D. W. Griffith

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/d-w-griffith

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was D. W. Griffith born?July 22, 1875
2. Where was D. W. Griffith born?Oldham County, Kentucky, USA
3. When did D. W. Griffith die?July 23, 1948 (age 73)
4. Who was D. W. Griffith?D. W. Griffith was a filmmaker born in 1875 who helped turn movies into stories. He started his career in traveling theater groups before becoming a director.
5. What new movie tricks did he invent?He used close‑ups to show a character’s feelings, cut scenes from different places at the same time, and added special shots like iris and dissolves to create mood.

Cinematic Language: The system of visual and auditory elements filmmakers use to convey meaning and emotion to an audience.
Narrative Structure: The way a story is organized and told, including plot, pacing, and character development.
Ideology: A set of beliefs and ideas, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory.