Teaching Tools

Collected from around the world, this compilation of short films explores such topics as the cultural traditions of African American beauty salons, personal exploration of identity, challenging family dynamics, and finding ways to connect to the natural world around us. It features narrative, documentary, and animated films using traditional hand-drawn stop-motion and CG techniques to bring their characters to life.

Teaching this film provides an opportunity to explore a wide range of topics that face young people today. The socioemotional elements of the film address many different rites of passage that people can experience, from anatomical change to emotional wellness. This film provides an opportunity to discuss many questions that often are unsaid and can be challenging for many. Using the guide with the film can help adults and older role models guide the discussions many young people want to have, but are unsure how to approach.

Taught in conjunction with this guide, the films American Justice on Trial and For Love and Legacy will encourage students to learn more about Civic Engagement, Social Justice, Chinese culture and STEAM, while also developing their social emotional skills.

This documentary is a powerful and inspirational story about education, science, and the next generation that follows a diverse group of middle school students who compete in a nationwide competition to code satellites aboard the International Space Station. Seen through the wondrous eyes of three young innovators and their first-time coach, they each embark on an intimate and personal journey to the final frontier as their team grows from amateur coders to represent California in the ISS Finals Tournament — the culmination of a summer-long adventure that sees their incredible accomplishment performed by astronauts in orbit.