We have resources to help you celebrate AAPI Heritage with Film for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May and all year long!  As part of our global education collection, we are pleased to offer two Journeys in Film curriculum guides to help you teach about Iran with film.

Celebrate AAPI Heritage with Film: New in 2026

Call Me Dancer | India

This engaging film for all ages follows a 21-year-old street dancer from India who is torn between his artistic dreams and his struggling parents’ expectations – until he meets a feisty 75-year-old ballet master.  Call Me Dancer teaching resources include:

• Learning Guide for Grades 2-6
• Learning Guide for Grades 6-12
• Mini Discussion  Guide / Bell Ringer (3 -pages, printer-friendly) (Grades 4-12)
• Dance-Focused Slideshow, for Physical Education classes and related learning spaces. (Grades 4-12).

These are valuable resources for global education, social emotional learning, building vocabulary and critical thinking skills, building classroom community, bolstering positive habits and more. They can be used in Career Studies, Economics, English Language Arts, Geography, International Relations, Music, Performing Arts, Physical Education, Social Emotional Learning, and Visual Arts classes.

▶ Learn more about teaching with Call Me Dancer and get these free Call Me Dancer Educational Resources.

Celebrate AAPI Heritage with Film: New in 2025

And So It Begins | The Philippines

This award-winning documentary is set amidst the Filipino elections of 2022. It follows Leni Robredo’s 2022 presidential campaign and the quirky people’s movement that rises to defend the Philippines against deepening threats to truth and democracy in a collective act of joy as a form of resistance.  The film highlights key players in the 2022 Philippines preisdential election, including fearless Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, who despite arrests and harassment continues to publish articles holding a lawless regime accountable.

The And So It Begins Learning Guide includes a powerful exploration of political corruption and civic engagement.  Available in English and Spanish.

Lesson Grades: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning
Subjects: Civics, Current Events, English Language Arts, Film Literacy, Geography, Government, Journalism, Media Literacy, Philippines History, Political Science, Speech, Social Studies US History, World History

Learn more about teaching with And So It Begins and get the And So It Begins Learning Guide.

My Music with Rhiannon Giddens / Teaching the American Railroad | China

Season 2 of My Music with Rhiannon Giddens features Pulitzer Prize and Grammy winner Rhiannon Giddens hosting a series of musical performance and conversation with multicultural musicians in the Silkroad Ensemble’s American Railroad project. The project presents a musical exploration of the cultures that were first connected by the building of America’s Transcontinental Railroad.

The American Railroad Instructional Guide features a lesson on the role of Chinese Immigrants in the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. It focuses on learning history through poetry analysis and visual learning. It’s designed for teaching English Language Arts and U.S. History for grades 6-8.

The My Music with Rhiannon Giddens Episode One Learning Guide with Wu Man introduces students to Chinese musician Wu Man, her instrument the pipa, Chinese music, American Transcontinental Railroad History and the experience of Chinese Immigrants.

Learn more about teaching with My Music with Rhiannon Giddens and get these free teaching resources.

Resisterhood | Egypt

Resisterhood profiles six diverse Americans who are all civically engaged in different, inspiring ways. One of the subjects is  a first-time political candidates: Mimi Hassanein, a first-generation immigrant from Egypt.  Her story sheds light on what it’s like to be Muslim in contemporary America and also speaks broadly to immigrant experiences in the USA.

Lesson Grades: 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning
Subjects: Current Events, Civics, Government, Political Science, Social Studies, Women’s Studies

 Learn more about teaching with Resisterhood.

Celebrate AAPI Heritage with Film: More Award-Winning Films & Educational Resources

Children of Heaven | Iran

This heartwarming film introduces students to the people and culture of Iran. For grades 6-9. Learn more.

He Named Me Malala | Pakistan

He Named Me Malala introduces students to the real life story of education advocate Malala Yousafzai, who became the youngest Nobel Prize laureate in history at the age of 17. For grades 7-12, adult/higher ed. Learn more.

Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet | Lebanon

Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet brings Lebanese-American author Kahlil Gibran’s famous book to the screen as a beautiful animated anthology film. For grades 7-12. Learn more.

Like Stars on Earth | India

Like Stars on Earth (Original title: Taare Zameen Par), the hit Indian film produced and directed by Aamir Khan, tells the story of an eight-year-old boy with undiagnosed dyslexia whose world is filled with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate. For grades 5-9. Learn more.

Please Vote for Me | China

Please Vote For Me follows a teacher in a third-grade class at an elementary school in Wuhan, China, who tries to teach about democracy by staging an election for class monitor. For grades 4-11. Learn more.

