The Rocketeer
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Over 20 years ago the film 'The Rocketeer' was launched by Dave Stevens. Many of our children will not have even heard of this film but here it is, a remake in honour of the original for them to enjoy and be inspired by!
The film is set during WW2 and features a young boy who dreams of flying. One day the peace of this small farming community is shattered by a police chase. A tragedy is on the cards but luckily 'The Rocketeer' was on hand to save the day! |
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Teaching Ideas
- Children can write a newspaper report of the events in the film.
- Write a narrative in the 1st person from different points of view, the robbers, the police, the young boy, his parents.
- Design an enemy for The Rocketeer to defeat, write a wanted poster for the bad guy.
- Write their own adventures of The Rocketeer.
- Write a letter from the small boy or his parents thanking The Rocketeer.
- Write The Rocketeer's back story, how did he become a hero? Why does he risk his own life? Why does he fight crime rather than get rich with his powers? Use drama techniques to draw these ideas from the children.
Don't Go
The family cat is enjoying a relaxing morning at home, snoozing on the sofa, tucking into his dinner - when his peace is shattered by an unusual visitor. Will cat ever catch him?
You could do lots with language, antonyms to describe the two characters, adverbs to describe the action.
Create a world for the pink character.
Devise a set of instructions on how to avoid being caught by a cat.
Write a recount from the cats point of view.
Write the narrative from both points of view.
You could do lots with language, antonyms to describe the two characters, adverbs to describe the action.
Create a world for the pink character.
Devise a set of instructions on how to avoid being caught by a cat.
Write a recount from the cats point of view.
Write the narrative from both points of view.
Thanks to The Shed's Facebook friends for the writing ideas, Sally Hague, Rebecca Hoy and Nicola Fitzpatrick.
Shadow of blue - a touching animation
Shadow of Blue is a beautiful animation that mixes together models and real life to create a stunning visual effect.
I would not do this as 1 lesson but this is how I would watch the film over a period of 2-4 lessons
There are many question and discussion points in the film. Pause at 2m48s and ask:
· Who is this girl?
· Why is she sat all alone in the park/woods?
· What do we think she is like?
· Why does she seem so thoughtful? Sad?
Pause at 3:06 and ask what they think has just happened? Can they predict what will happen next?
At 03:36 ask what is happening? Do they think the shadow has the same personality as the little girl? Why?
Pause at 05:21 – discuss use of music – children could write rich descriptions of the scene and make predictions about what they think will happen next. What is through the gate?
Pause at 5:40 discuss use of music for tension – can children replicate this in writing using long descriptive sentences punctuated by small snappy ones?
Watch the next section where the little girl is getting watched by the crow. The children could write about this but remember show not tell. Describe something watching her – shiny little eye watching her and a coat that shimmered in the cracks of light – keep the reader guessing don’t just say – A crow was watching her.
Discuss range of emotions 7:42 – 08:46, possibly create an emotions graph and write inside/outside sentences to show what she is feeling when she scares off the crow with the branches.
Pause at 08:45 who is this lady watching? What can we tell from her dress? Her expression? What is she doing? What might happen next?
Pause at 9:30 why is she carrying her like that? Any ideas who this lady is yet?
Pause again at 09:34 – DISCUSS! There will be a large discussion to have here about the little girl. Why was she so imaginative? Why did her shadow have to have the adventures etc?
What does the blue butterfly do at the end? I like to think that it is spreading her lust for life around the hospital/orphanage and then around the town.
The end – Pause – and............................ WOW!
What to do next:
WRITE
Write the narrative of the story in own words, maybe 1st person for the little girl and 3rd person for the shadow or more interestingly the other way round.
Write dialogue between the girl and her shadow.
Perhaps the little girl writes an imaginary diary each night about her shadow adventures, write this one and other adventures that the mischievous shadow has.
Please leave comments if you enjoyed this and have any activities to add.
I would not do this as 1 lesson but this is how I would watch the film over a period of 2-4 lessons
There are many question and discussion points in the film. Pause at 2m48s and ask:
· Who is this girl?
