Eye of the Storm
The video of "Eye of the Storm" tells the story of an anonymous airship pilot, whom we see in a very dark, simplified form deciding in his melancholy to steer his airship into a massive (and possible ether-driven) storm. Throughout the video we see him preparing his craft, setting it on "autopilot", and saying goodbye to his one companion- a dragon.
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Teaching Ideas
Give the children a list of questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? These questions could spark a whole unit of work. I am sure your children will come up with a range of different ideas. |
Is the man the 'dragon master?'
Why does the dragon have to be kept locked up?
Where is the ship going? What will happen as the ship goes into the storm at the end?
Writing opportunities
Write a description of the scene.
Write the dialogue between the pilot and his dragon.
Write a letter to his family saying goodbye and explaining his plans.
Write the ending to the narrative. What happens as he goes through the storm. What is on the other side?
Why does the dragon have to be kept locked up?
Where is the ship going? What will happen as the ship goes into the storm at the end?
Writing opportunities
Write a description of the scene.
Write the dialogue between the pilot and his dragon.
Write a letter to his family saying goodbye and explaining his plans.
Write the ending to the narrative. What happens as he goes through the storm. What is on the other side?
Dreamgiver
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Silently a group of orphans sleep in an orphanage.
Quielty, the window shutters open and in crawls a mysterious creature.
He doesn't look to friendly at first, but we soon see what his plan is.
Quielty, the window shutters open and in crawls a mysterious creature.
He doesn't look to friendly at first, but we soon see what his plan is.
This is the Dreamgiver and by cracking his dream eggs he makes sure the childrens' nights are pleasurable. He creates the dreams by cracking the eggs onto stories, posters and ballet shoes. But what will happen if an egg is accidentally spilt on something not so nice? Well that is what happens.....
A dream egg is knocked off the bed and onto a 'shadow serpent,' this is surely going to turn into a nightmare for one of the unlucky children.
Teaching Ideas
I showed some pictures of the Dreamgiver. I asked the children to describe them. Who do they think he is? What does he do? What are his character traits look like?
In one lesson the children brought in objects and found images that they would like the Dreamgiver to crack his egg onto, then they described the dreams that happened afterwards.
Some of my class this week experimented with 1st and 3rd person. They were retelling the story - they told the story in 3rd person but when the action switches into the boys dream about the shadown serpent then they continued in 1st person until the boy woke up.
The children could make up their own Dreamgiver, what does he look like? How does he give the dreams to people?
Compare with The BFG or The Sandman.
A dream egg is knocked off the bed and onto a 'shadow serpent,' this is surely going to turn into a nightmare for one of the unlucky children.
Teaching Ideas
I showed some pictures of the Dreamgiver. I asked the children to describe them. Who do they think he is? What does he do? What are his character traits look like?
In one lesson the children brought in objects and found images that they would like the Dreamgiver to crack his egg onto, then they described the dreams that happened afterwards.
Some of my class this week experimented with 1st and 3rd person. They were retelling the story - they told the story in 3rd person but when the action switches into the boys dream about the shadown serpent then they continued in 1st person until the boy woke up.
The children could make up their own Dreamgiver, what does he look like? How does he give the dreams to people?
Compare with The BFG or The Sandman.
Click here to see some Y5 work based on Dreamgiver
Forever Young - The Gate of Truth
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A man in the twilight of life travels to the 'Gate of Youth' He pays his money and passes through. To his dismay, the
gate is faulty and he doesn't become younger. Angrily he kicks the gate, moments later he regains his youth. But by kicking out in ire he damages the gate which falls on him. He becomes a new born baby again. There is a moral to the story. Can your children tell us what the moral is? |
Teaching Ideas
Children can draw their own versions of the gate and label it's components. In drama sessions children could act going through the 'Gate of Youth,' they could also go through the 'Gate of Aging' and come through the other side as an elderly person. This could produce some comical effects with children moaning about their bad backs etc. Children to write the scenes leading up to going to the gate of youth. Why does he want to be young again? Could link to 'The Piano' animation. The man wants to relive his life again possibly with changes. Write a newspaper story about the disappearance of an old man and the discovery of a new born baby. Write a diary entry from the man's point of view leading up to when he goes through the gate. |
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Teaching Ideas
Most writing for this animation would revolve around description; of the ship and of the phoenix. Write descriptive sentences/paragraphs about each of these. Discuss the events of the story: Why is he hunting the phoenix? Why does the phoenix save the man even though he shot him down? What happens at the end? What do you think would happen next? etc. Other writing opportunities:
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Evol (KS2 +)
The film centres around a man looking for an elusive phoenix feather to complete his collection, but after an unfortunate encounter finds himself in need of help. Even after the utmost sacrifice of the phoenix, the man's lust for greed triggers the phoenix's magnificent rebirth through his soul.