The Cup | Tibet

In The Cup (original title ཕོར་པ། or Phörpa), two young Tibetan refugees arrive at a monastery in exile in India and disrupt its serenity with their passion for soccer and The World Cup Finals. For grades 6-12, adult/higher ed. Learn more.

The Music of Strangers | China, Iran, Syria

The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble follows an ever-changing lineup of performers drawn from the ensemble’s more than 50 instrumentalists, vocalists, composers, arrangers, visual artists, and storytellers as they gather in locations around the world, exploring the ways art can both preserve traditions and shape cultural evolution.

The Music of Stranger Curriculum Guide includes lessons on The Chinese Cultural Revolution and Its Legacy (for grades 6-12), The Iranian Revolution (for grades 7-12), and The Ongoing Syrian Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis (for grades 8-12). Learn more.

The Neighborhood Storyteller | Jordan, Syria

The Neighborhood Storyteller follows Asmaa Rashed, a young Syrian woman in a refugee camp in Jordan who embarks on a read-aloud project to empower girls and foster collective healing. For grades 5-12, adult/higher ed. Learn more.

The Way Home | South Korea

The Way Home tells the coming-of-age story of a young boy from Seoul navigating the culture shock of staying with his grandmother in the countryside. For grades 4-12. Learn more.

Wadjda | Saudi Arabia

Groundbreaking feature film Wadjda follows the adventures of an enterprising ten-year-old Saudi girl who challenges tradition to pursue her dream of owning a bicycle. For grades 6-12. Learn more.

Whale Rider | Aotearoa / New Zealand

Whale Rider tells the story of a Māori girl who challenges generations of cultural tradition and assumptions about gender. For grades 6-10. Learn more.

Related Resources

• Teach Anti-Bias Education with Film
• Teach World Geography with Film
• Teach about World Religions with Film
• Windows and Mirrors Media Literacy / Representation Activity

Get Updates

Don’t miss out! Get notifications about launches of new AAPI Heritage resources and other new reaching materials. Sign up for our newsletter.

Film is a powerful tool for engaging students across the curriculum (not just in science classes!) about the wonders of the natural world, environmental science, and youth climate activism. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite Earth-related resources (including free PD webinars) to help you inspire your students this year in April for Earth Month, Earth Week, Earth Day and all year long!

Updated with new resources in June 2026.

Films to Teach for Earth Month

Grades 3-5

• The Love Bugs – This guide is also available in Spanish.

Grades 3-12

• Jane. Learn more about teaching with this award-winning documentary about Dr. Jane Goodall with our article at Share My Lesson: Inspiring a Love of Nature and Learning: Celebrating Jane Goodall.

Grades 4-10

• Landfill Harmonic

Grades 4-12

• One Strange Rock

Grades 5-10

• Whale Rider

Grades 5-12

• From the Ashes

Grades 6-12

• Chasing Coral – New in 2025!
• Chasing Ice – New in 2025!
• Greener Pastures – This guide is also available in Spanish.
• River of Gold – This guide is also available in Spanish and Portuguese.
• Scrap – New in 2026!
• Searching for Aman – New in 2025!
• The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind
• The Whitehouse Effect– New in 2026!
• The Wild – New in 2025!

Grades 7-12

• Chasing Time – New in 2025!
• Tough Old Broads – New in 2026!
• Youth v Gov

For Grades 9-12

• Climate Emergency: Feedback Loops – This guide is also available in Spanish.
• The Crisis Scientists – New in 2025!
• The Human Element – New in 2026!
• Walden, a game

Lesson Collections for Earth Month

• Celebration of Nature lessons for grades 3-7
• Environmental Studies lessons for grades 7-12

Earth and Environment Teaching Articles

• Celebrate Youth Climate Activism for Earth Month
• Inspiring a Love of Nature and Learning: Celebrating Jane Goodall
• Learn about Forests
• Teach Climate Change in Social Studies

Webinars about Teaching with Environmental Films

• Climate Emergencies: Using Feedback Loop Films to Inspire and Educate
• Engineering and Activism: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
• Using Short Films to Address Climate Challenges in STEM

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How Can I Share Feedback

If you are teaching with these films, we would love to hear how they work for you and your students. Please get in touch with us by using our contact form.

How Can I Get Updates About New Resources

Don’t miss out! Get notifications about launches of new teaching tools and professional development opportunities. Sign up for our newsletter.

We have classroom-ready resources to help you teach Anti-Bias Education with film in schools, homeschooling, professional development, community education and other settings. These materials can help you boost cultural competence, reduce implicit and explicit bias, and broaden empathy and understanding in your learning environment.