· Why is she sat all alone in the park/woods?
· What do we think she is like?
· Why does she seem so thoughtful? Sad?
Pause at 3:06 and ask what they think has just happened? Can they predict what will happen next?
At 03:36 ask what is happening? Do they think the shadow has the same personality as the little girl? Why?
Pause at 05:21 – discuss use of music – children could write rich descriptions of the scene and make predictions about what they think will happen next. What is through the gate?
Pause at 5:40 discuss use of music for tension – can children replicate this in writing using long descriptive sentences punctuated by small snappy ones?
Watch the next section where the little girl is getting watched by the crow. The children could write about this but remember show not tell. Describe something watching her – shiny little eye watching her and a coat that shimmered in the cracks of light – keep the reader guessing don’t just say – A crow was watching her.
Discuss range of emotions 7:42 – 08:46, possibly create an emotions graph and write inside/outside sentences to show what she is feeling when she scares off the crow with the branches.
Pause at 08:45 who is this lady watching? What can we tell from her dress? Her expression? What is she doing? What might happen next?
Pause at 9:30 why is she carrying her like that? Any ideas who this lady is yet?
Pause again at 09:34 – DISCUSS! There will be a large discussion to have here about the little girl. Why was she so imaginative? Why did her shadow have to have the adventures etc?
What does the blue butterfly do at the end? I like to think that it is spreading her lust for life around the hospital/orphanage and then around the town.
The end – Pause – and............................ WOW!
What to do next:
WRITE
Write the narrative of the story in own words, maybe 1st person for the little girl and 3rd person for the shadow or more interestingly the other way round.
Write dialogue between the girl and her shadow.
Perhaps the little girl writes an imaginary diary each night about her shadow adventures, write this one and other adventures that the mischievous shadow has.
Please leave comments if you enjoyed this and have any activities to add.
The Girl in the War
Discussion Points (I wouldn't share the film's title before watching.)
Pause at 19 seconds, ask the children what they think the film is about. Any clues? 'Mourning Dove' picture is a big clue. If using the film to teach 'flashbacks' then tell the children that they are about to see one. Photographs are a great way to trigger a flashback.
Pause again at 43 seconds - Ask the children to think of as many reasons as they can why she is leaving. Where is she going? Is there any evidence? Does she want to go? Does he want her to go?
Stop at 49 seconds - This is where some writing could take place. Newspaper report, soldiers journal, diary, letter home before it happened. etc.
After 1min 07 secs - Hot seating Who called? What did they say? How did you feel? What did you decide to do next? How did you pay to get there? etc
At 1m23s Describe her lying there - use similes/metaphors.
At 1m37s How is he feeling? Create an inside/outside chart. How is he feeling on the inside of an outline drawing. What he looks like/actions on the outside. Are these things the same or is he trying to put a brave face on it?
Writing Opportunities
Link to The Piano by Aidan Gibbons
Pause at 19 seconds, ask the children what they think the film is about. Any clues? 'Mourning Dove' picture is a big clue. If using the film to teach 'flashbacks' then tell the children that they are about to see one. Photographs are a great way to trigger a flashback.
Pause again at 43 seconds - Ask the children to think of as many reasons as they can why she is leaving. Where is she going? Is there any evidence? Does she want to go? Does he want her to go?
Stop at 49 seconds - This is where some writing could take place. Newspaper report, soldiers journal, diary, letter home before it happened. etc.
After 1min 07 secs - Hot seating Who called? What did they say? How did you feel? What did you decide to do next? How did you pay to get there? etc
At 1m23s Describe her lying there - use similes/metaphors.
At 1m37s How is he feeling? Create an inside/outside chart. How is he feeling on the inside of an outline drawing. What he looks like/actions on the outside. Are these things the same or is he trying to put a brave face on it?
Writing Opportunities
- Writing from 'Man's' viewpoint - using flashbacks to tell the story.
- Write letters between the two characters, possible cliffhanger,
- Write dialogue for the phonecall or the phonecall between the two.
