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Online task 9

Happy Feet: The Story of otherness in the life of Mumble the little penguin

 

Three classes could be devoted to watching and working with the movie. The animated movie and the activities are suitable for 12-14-year-old, pre-intermediate learners

 

  1. Talking about penguins, introducing the animals, pictures, descriptions could be used. Students may be asked to collect material, have short presentations of various types of penguins, their behavior, and habits. Are they exotic animals to us? How?
  • Activity: Imaginary conversations: Imagine your dog or a dog that you know meets a penguin. What would the dog think, say to the penguin?
  • Alternative: draw a comic strip of the meeting.
  • Interview a penguin. What do you think penguins would complain about if they could appeal to people?
  • Make a poster of the major issues mentioned for appeal.
  • Do you know any stories in which penguins are major characters? As Homework students are referred to a website about Happy Feet or given a copy of the storyline.
  1. Watch Happy Feet subtitled together in class. As homework, students are asked to watch it again in "movie syndicates" and write short commentary on particular parts. E.g. Mumble's relationship to his parents; the school; friendship; his friends, the other penguins...Discuss most liked or disliked characters. From the penguin school find matches to characters in class.
  2. Language work, especially if you have access to the script.
  3. Activities on how otherness is a problem and most people are like penguins in the movie. Group discussion: Describe clothes that are funky. Is it better to have an old worn-out cellphone or not to have one at all? In speech? Showing pictures (family clippings, drawings) they decide what they want to ask/learn from each character. Incidents of excommunication/reasons
  4. Learn to act out some part.
  5. Organize tap dancing party, learn tap dancing from the extra provided in the movie.
  6. And much much more... depending how you and your students like the movie.