Teach Anti-Bias Education with Film: Instructional Foundations

Anti-Bias Education Webinar

Our teacher training webinar about Anti-Bias Education: Using Media to Foster Critical Thinking and Combat Antisemitism and Islamophobia provides an overview of anti-bias teaching tools and strategies for dealing with difficult classroom situations around these topics. While the primary focus of this webinar is Antisemitism and Islamophobia, it is presented in a framework that educators may find helpful for a broad range of specific Anti-Bias Education topics. This webinar is available free and on-demand through Share My Lesson. Participants can quality for one hour of PD credit.

▶ Learn more about our Anti-Bias Education Webinar.

Facilitation Guidelines for Group Discussions

We also offer Facilitation Guidelines to create safe discussion spaces and lead productive explorations of difficult topics. The guidelines apply to a wide range of settings beyond the classroom and are useful for teaching Anti-Bias Education.

▶ Learn more about teaching with the Group Discussion Facilitation Guidelines.

Download Facilitation Guidelines
Preview Facilitation Guidelines

Media Literacy for Broadening Perspectives

Our Windows and Mirrors media literacy activity encourages learners to engage with a balanced variety of text and media perspectives. The activity also builds belonging and class community by expanding students’ understanding of people in their classroom and the broader world. For all ages.

▶ Learn more about teaching with Windows and Mirrors.

Teach Anti-Bias Education with Film: Recommended Films & Resources

Teach Anti-Bias Education with Film: Combating Antisemitism

Check out our collection of Anti-Bias Education Resources for Combating Antisemitism. For grades 6-12, adult/higher ed.

Teach Anti-Bias Education with Film: Disability Equity

Check out our resources for teaching about Disability and Disability Equity:

• Facilitation Guidelines for Talking about Disability, for all ages.
• Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Disability History, Disability Justice, Disability Rights, with multiple representations of disability), for grades 9-12, adult/higher ed.
• Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down (aphasia/dysphasia, traumatic brain injury [TBI]), for grades 7-12, adult/higher ed.
• Like Stars on Earth (dyslexia/learning disabilities), for grades 3-12, adult/higher ed.
• The Power of Sports for Amputees (amputees, accessibility, inclusion), for grades 7-12, adult/higher ed.
• The Way Home (non-speaking [formerly mutism]), for grades 4-12.

Teach Anti-Bias Education with Film: Gender Equity

Check out our resources for teaching about Gender Equity and Women’s History, for grades 4-12, adult/higher ed.

Teach Anti-Bias Education with Film: Indigenous Peoples

Check out our resources for teaching about World Indigenous Peoples, for grades 5-12, adult/higher ed.

Teach Anti-Bias Education with Film: Combating Islamophobia

Check out our collection of Anti-Bias Education Resources for Combating Islamophobia. For grades 5-12, adult/higher ed.

Teach Anti-Bias Education with Film: LGBTQIA Equity

We recommend:

• The It Gets Better Project’s Finding Pride, for grades 8-12, adult/higher ed.
• My Music with Rhiannon Giddens, hosted by Rhiannon Giddens (lesbian) and featuring Mazz Swift (non-binary) in Episode 3, for grades 6-12, adult/higher ed.
• Resisterhood, featuring LGBTQ activist Joanna Lohman, for grades 10-12, adult/higher ed.

Teach Anti-Bias Education with Film: Immigrants & Refugees

Teaching about immigrants, refugees and displaced persons? Check out our collection of migrant stories.

Teach Anti-Bias Education with Film: Racial Equity

Check out our Black History Collection, for grades 4-12, adult/higher ed.

Teach Anti-Bias Education with Film: World Religions

Check out our resources for teaching with Religions from Around the World, for grades 4-12, adult/higher ed.

Anti-Bias Education Resources: Important Dates

Teachers may want to teach Anti-Bias Education lessons on these important dates:

• March 1 – Zero Discrimination Day
• Nov. 14 – International Day for Tolerance
• Dec. 9 – International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime

Get Updates

Don’t miss out! Get notifications about launches of new Anti-Bias Education resources and other new teaching materials. Sign up for our newsletter.

The need to combat Antisemitism with Anti-Bias Education is painfully urgent. We recommend the following films and teaching guides to support you in countering Antisemitism in your learning environments. These materials are appropriate for elementary school, middle school and high school; they can also work well for higher education, adult education, HR trainings and professional development, public screenings and community group settings.

Instructional Foundations

Our teacher training webinar about Anti-Bias Education: Using Media to Foster Critical Thinking and Combat Antisemitism and Islamophobia provides an overview of anti-bias teaching tools and strategies for dealing with difficult classroom situations around these topics. This webinar is available free and on-demand through Share My Lesson. Participants can quality for one hour of PD-credit.

