The Gift

When a little girl makes a gift for her parents, events take an unexpected turn, and she finds herself in a magical adventure.

Watch this video and then try some of the teaching and activity ideas below.

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

English:

• Pause the video at 0:20 and ask the children to predict what will happen in the film. Ask them to provide evidence for their ideas.
• Stop the video at certain points, for example, 0:54 (When the little girl sees her parents arguing) or 3:39 (which shows her parent’s reaction to the little girl) and make a list of words that could be used to describe the characters.
• Write a dialogue between the girl and her toy.
• Make a list of stories and films where the main character(s) go through some kind of portal.
• Ask the children to explain why the girl imagines an adventure.
• Choose two contrasting settings from the film and write a detailed description for each. Make a list of things that are the same and things that are different.
• Write a voiceover describing the section where the girl and her toy are chased by the ball of wool (2:04-3:35)
• Stop the video, for example, at 3:53, and write a through bubble for the character.
• Make two lists of adjectives describing the box before and after the adventure.
• Write a narrative poem to describe one of the scenes, such as surfing on the wave (3:12-3:26)
• Make a comic strip of the story. Use one of our handy templates.
• Write the story from the point of view of one of the characters, such as the girl or her father.
• Suggest alternative titles for the film.

Maths:

• Make a collection of different boxes. Measure them and compare their volume and capacity.
• Use our Cube Nets sheet and challenge children to work out which nets will fold up into a cube and which will not.
• Collect a set of 3d shapes and investigate whether they slide or roll down a slope.

Science:

• Write a list of light sources in the film.

Computing:

• This short video shows the original drawings alongside clips from the film. Could you plan your own animation using this idea?

• Make a game based on it somehow?
• Digital image based on the film?

Design Technology:

• Design a raft for the main character. What materials would you need to make it? Why would those materials be suitable?
• Design a pop-up book or scene based on the video. This site has lots of examples for inspiration.
• Create a jigsaw puzzle.

Art:

• Choose a scene from the video and recreate it in different media, such as pastels, pencil crayons and paint. What effect does the media used have on the finished image?
• Make a 3d art piece that could be a gift for someone.
• Look at some examples of sculptures of people, such as The Burghers Of Calais by Auguste Rodin and Woman of Venice II by Alberto Giacometti. Discuss different approaches to creating a human sculpture, and try making your own.

Music:

• Compose a new soundtrack.
• Write some lyrics to accompany the soundtrack.

Geography:

• Create a map of the main character’s imaginary journey.

Physical Education:

• Create a course based on the film, including sliding and swinging.
• Ask the children to invent a chasing game.
• Create a dance based on the events in the film,

Languages:

• Describe one of the characters in a language that you are learning.
• Learn the word for one of the key ideas of the film, such as kindness, in a range of different languages.

PSHE:

• Have a discussion about gifts. Why do people give gifts? How does it feel to give a gift or to receive a gift?
• Talk about arguments. Why do people argue? How can you resolve an argument?