While, I am no one to bribe a child to learn through edutainment, I think making education fun is important. It shows the child that learning is not a burden but a way of life. It can challenge a child to find lessons in everything. Of course, we need to face facts; sometimes we need to grab a child’s attention and lure him into the love of learning. To lure a child into a love of learning it may be wise to start with something the child loves. Since many love Disney and Pixar movies, it may be a great place to start.
To make a unit study out of a movie is not hard. I will use a few examples of themes you can draw from some movies your children may enjoy.
Brave
Themes:
Scotland, bears, Scottish Royalty, Scottish history, Clydesdale horses, Gaelic folklore
Toy Story
Themes:
Friendship, toy making, marketing, changes in tends (cowboy toys to space toys), creative writing (coming up with stories or even plays similar to the imaginative play shown in the movie), counting army men, cowboy history, space travel
Finding Nemo
Themes:
Ocean life, marine biology, ocean exploration, charting the ocean, memory games, sharks, fish, sea turtles, Australia
Cinderella
Themes:
Telling time, too big or too small, dress making, number two for two stepsisters, mice
Snow White
Themes:
Forest animals, apples, number 7, royalty
Ratatouille
Themes:
Being a chef, rats, running a restaurant (entrepreneurial skills), cooking and math lessons associated such as fractions and measuring, Paris
Jungle Book
Themes:
Jungle, jungle animals, life in the jungle, survival skills, animal habitats and behaviors
Take a deeper look into your child’s favorite movie to find some lessons. Ask yourself some questions. Where does the movie take place? Is there a moral or character study? Can I focus on a number or numbers like seven dwarves or two stepsisters? Can I focus on a letter like “C” for Cinderella? What about a math theme like counting, telling time, etc.? Is there history I can tie to the movie?
Soon you will have a lesson plan both of you will enjoy.