Ever wonder where your passion, your dreams and your interests come from? What is it that makes you… YOU? In Soul, Pixar Animation Studios takes you on a journey from the streets of New York City to the cosmic realms to discover the answers to life’s most important questions. A screening of this film may complement a curriculum in African American Studies, Social Emotional Growth and Development, English Language Arts, Mindfulness Studies, and Performing Arts/Music Studies. Taught in conjunction with this guide, the film will encourage students to learn more about African American culture and Jazz, while also encouraging them to explore their own hopes and dreams and identify what makes them special.
Teaching Tools
Learning about Irish culture through ‘Wolfwalkers’
In a time of superstition and magic, a young apprentice hunter, Robyn Goodfellowe, journeys to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last wolf pack. While exploring the forbidden lands outside the city walls, Robyn befriends a free spirited girl, Mebh, a member of a mysterious tribe rumored to have the ability to transform into wolves by night. As they search for Mebh’s missing mother, Robyn uncovers a secret that draws her further into the enchanted world of the Wolfwalkers and risks turning into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy. A screening of this film may complement a curriculum in Social Studies, English Language Arts, History, Peer/Youth Issues or Irish Cultural Studies.
Learning about STEAM and Stagecraft with Lucasfilm
Industrial Light & Magic, industry leaders in the world of visual effects, have done it again by creating a start-to-finish virtual production solution called ILM StageCraft. The groundbreaking technology provides a continuous pipeline from initial exploration, scouting, and art direction, traditional and technical previsualization, lighting, and of course, real-time production filming itself, with the innovative StageCraft LED volumes. Utilizing their own career path stories and current examples of work on The Mandalorian, experienced professionals from ILM’s Virtual Production Team share their expertise in a behind-the-scenes, interactive multimedia presentation that demonstrates the intersection of art, science, and technology in the entertainment industry, all while making connections to current STEAM curriculum topics. Taught in conjunction with the presentation, this guide will encourage students to think more about new, groundbreaking technologies in filmmaking and beyond.
Learning about loss, grief and family tradition through ‘Over the Moon’
Fueled with determination and a passion for science, a bright young girl builds a rocket ship to the moon to prove the existence of a legendary Moon Goddess. There she ends up on an unexpected quest, and discovers a whimsical land of fantastical creatures. A screening of this film may complement a curriculum in Asian American Studies, Social Emotional Development English Language Arts, Social Studies/History, Peer/Youth Issues or STEAM. Taught in conjunction with this guide, the film will encourage students to learn more about Chinese culture and STEAM, while also developing their social emotional skills.
Watch Over the Moon on Netflix.
Learning about family and grief through ‘Grab My Hand: A Letter to My Dad’
A personal story of grief, those we look up to, and how the interactions we may deem insignificant may play a huge part in how we live our lives. This beautiful animated short, is director Camrus Johnson’s gift to his grieving father and a message to all to cherish every second you have with loved ones while you still can. Taught in conjunction with this guide, the film will encourage students to think about the important connections they have with friends and family in their life, and how to cope with the loss of a loved one.