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Images to enhance fantasy narrative. (KS2)
I have added some of my favourite images. I like to ask the children to choose 4-5 images that they need to link together to create a story. Lots of opportunities for oral storytelling as they link together the images. The children can stick their images to a story map/mountain in order to add key words and phrases before writing.
Once in a Lifetime KS1 KS2
Set in a fantasy world very much like Adrift. A man is sailing in his boat, through the air! He hears a noise and suddenly gliding into view are some giant, flying turtles.
A very short animation that can be used to extract some amazing descriptions from the children.
- Collect verbs and adverbs to do with floating and sailing gracefully.
- The children could write an ending to the story, where do these turtles take him?
-Choose a different animal to come floating by, use show not tell to describe the animal rather than just saying what it is.
A very short animation that can be used to extract some amazing descriptions from the children.
- Collect verbs and adverbs to do with floating and sailing gracefully.
- The children could write an ending to the story, where do these turtles take him?
-Choose a different animal to come floating by, use show not tell to describe the animal rather than just saying what it is.
Adrift KS2
The film can be paused at various points to discuss what is going on. As there is no dialogue used teachers and pupils can refer to body language etc. A way to introduce inference and deduction.
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Writing Ideas
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Adventures are the pits! KS2 KS3
A reluctant boy gets more than he asked for in a ball pit. Will he conquer his fears to escape the adventure he finds himself in?
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A funny and surprising animation that would be great to use in literacy lessons.
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Children can discuss the 'lesson' behind the story.
Pause the film in various places and ask key questions:-
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Writing Ideas
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Something Fishy KS1 KS2
There are a few videos on here now where an everyday object triggers a fantasy story.
This is an effective way to introduce the fantasy genre to LKS2 and links well with the 'Stories in imaginary worlds' unit.
This is an effective way to introduce the fantasy genre to LKS2 and links well with the 'Stories in imaginary worlds' unit.
When writing a fantasy narrative with a real world trigger I try to encourage 3 distinct sections for the opening of the story. The real word setting and finding the trigger, the journey to the fantasy land, (no matter how brief) and then arriving in the fantasy world.
In this case the trigger is the washing machine, the journey is very short - basically putting head in machine and then swimming the short distance into the underwater world.
Try writing other stories using everyday objects as triggers.
Perhaps children can find a trigger in the classroom or playground.
The journey to the fantasy land may be very quick or may take a while; it may be pleasant or unpleasant - there are lots of examples in Harry Potter some of them seem very unpleasant.
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Other animations that have similar themes [click the title to view.]
Adventures are the pits Bubbles Adrift The Mysteries of Harris Burdick |
Bubbles by Gabriela Zapata (KS1) (LKS2)
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When it all seems blue, happiness may be close by… if you just look closely at your surroundings perhaps you will find it!
Gabby is walking on the beach and finds a bottle of bubbles - when she blows it she gets transported into fantasy. She has fun riding on bubbles and meets people and things on her way. Personally I would use this film with KS1 and Lower KS2 for fantasy writing using a found object. If you could take in a large conch shell into class to use a stimulus for writing. Link with Alice through the looking glass or the portkey in Harry Potter |
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The Arctic Circle KS2
The Arctic Circle animation. In a desolate landscape one man's survival depends on the single fruit tree by his abode. One day a strange box arrives and gives him a special power. Will he be able to control his urge to keep the box from his neighbour?
Literacy Ideas Discuss the narrative of the film, what is happening? Where is the man? Is he human, how can we tell? Why is he there on his own? Make predictions. There are many writing opportunities:
As with all of the animations this can be used to generate super sentences, varying sentence structure for effect.
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The Switch
The Switch - has many similar themes and many of the writing prompts would work just as well for this animation.
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