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To turn up the H.E.A.T. and incorporate Higher-order thinking, Engagement, Authenticity, and Technology into our lesson plans at Westwood, I show Film Clips for Character in my guidance lessons.
These short, fully-licensed scenes from major motion pictures serve as excellent fuel for the fire. Not only does each clip engage students in an authentic medium, but they come with enrichment activity ideas to get students thinking and reflecting on what they hear, see, and experience.
The two-minute clip from the movie Babe, for example, features an orphaned piglet in the midst of his sheep-herding training. His trainers? A pair of sheep dogs. Their advice? To do what they would do to get the job done: Be ruthless, bite them if you have to, do whatever it takes. Why? Because they’re inferior.
Since this sort of aggressive behavior is not in his nature, Babe fails in his attempt to herd the sheep in the way of the sheep dogs. Once Babe realizes that fear isn’t going to help him earn respect as a leader, a wise older sheep tells Babe that “all a nice lad like you need do is ask,” and he uses kind words to get what he needs.
Teachers can use the clips as morning meeting discussion starters or daily journal writing prompts. Pose this question before showing the clip, “How can a leader gain respect?” Then show the clip and ask it again. Find out if students would rather be led by the sheep dogs or by Babe and why. Brainstorm qualities that effective leaders need, then have them self-reflect: What makes me a good leader?
There is great potential for cross-curricular integration using Film Clips. If the librarian shows the clip, students can take a scavenger hunt to find books with a similar theme. If your technologist uses the clip, students can blog about it. Science teachers can weave the clip into a farm unit or a live animals study. Want an interesting twist? Use the clips first without the sound so students can watch the body language and facial expressions of the characters. Have them guess their thoughts and feelings. Or listen to them first without the projection so that students just hear the audio and have to visualize what is happening. You’ll be amazed at what happens when you turn up the H.E.A.T!
Barbara Gruener is a school counselor at Westwood Elementary in Friendswood, TX, a winner of the 2009 CEP National School of Character Award.
For more information on Westwood’s program, visit its website.
Comments
I am also using Film Clips in a fifty minute academic enrichment class five day a week. The students’ feedback and upper level thinking skills as eleven and twelve year olds are remarkable. The video of the students working in class on the web page speaks for itself as far as the enthusiasm and excitement these clips bring into the classroom. The only negative comment I heard from any student was the class was never long enough to finish our discussions. That is the kind of complaint I love to have from a classroom full of students!
This is proof that Film Clips not only works in the lower level grades in an elementary environment but works as well if not better in the middle school environment where the students are trying to discover who they are,
I totally agree that this material can be used in any class to introduce new concepts, set the tone of a novel to be read, or bring to life how it felt for the survivors of he Holocaust in our Social Studies classes. These materials cross the curriculum easily and are very well outlined to ensure success for even the first year teacher.
I just purchased the 8 episodes of Film Clips for Character Education. As I am cataloging them please tell me the year they were published. Thank you!
Sister Maureen Crosby: Thank you for your comment. The Film Clips product was produced in 2009. The year of each movie featured is listed in the accompanying booklet. If you have any other questions about the product, please feel free to contact our customer service staff at 800-711-2670.
Best regards,
CHARACTER COUNTS! National Office