- Write from point of view of a soldier on patrol with the female, giving a recount of events in the 1st person.
- Newspaper report of the event.
- Obituary for the soldier.
- Write a happy ending....
Link to The Piano by Aidan Gibbons
Geri's Game - Pixar animated short
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An autumn day in a deserted park, an elderly man named Geri plays a game of chess against himself. Geri plonks down the chess board and dumps the pieces out of a wooden cigar box. He puts the empty box down and on the box it says, "Pt. Richmond Hand Made Pixar Shorts". (Point Richmond is the city where Pixar Animation Studios was housed at that time.)
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Geri plays the game with himself, starting out as the "white" player who wears glasses. He then moves to the other side of the table as the "black" opponent who wears no glasses. The scenes go between moves that it looks as though there are two players. The "white" Geri is caught in a bind with his king piece and outsmarts "black" Geri by feigning a heart attack and turning the board around. The "black" Geri realises he has lost the game and hands over a set of false teeth as the prize. "White" Geri puts them in his mouth and grins real big as the shot zooms out, again showing us that there is only one Geri.
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Teaching Ideas
- Write a description of Geri, can we change the description slightly to make it seem like there are 2 different players?
- Write a dialogue between the 'two' chess players.
- Write an internal monologue,
- Write description of the opening scene
- Experiment with 3rd and 1st person narrative. One of the players could be described by 3rd person narrative whilst the 2nd player uses 1st person narrative.
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The Happy Duckling
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The happy duckling is a story about a boy who befriends a boy. The boy tries to lose the duck, however it follows him everywhere. The duck saves the boy's life when he nearly drowns.
Why is the boy so keen to get rid of the duck? He is being kind - his mum owns a restaurant called 'The Happy Duckling' (the title of the film is about the restaurant and not the duck as viewers probably first think.)
£4.99 for a roast duck - the boy doesn't want the duck to end up in the pot! But Oh No! The duck tracks him down - will he be for the pot?
There is a surprising twist right at the end!
A lovely animation told through moving 'pop-up' books with a fun and chirpy soundtrack.
Some ideas below but please leave a comment if you can think of anymore!
Why is the boy so keen to get rid of the duck? He is being kind - his mum owns a restaurant called 'The Happy Duckling' (the title of the film is about the restaurant and not the duck as viewers probably first think.)
£4.99 for a roast duck - the boy doesn't want the duck to end up in the pot! But Oh No! The duck tracks him down - will he be for the pot?
There is a surprising twist right at the end!
A lovely animation told through moving 'pop-up' books with a fun and chirpy soundtrack.
Some ideas below but please leave a comment if you can think of anymore!
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Writing Ideas
Children could make predictions about what they think will happen next at various points in the story. Write their own stories about the boy saving the ducks from the restaurant - link this to Aardman's 'Chicken Run' How many ways can he help the ducks escape? Making fabulous inventions and hatching plots in order for this to happen. Write a recount of the day from ducks point of view/boys point of view. Children can create their own pop up book stories showing scenes from the film with dialogue in speech bubbles. |
Reading Ideas
Although there are no words in the film, 'reading' activities can take place especially the introduction of question types. Ask the children to come up with some AF2 questions for each other to answer e.g. where did the duck nearly drown? Ask the children to come up with AF3 questions to answer, Why does the boy not want the duck to follow him? You could also discuss questions of authorial intent - why did the author choose the soundtrack? Why is it written like a pop up book? etc |
The Book of Butterflies by Michael Leunig
You can use this in class a writing stimulus for a story about a book that came to life. Lots of description to start with describing the boring, grey room, before the book opens and the room is transformed by the butterflies.
This can be adapted by the children. Other animals could come out of the book - what would happen if lions and tigers came out of the book into the classroom? What would happen if fish came out? - have to scoop them up quickly and put them into a tank, etc.
The possibilities are endless.
This can be adapted by the children. Other animals could come out of the book - what would happen if lions and tigers came out of the book into the classroom? What would happen if fish came out? - have to scoop them up quickly and put them into a tank, etc.
The possibilities are endless.
