Film Discussion Guide for
K-12 Educators
K-Elementary guide (K-5):
- What is the title of the film?
- Who are the main characters (protagonists): plants/trees, animals, people?
- What do you know about these plants, animals, people (tribe, researcher, …)?
- Note that it would help if there was some material/research from the educator already available prior to this question
- Have you ever seen the plant/tree, animal from the film in real life? Tell me about your experience.
- What happens in the film? What do you think the film-maker wants to communicate with this film? (Teacher/education leader helps identify 1-3 elements/key messages).
- If there is a problem to be solved:
- Was the problem solved in the film?
- How was it resolved?
- What would you have done? What ideas do you have to solve it?
- What part of the film do you like the most? Why?
- What did you like least about the movie? Why?
- Is there a lesson to learn from the movie?
- What emotions does this film inspire in you? E.g. sadness, hope, surprise, admiration, …
- What colours did the film use? Can you create an image using the same colours?
- Are there any sounds that you remember now from the film? What were they and why do you remember them?
- Create your own work in relation to this film or the class discussion: photo, drawing, short narrative, short poem.
Middle school guide (6-8):
Choose any/all appropriate from either the Elementary or the High-school list, for example:
- Who are the main characters (protagonists): plants/trees, animals, people?
- What happens in the film? What do you think the film-maker wants to communicate with this film? (Teacher/education leader helps identify 1-3 elements/key messages).
- Did you learn anything from this movie? What was it?
- Was there anything that you saw or heard in the film that was unconvincing or which seemed out of place?
- How did the filmmakers try to convince you of the position that the film supports?
- In what way does this film help you understand the Salish Sea Ecosystems and your community’s relation with it?
- Create your own work in relation to this film or the class discussion: photo, drawing, short narrative, short poem.
High-school guide (8-12):
- Do research about the author. Has the author made other films about the Salish Sea? Which are the main topics?
- Did you learn anything from this movie? What was it?
- Have you seen other similar films/films about the same topic? Which ones? Do you know the author? What is the other film perspective compared to this one?
- Was there anything that you saw or heard in the film that was unconvincing or which seemed out of place?
- How did the filmmakers try to convince you of the position that the film supports? Look for appeals to logic, emotion, and biases/prejudice.
- In what way does this film help you understand the Salish Sea Ecosystems and your community’s relation with it?
- Describe the use of color in the film. Did it advance the emotions the filmmakers were trying to evoke? How would you have used color in this movie?
- Create your own work in relation to this film or the class discussion: photo, drawing, short narrative, short poem.