▶ Learn more about our Anti-Bias Education Webinar.

Antisemitism Today, revised in 2023, is a lesson exploring the rise of Antisemitism within the context of white supremacy. It is a powerful resource for Anti-Bias Education and Holocaust Education. The lesson draws on examples of contemporary Antisemitism events in the US, but the flexible structure of the lesson can be adapted to work with events from anywhere in the world. It is appropriate for Social Studies, Civics, Current Events, Government classes, etc. For grades 9 and up.

This lesson was created as part of our Schindler’s List curriculum, and also works as a standalone lesson. If you use this lesson without that film, advise learners to skip film-related questions.

Download Antisemitism Lesson
Preview Antisemitism Lesson

We also offer Facilitation Guidelines to create safe discussion spaces and lead productive explorations of difficult topics. The guidelines apply to a wide range of settings beyond the classroom and are useful for teaching Anti-Bias Education.

▶ Learn more about the Group Discussion Facilitation Guidelines.

Download Facilitation Guidelines
Preview Facilitation Guidelines

First-Person Stories

To help your students understand the impact of Antisemitism in the historic context of the Holocaust, consider using a film that focuses on an individual caught in the maelstrom of Nazism.

A Promise To My Father is a powerful Holocaust Education film that is also useful for teaching Anti-Bias Education, Genocide Education, History, Social Studies, World History and World War II History. It also explores themes of Courage and the Power of Small Acts, Mental Health and Wellness, Healing Through Recollection, Preserving Culture as Resistance, and Recognizing Injustice. For grades 9 and up.

▶ Learn more about teaching with A Promise To My Father.

Download A Promise To My Father Discussion Guide
Preview A Promise To My Father Discussion Guide

A Story of Hope: UnBroken [new in 2026] presents the true story of the seven Weber siblings, ages 6-18, who evaded certain capture and death and ultimately escaped Nazi Germany following their mother’s incarceration and murder at Auschwitz. Timely and important, this film highlights the importance of upstanders and empathy. The educational resource allow learners to sharpen their understanding of not only history, but of the importance of civic engagement, community action, storykeeping and more. For grades 6 & up.

▶ Learn more about teaching with A Story of Hope: UnBroken.

Download UnBroken Learning Guide
Preview UnBroken Learning Guide

Big Sonia is about Holocaust survivor Sonia Warshawski, who was a Jewish teenager living in Poland when the German army invaded in the 1930s. She speaks to students and prison inmates about her story of unimaginable suffering — as a beacon of hope and resilience. For grades 7 and up.

▶ Learn more about teaching with Big Sonia.

Download Big Sonia Curriculum Guide
Preview Big Sonia Curriculum Guide

Defiant Requiem: The Film is about a unique chapter in Holocaust history when prisoners used music and the arts to sustain their spirits and resist oppression at Terezín concentration camp. It also includes a lesson on propaganda that combines well with the propaganda lesson in Navalny (below). For grades 6 and up.

▶ Learn more about teaching with Defiant Requiem.

Download Defiant Requiem Curriculum Guide
Preview Defiant Requiem Curriculum Guide

Schindler’s List explores the rise of Nazism in Germany in World War II. This Oscar-winning film also introduces students to Oskar Schindler, the Righteous Gentile who saved over 1000 lives during the Holocaust.

▶ Learn more about teaching with Schindler’s List.

Download Schindler's List Curriculum Guide
Preview Schindler's List Curriculum Guide

Expand the Scope

The Fast Runner is a narrative short film about a Polish girl coming of age at the start of the Holocaust. The educational resources of this film explores important Anti-Bias Education and Social-Emotional Learning lessons about Dehumanization and Extremism and Bystanders v. Upstanders. For grades 6 and up.

▶ Learn more about teaching with The Fast Runner.

Our Navalny learning guide includes a powerful lesson on Online Propaganda that pairs well with our Antisemitism Today lesson  (above) for bringing discussions on the spread of Antisemitism into the present. For grades 9 and up.

▶ Learn more about teaching with Navalny.

Our step-by-step Holocaust Education Toolkit can help educators teach the Holocaust authentically, inspire empathy, and honor the lessons of history.

▶ Get this comprehensive guide on how to Teach Holocaust Education with Film at Share My Lesson: Teaching Holocaust Education with Film.

We hope these resources can support you in equipping your learners with Anti-Bias Education tools, critical thinking skills and historical context to understand Antisemitism in the past and actively combat it in the present.

Related Resources

Teaching Anti-Bias Education? Get more resources to Teach Anti-Bias Education with Film.

