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The Boy Who Learned to Fly
https://www.literacyshed.com/usain
 
Pause the film at 25 seconds. (When we first see the dog)

• What type of film is this? 2b
• If we were writing this what text type would it be? 2b
• What can we tell about where Usain lived? 2b

 
Pause the film at 1m 04s (Title Screen)

• Why do you think the title of the animation is ‘The boy who learned to fly?’ 2g
• What do we know about Usain from this short introduction? 2c
• What do you think the ‘teacher’ in purple is thinking? How do you know? 2d
• What do you think will happen in the rest of the film? 2e
• Why does the director show Usain running to school, running past the man on the football pitch and zooming past the ‘teacher’ on the way into school? 2f

 
Pause the film at 1m35s (when Usain sits on the steps)

• Using evidence from the whole film describe young Usain’s personality. 2b, 2e, 2f
• What do you think he is thinking to himself when he realizes he has forgotten his lunch? 2d
• How does he feel when he sees his classmates eating and smells the teacher’s lunch? 2d

 
Pause the film at 2m 03s (as they take their marks)

• Does the teacher/coach really not want his lunch? 2d
• Why does he say he doesn’t want it? 2d
• How does Usain feel about this race? 2d
• How does the director show that Usain is less likely to win? 2d, 2h
• If we were going to describe the two athletes in writing how could we show the differences? 2d, 2h

 
At 2m 38s When Usain runs pause the film.

• Ask what advice would you give to a young Usain? 2b, 2d.
• What do you think Usain is thinking when he says, ‘hmmm.’ 2d
• What do you think will happen next in the film? Ask for more detail than – he trains hard and wins the Olympics. 2e

 
Pause the film on the newspaper headline. Jamaica’s Hopes Rest On Bolt.

• How does the director show the passing of time? 2g
• What do you think the headline is referring to? 2d, 2e
• How do you think Usain feels after reading the headline? 2d

 
Pause the film after 2 seconds 3m 13s

• How does Usain feel about the headline? 2d
• Is this what we predicted?
• How does the director show this? 2b, 2c

 
Pause the film at 3m 40s

• How has the film changed? (sounds, colours) 2b 2g
• How does this help the audience understand what Usain is thinking? 2b, 2d, 2g,
• How is Usain feeling in this scene? 2d
• Who is in the doorway?  What do you think she will say/do? 2e

 
Watch the film until the end.

• Why doesn’t Usain want to go outside? 2b, 2c, 2e
• What do worries do?  Is this good advice? 2b
• How do you think Usain is feeling as he hears the applause in the stadium? 2d
• How does he feel as he runs? 2d
• What do you think he is thinking when he sees his mum? 2d
• What metaphor does the director use for running? 2f, 2g
• Do you think comparing running with flying is effective? Why? 2g