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.