Movie Magic in the Classroom

Book excerpt: Movies belong in the curriculum—and not just the day before a holiday. This book by award-winning educator Amber Chandler shows why films are so important for teaching social emotional learning and critical thinking. She provides complete guides to ten current, age-appropriate movies; each guide features a pre-viewing activity, a stop-and-chat guide for you so you know when to pause for discussion, a student notes sheet, and discussion questions with varying formats. The book also offers handy tools such as blank templates and permissions forms for communication with parents.Every movie addresses some aspects of CASEL’s SEL Competencies: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Responsible Decision-Making, Relationship Skills, and Social Awareness. Amber Chandler does all the prep work for you, so you can lean into the movie experience and share this opportunity with your students, putting movie magic to work!