Share Your Gifts

Ages: 5-11
Contributor:
Sam Collins

Have you ever made something wonderful but were too afraid to share it? Join young artist Sofia as she reluctantly shares her creations.

Watch this video with your children, and then try some of our teaching and activity ideas below.

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

Watch the section from 0:00 to 0:03, and pause it so you can have a good look at the detail. Write a brief description of the setting, starting with the view of the town and then zooming in to Sofia’s street and then her room.
Stop the video at certain points and discuss what Sofia is thinking and feeling. Some good ones are 0:07, 0:12, 0:23, 1:37, 2:03.
Watch the section from 0:43 to 1:11. Make an emotions map to show how Sofia is feeling in each little scene. How do you know?
What do you think were on the pieces of paper?
Write a character description of Sofia’s dog. Include a physical description and the dog’s personality.
Write some dialogue between the people as they are looking at the pieces of paper (from 2:00 to 2:36). What might they be saying to each other?
Imagine that Sofia has become a successful artist and is being interviewed about how she was “discovered”. What questions would you ask her? What might her answers be? How would she describe her feelings?
Make a storyboard of the video.
Write a narration for the video.
Create a Fakebook profile for Sofia using this tool.
Create a text conversation between Sofia and a friend describing the incident.
Write the sequel – what happens next?

Stop the video at 0:09. What type of computer is Sofia using? How do you know? What makes a good logo? Put together a slide showing well known logos. How many do the children recognise? Why are logos important?
Design and bake your own creatively shaped bread rolls.

Stop the video at 0:29 and 0:38. These are views through windows. Use a simple card viewfinder as a window and sketch what you can see through it.
Make a 3d miniature room with miniature furniture in a shoebox or similar.
Watch the section of the “Making of” video where the animator is trying out facial expressions in the mirror (1:04 – 1:17). Photograph different facial expressions and draw them.

At 0:09, the song lyric is “Is your cup half full or empty?” What does this mean? When have you been optimistic or pessimistic?
When have you made or done something that you wanted to keep private? Why were you reluctant to show or share it? How do you know when you are ready to show something to other people?
Give children a template of a box. What kinds of things would you put in it?