Product Description
Film runtime: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Film rating: PG-13. Common Sense Media rates this film as appropriate for ages 10+.
Reviews: Read the Video Librarian review of Whale Rider.
Grade levels: Resources available for Grades 5-9.
Where to Watch: Watch it on Amazon Prime and other streaming platforms. Or buy the DVD or Blu-ray.
Literary connection: For a film-book pairing, teach the Whale Rider movie with the book it was based on, The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera.
Whale Rider Curriculum Guide
Lesson 1: Who are the Māori (Social Studies)
Lesson 2: Viewing Whale Rider (Media Literacy)
Lesson 3: The World Outside, The Spirit Within (Social Studies)
Lesson 4: Māori Roles and Relationships (Language Arts / Visual Literacy)
Lesson 5: Insights Into Māori Culture (Film Specific Cross-Cultural Understanding)
Lesson 6: Culture and Gender (General Cross-Cultural Understanding)
Lesson 7: Special Effects and Music (Media Literacy)
Lesson 8: Echolocation (Science)
Lesson 9: Counting the Uncountable (Mathematics)
Lesson 10: Markings of the Māori (Visual Arts)
How download your free curriculum resources, simply:
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Related Resources
Whale Rider lead actress Keisha Castle-Hughes was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Learn more about teaching with our collection of Oscar nominated and award-winning films.
- Media Literacy in the Classroom: Tips and Tools via Video Librarian.
- 4 Coming of Age Films That Help Students Cope with Change from Edutopia.
- Global Learning Through Film via Multicultural Kid Blogs.
- Teach with Film for Women’s History Month
- Celebrate Nature Lessons Collection for Grades 3-7 from Journeys in Film
Sustainable Development Goals
Journeys in Film supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more about teaching with SDGs.
This curriculum guide connects to the following UN SDGs:
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