Teach Anti-Bias Education about Countering Antisemitism: Important Dates

Genocide education remains timely and urgent. Teachers, especially history and social studies teachers, may want to teach with holocaust education films on these important dates:

• Jan. 27—International Holocaust Remembrance Day
• Feb. 1-7—World Interfaith Harmony Week
• March 1—Zero Discrimination Day
• April—Genocide Awareness Month (U.S.) and Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month (Canada)
• April 23-24, 2025—Holocaust Remembrance Day or Yom Hashoah. (The date varies each year.)
• May 8—Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives During the Second World War
• June 18—International Day for Countering Hate Speech
• Aug. 11-12—Anniversary of the 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va. (This event is referenced in the Journeys in Film Antisemitism Today lesson.)
• Aug. 22—The International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
• Aug. 23—European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism
• Oct. 27—Anniversary of the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue Shooting. (This event is referenced in the Journeys in Film Antisemitism Today lesson.)
• Nov. 9—International Day Against Fascism and Antisemitism
• Nov. 9-12—Kristallnacht
• Dec. 9—International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime
• Dec. 10—Anniversary of the 2019 Jersey City, N.J., shooting at a kosher grocery store (This event is referenced in the Journeys in Film Antisemitism Today lesson.)

Get Updates

Don’t miss out! Get notifications about launches of new Holocaust Education resources and other new materials. Sign up for our newsletter.

We are remembering Alexei Navalny as news breaks about his official cause of death.

Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader, was killed by dart frog poison administered by the Russian state two years ago, a multi-intelligence agency inquiry has found, according to a statement released by five countries, the UK, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands. [Adam Goldsmith; Tom McArthur (14 February 2026). “Russia killed opposition leader Alexei Navalny using dart frog toxin, UK says”. BBC News.] Alexei Navalny died as a political prisoner in a Siberian penal colony on February 16, 2024.

Journeys in Film had the privilege of creating teaching resources for Oscar-winning documentary Navalny which chronicles Alexei Navalny’s life. Navalny speaks to a world transformed by Russia, its war in Ukraine, and the growing and treacherous threat of authoritarianism around the world.

Our Navalny Learning Guide and our Navalny Discussion Guide, like all of our education resources, are available to the public for free. Educators and community groups may find these materials helpful to accompany viewings of the film as you remember Alexei Navalny and discuss current events.

As Putin’s brand of authoritarianism wreaks havoc on the world, the urgency of the message of Navalny is more critical than ever. The film is not just the story of Alexei Navalny and Russia, but a rallying cry to remind the world of the importance of free speech and a free press to counter dictatorship and uphold democracy. “Evil is only able to proliferate if good people do nothing, so don’t be inactive,” Navalny warns at the end of the film.

Our hearts go out to the Navalny family and their loved ones yet again in light of today’s news.

Related Resources

• Navalny Documentary Discussion Guide and Learning Guide
• Civics and Civic Engagement Lessons
• Media Literacy and Journalism Lessons
• Oscar-Winning Films Teaching Resources at Journeys in Film
• Political Corruption Teaching Resources

Get Updates

To get updates notifications about our new civic engagement lessons and other new resources, sign up for the Journeys in Film newsletter.

We’re highlighting some of our favorite resources to help you teach about women of STEM with film. Get students of all genders excited about STEM careers!

Teach about Women of STEM with Film: Bletchley Park’s Female Codebreakers

Breaking Enigma

Breaking Enigma: A World War II Game Changer goes deep inside the top-secret, groundbreaking intelligence work that took place at Bletchley Park, outside London, during World War II.  It highlights the innovative computing and technology of the counterintelligence effort started in Poland, headquartered in England, and eventually including the United States, as well as the emphasis on secrecy, teamwork, and cooperation.

The film shares the stories of the ordinary men and women from all backgrounds who came together to decipher secret military messages scrambled through Germany’s complex Enigma machine. The film also draws connections to machine learning and artificial intelligence, and viewers track the long line of technological advancement brought about by war and applied in peacetime.

The Breaking Enigma Discussion Guide explores Bletchley Park’s Ecosystem of Success, Codebreaking in War and its legacy today, and Historical Spaces as Primary Sources.

Subjects: Community Service Learning, Computer Programming, Computer Science and IT, History, Social Studies, UK History, World History, World War II
Lesson Grades: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning

Learn more about teaching with Breaking Enigma and get the Breaking Enigma Discussion Guide.

Her War, Her Story

Her War, Her Story: World War II explores how women filled vital roles in the Second World War. Viewers hear firsthand accounts from a cross section of women from the United States, England, France, and Germany — including the top secret code breakers of Bletchley Park.

