Later in the semester, I expect my students to define complex terms and ideas  in a language their readers can access and understand.  To help them develop their skills, I’ve created an activity where students extend their definitions with scenes from their favorite movies.  We call it Jay’s Movie Dictionary. They explain true love in “The Notebook.” They clarify the meaning of sacrifice  with the last scene from “The Titanic.”  Here is my discussion on the concept of cool.

When Steve McQueen arrived on the Hollywood scene, he didn’t really have the skills, the know-how, or the connections that could really set him apart from thousands of other aspiring, good-looking actors.  People didn’t even like him.  They thought he was a punk.  The man had no literary or artistic background, but what he had was the burning desire to defy anyone and everyone who tried to bring him down.  That’s what you see in every movie.