive?
1
 He has a Star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood.
What category and where is it located?
Motion Picture, and it’s located at 6614 Hollywood
Blvd.
 It’s a Wonderful Life won a Golden Globe Award in
what year?
1947
 Go back to Frank Capra main page and click on Mini Biography:
more
 What form of transportation did the Capra family
take from Sicily, Italy to United States?
They took a Ship across the Atlantic.
 What did Frank Capra do to pursue the American
Dream?
Stayed in School.
 He went to the Throop College of Technology. How
much was the annual tuition?
$250
 Why was Frank Capra given a cash award of $250?
For having the highest grades in the school.
 Frank Capra acted in a film prior to directing. What
was the film called?
“The Outcasts of Poker Flats”
 How many years did it take for Frank to become the
#1 director in Hollywood?
About 20
 Scroll through his biography to Trivia to answer
these questions…
• While he was raising his four children, where
did they live?
Fallbrook, CA.
• How did he get his first film assignment?
1919
• When did he Host the Academy Awards?
In the 1940’s.
• Frank Capra had a political side. What was he
a “staunch opponent” of?

Dr. J. Smith, Facilitator ITU: SIMCHA JOY

Ms. J. Markley, Facilitator It’s A Wonderful Life
WebQuest
 Abortion
• Some of his Personal Quotes to reflect/connect
on… Write two sentences or more on…how do
you think you can use this quote to motivate
you?
o “My advice to young filmmakers is this:
Don’t follow trends. Start them!”
This shows that it is not important to
follow trends but better to start them. It
shows that following trends doesn’t make
anything new.
o “A hunch is creativity trying to tell you
something.”
This means to believe in your self. To
follow all your hunches.
Go back to It’s a Wonderful Life main page
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/
 Click on the Clip at the top of the page and watch the clip to
answer the following questions:
 What does “lasso the moon and pull it down” mean?
 What does the man on the front porch say to George and Mary?
 Do people sit out on the front porch reading the paper much
anymore? Why or why not?
 Scroll to Cast to answer the following questions:
o James Stewart
 How many films did he act in playing himself?
 What film did he win his Best Actor Oscar in a
Leading Role?
o Donna Reed
 What did she star in when she won her Best Actress
in a Supporting Role Oscar?
 How many films did she do prior to starring in It’s a
Wonderful Life?
o Lionel Barrymore
 What was the name of the film he won an Oscar for
Best Actor in a Leading Role?
 He is the great uncle of what current actress?

 Once you have completed this WebQuest…write a reflection on

what you found most interesting about the book, film,
writer/director, actors, and story.

Dr. J. Smith, Facilitator ITU: SIMCHA JOY

Ms. J. Markley, Facilitator It’s A Wonderful Life
WebQuest