The Her War, Her Story Discussion Guide includes a special focus on women code breakers. These resources make a great combination with Breaking Enigma: A World War II Game Changer.

Subjects: Community Service Learning, Computer Programming, Computer Science and IT, History, Social Studies, UK History, Women’s History, World History, World War II
Lesson Grades: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning

Learn more about teaching with Her War, Her Story and get the Her War, Her Story Discussion Guide.

Teach about Women of STEM with Film: the Black Women who Put a Man on the Moon

Hidden Figures celebrates the extraordinary determination and achievement of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, three Black women known as “human computers” at NASA in the 1960s. These women transcended the discriminatory biases of colleagues and community members to become leaders in the fields of mathematics and engineering — and send the first human beings to the Moon.

The Hidden Figures Discussion Guide explores The Women of West Computing and Career Choices in STEM (among other topics). It’s great for inspiring students of all background about pursing STEM careers. For grades 4 and up. 

The Hidden Figures Curriculum Guide features multiple STEM lessons. Of particular note is Lesson 8 on The Women of Science. Use this lesson in classes on Career Studies, History, Science, and U.S. History. This lesson is available to download on its own or as part of the full curriculum guide. Lesson 8 is recommended for grades 7-12.

Learn more bout teaching with Hidden Figures and get the Hidden Figures Educational Resources.

Teach about Women of STEM with Film: Dr. Jane Goodall, Primatologist

Award-winning documentary Jane shows how when Jane Goodall and her peers Dian Fossey and Birutė Galdikas began their longitudinal studies of chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, respectively, they began more than one revolution in the biological sciences.

The Jane Discussion Guide introduces students to the life and work of pioneering chimpanzee expert Dr. Jane Goodall, as well as her colleagues Dian Fossey and Biruté Galdikas. It highlights the ways that knowledge of animals can illuminate how we understand ourselves. It’s a great tool for teaching media literacy and inspiring students about a love of nature and STEM careers. For grades 3-12, and adult/higher ed.

Learn more about teaching with Jane and get the Jane Discussion Guide.

Teach about Women of STEM with Film: Dr. Adelle Thomas, Climate Expert

The Crisis Scientists follows seven extraordinary people working to galvanize policy makers and the public to save the planet.  This compelling short film presents a portrait of courageous climate scientists and a lawyer shows that together, we can make a difference. The ensemble cast features Dr. Adelle Thomas, the Senior Director of Climate Adaptation and Environmental Health of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

The Crisis Scientists Discussion Guide is a great teaching tool for environmental education, civic engagement, and service learning. It also works as a Bell Ringer / Classroom Warm-Up. For grades 9-12, and adult/higher ed.

Learn more about teaching with The Crisis Scientists and get The Crisis Scientists Discussion Guide.

Teach about Women of STEM with Film: Lois O’Brien, Entomologist

Emmy-winning documentary short film The Love Bugs presents the extraordinary careers of Lois O’Brien and her husband Charles O’Brien, married scientists who have worked and lived together for 60 years.

The Love Bugs Curriculum Guide provides an exceptional opportunity for you and your students to become amateur entomologists and discover the wonder of small creatures. For grades 3-5.

Learn more about teaching with The Love Bugs and get The Love Bugs Curriculum Guide.

Teach about Women of STEM with Film: Women of Public Health

The Invisible Shield highlights the critical importance of the public health system and the unsung heroes who work in it to keep us safe. Using vivid character portraits, interviews, and archival elements, this award-winning documentary series shows that public health is a progressive and revolutionary movement, whose successes have traditionally come from a diverse, cross-disciplinary coalition of dedicated public servants, all working together to improve the conditions of society.

The ensemble cast features leaders of pubic health including Executive Vice President of Seattle Indian Health Board and Director of their data and research division (Urban Indian Health Institute) Abigail Echo-Hawk, former Director of the Ohio Department of Health Amy Acton, coronavirus researcher Crystal Watson, epidemiologists Caitlin M. Rivers & Dr. Kelly Henning,  researcher and former dean of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Ellen J. MacKenzie, engineer Lauren Gardner, physician and researchers Dr. Mary T. Basset and Dr. Nana Adofo-Ansong, and public health experts Dr. Lauren Powell and Sonia Shah.

The Invisible Shield Learning Guide offers questions to encourage critical thinking, discussion, and expanded understanding of public health. This is a powerful tool to get students excited about careers in public health and STEM fields. For grades 7-12, and adult/higher ed.

Learn more about teaching with The Invisible Shield and get The Invisible Shield Learning Guide.

