Yesterday we ended the day with the film, Jump In. It's a great movie for fifth grade as it deals with lots of social issues that fifth graders deal with including prejudice against students' interests and choices, family struggles, conflicts amongst students, collaboration, and competition. Watching good movies together provides students with a rich point of reference to refer to and gain strength from as the year progresses. I have a list of films I show throughout the fifth grade year including the following:
A Little Princess
Positive images and references to India, provides a social context to classism/racism, deals with bullying, strong female characters, gratitude and service.
The Queen of Katwe
Global perspective, strong female lead, overcoming adversity, privilege and power, power of academic/interest investment
Akeelah and the Bee
Power and struggle of giftedness, perseverance, service to one another, bullying, collaboration, strong female lead.
Miracle at Moreaux
I don't show this every year because it is a sensitive, but powerful film that demonstrates Christians and Jews working together to save children during the Holocaust. It's a powerful film of human strength and dignity.
Race to Freedom
I also don't show this film every year, however it is a powerful portrayal of the reality, humanity, and courage of the underground railroad journey and the anguish, violence, and indignity of racism and slavery.
Good movies have the potential of raising students' humanity and broadening their outlook and perspective of the world around them. If you have movies you show each year, please share those with me as I'm interested in ever growing my list. I typically show these films a little at a time when we have extra minutes or a need for a more restful and thoughtful school experience. For example, I showed Jump In yesterday after our successful, but upsetting ALICE safety drill. We needed a bit of meaningful entertainment at that point.
We'll work at multiple ways to practice, interpret, and model multiplication as we prepare for the unit three assessment and we'll continue our character poster effort. Finally we'll enjoy a field trip, an in-house, enjoyable science learning experience, and a pajama day of story share and celebration. I want to really be there for my wonderful fifth graders and colleagues in the next two weeks as while it's a joyful time for many, the holidays can also be a sad time for those who have had significant losses or experience cultural differences that make the holidays hard.
Onward.
