For History teachers - list of movies that work for pupils aged 11-13

This is interesting.

I take it the idea is that you first capture their interest and then get the kids to work finding out what really happened?

How about Henry V? Both the 1944 and 1989 versions are great, although oddly enough, they both include the arrow storm that actually happened but wasn't mentioned in the play. And the Agincourt speech which really boiled down to Henry looking at the French and then turning to his own men and saying, "felas, let's go."

Sounds like your pupils will have fun.

I would love to show Downfall to any class, but with the junior high age group I would be extremely wary because of the high prevalence of violence and and sexuality. The version I watched had not only extremely graphic violence, but a great deal of full nudity, and even an out-and-out orgy scene. You could perhaps make a case for the History Chanel Documentary "The Third Reich." It would be a permission slip one because of some of the disturbing footage, but it's about on par with something you might watch at the museum of tolerance for appropriateness of content for younger viewers. The Last of the Mohicans is rated R for violence, but one could probably get away with it.

Some more family friendly films are:
The Young Victoria
Jefferson in Paris (The "Sally Hemmings" TV miniseries might be an ok one for kids despite inaccuracies)
True Women (a great one about the foundation of Texas from the female perspective which also delves extensively into Native American issues).
Into the West wasn't bad either