Teach about Women of STEM with Film: Women of Space & Earth Science

National Geographic series One Strange Rock tells the story of Earth’s history from a planetary perspective. Within our solar system, planet Earth is utterly unique among the planets, moons, and dwarf planets found there. Only Earth has a breathable atmosphere, the ability to “heal” itself following planetary bombardment in its early history and more recent “extinction events,” and large amounts of liquid water on its surface.

The series features footage of astronauts including Mae C. Jemison, Nicole Stott, and Peggy Whitson. The ensemble cast of scientists also includes microbiologist Professor Hazel Barton, glaciologist, Dr. Heidi Sevestre, environmentalist Karla Colmenero, and biogeochemist Professor Liane G. Benning. Plus there’s an inspiring appearance by Nichelle Nichols.

The classroom-ready lesson plans of the One Strange Rock Curriculum Guide are designed for teaching across the STEM curriculum. For grades 5-12. 

Learn more about teaching with One Strange Rock and get the One Strange Rock Curriculum Guide.

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Important Dates

Plan ahead to share these inspiring films with your students on the following dates:

• January 6 – National Technology Day
• February – Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month
• February 11 – International Day of Women and Girls in Science
• March – Women’s History Month
• April 27 – International Girls in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Day
• November 8 – National STEM / STEAM Day
• December – Computer Science Education Week

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How Can I Share Feedback

If you are teaching with these films, we would love to hear how they work for you and your students. Please get in touch with us by using our contact form.

How Can I Get Updates About New Resources

Don’t miss out! Get notifications about launches of new teaching tools and professional development opportunities. Sign up for our newsletter.

Teach world geography with film to bring the cultures of the world to life in your middle school classroom! We’re pleased to offer teaching resources for award-winning films from all over the world to help you teach global education and cross-cultural understanding, while fostering empathy and critical thinking skills. These resources are primarily designed for grades 6 to 8 and may be applicable or adaptable to other grades.

Follow the links below to get more information about these films and our free teaching materials from the Journeys in Film Resource Library!

Teach World Geography with Film: Regional Resources

Our Global Education Collection of award-winning films from around the world introduces middle school students to global cultures and customs.

China: Teach about China with Please Vote For Me

The Please Vote For Me Curriculum Guide (original title: 请投我一票 / Qǐng tóu wǒ yī piào) features three lessons for geography classes:

• Lesson One The Land of China (Geography, Social Studies, World History), grades 5-8
• Lesson Six Folk Art: Chinese Papercuts (Visual Arts), grades 5-10
• Lesson Seven A Glimpse of Chinese Culture (English Language Arts, Geography, Language Arts, Social Studies), grades 6-10

Get the Please Vote For Me Curriculum Guide.

India: Teach about India with Like Stars on Earth

Lesson One of the Like Stars on Earth Curriculum Guide (original title: Taare Zameen Par) introduces students to the people and land of India. For grades 5-10.

Get the Like Stars on Earth Curriculum Guide.

Iran: Teach about Iran with Children of Heaven

Lesson One of the Children of Heaven Curriculum Guide (original title: بچه‌های آسمان / Baččehā-ye āsmān) introduces students to the Islamic Republic of Iran. For grades 6-9.

Get the Children of Heaven Curriculum Guide.

Kenya: Teach about Kenya with Searching for Amani

The Searching for Amani Teaching Materials include our Kenya Historical Context Handout, for grades 7-12. It includes

• A map of Kenya.
• Background information on the vibrant communities of Kenya and the challenges they face amid climate change, explained in historical context.
• A timeline of the Colonization of Kenya.

Get the Kenya Historical Context Handout.

Pakistan: Teach about Pakistan with He Named Me Malala

Lesson One of the He Named Me Malala Curriculum Guide introduces students to Pakistan. For grades 9-12, but adaptable for 7th and 8th grade.

Get the He Named Me Malala Curriculum Guide.

Saudi Arabia: Teach about Saudi Arabia with Wadjda

Lesson Two of the Wadjda Curriculum Guide introduces the country of Saudi Arabia. For grades 8-12.

Get the Wadjda Curriculum Guide .

South Korea: Teach about South Korea with The Way Home

Lesson One of The Way Home Curriculum Guide (original title: 집으로… / Jib-eulo) explores the Republic of Korea (South Korea). For grades 4-10.

Get The Way Home Curriculum Guide.

Syria: Teach about Syria with The Neighborhood Storyteller

The Neighborhood Storyteller Discussion Guide provides context and background about Syria. For grades 5-12.

Get The Neighborhood Storyteller Discussion Guide.

Tibet: Teach about Tibet with The Cup

Lesson One of The Cup Curriculum Guide (original title: ཕོར་པ། / Phörpa) introduces students to Tibet and the Himalayas. For grades 6-10.

Get The Cup Curriculum Guide.

Teach World Geography with Film: Country Facts

Many of our film guides contain printable country profile worksheets for students to fill out with geography facts. We recommend the following links as a starting point for country information.

BBC News Country Profiles feature history, politics and economic background of countries and territories. They also include audio and video clips from BBC archives.

Countries of the World (Infoplease) features country facts, maps, flags, statistics and more.

Encyclopedia of the Nations allows learners to see quick facts through a short paragraph for the country of interest.

The CIA World Factbook was a reference resource prepared by the CIA for the use of U.S. government officials. It is no longer being offered online or publicly updated, but an archived version is available through the Internet Archive: The World Factbook (Edition: January 22, 2026).

The Library of Congress offers a digital collection of country profiles. These profiles are historic and for specific years, mostly in the early 2000s.

One World Countries and Regions has country profiles available and maps.

The Open Fact Book is an open source,  community-maintained successor to the CIA World Factbook. It offers comprehensive data on 254 countries and territories, compiled from CIA World Factbook, World Bank, and REST Countries.

The US Department of State website features a searchable database of country facts at state.gov.

WorldAtlas.com presents well-researched and entertaining content on geography (including world maps), science, current events, and more.

Yale Library lists several websites/resources that include country profiles as well as overviews by subject: Yale Library Country Information/Country Profiles.

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How Can I Share Feedback

If you are teaching with these films, we would love to hear how they work for you and your students. Please get in touch with us by using our contact form.

How Can I Get Updates About New Resources

Don’t miss out! Get notifications about launches of new teaching tools and professional development opportunities. Sign up for our newsletter.

Updated February 17, 2026 to add Open Fact Book.

Teach about world religions with film to bring religious literacy to life in your classroom! We’re pleased to offer teaching resources for award-winning films from all over the world to help you teach global education and cross-cultural understanding, while deepening knowledge about religions of the world.

Follow the links below to get more information about these films and our free teaching materials from the Journeys in Film Resource Library!

Teach about World Religions with Film: Overview

The Story of God with Morgan Freeman, World Religions – For grades 9-12, higher ed, adult ed
In this docuseries, Morgan Freeman visits sacred sites and religious leaders all over the world. The Discussion Guide explores core religious concepts from major world religions.
▶ Learn more about The Story of God Discussion Guide.

Teach about World Religions with Film: Buddhism

The Cup, Tibetan Buddhism – For grades 6-8
Includes an introduction to Buddhism.
▶ Learn more about The Cup Curriculum Guide.

The Dhamma Brothers, Buddhist Vipassanā Meditation – For grades 9 -12
Includes an introduction to Buddhism and experiential meditation lessons.
▶ Learn more about The Dhamma Brothers Curriculum Guide.

Teach about World Religions with Film: Christianity

Francesco, Catholicism – For grades 9-12
Introduces learners to Pope Francis and issues within the contemporary Catholic Church.
▶ Learn more about the Francesco Curriculum Guide.

Rebel Hearts, Catholicism – For grades 7-12, higher ed, adult ed
Introduces the sisters of The Immaculate Heart of Mary, and explores their tumultuous history within the Catholic Church as well as their active commitment to social justice, along with the protest art of Sister Mary Corita aka Corita Kent.
▶ Learn more about the Rebel Hearts Curriculum Guide.

Teach about World Religions with Film: Hinduism

Like Stars on Earth – For grades 4-10
Includes a lesson on Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, celebrated according to the Hindu lunisolar calendar (between around mid-October and mid-November).
▶ Learn more about the Like Stars on Earth Curriculum Guide.

Teach about World Religions with Film: Islam

Children of Heaven – For grades 6-9
Includes a lesson about the Islamic Republic of Iran.
▶ Learn more about the Children of Heaven Curriculum Guide.

He Named Me Malala – For grades 7-12, adult ed, higher ed
Introduces students to the life, values and advocacy work of Nobel Prize-winner Malala Yousafzai.
▶ Learn more about the He Named Me Malala Teaching Materials (Curriculum Guide and Discussion Guide).

Resisterhood – For grades 10-12, adult ed, higher ed
One of the six figures profiled in the film is  Muslim-American Mimi Hassanein, a first-generation immigrant from Egypt and first-time political candidate.
▶ Learn more about the Resisterhood Discussion Guide.

The Neighborhood Storyteller – For grades 5-12, adult ed, higher ed
Introduces a young Syrian mother in a refugee camp in Jordan who embarks on a read-aloud project to raise a new generation of successful young women.
This guide also features literary connections to connections to Muzoon: A Syrian Refugee Speaks Out for grades 5-12 by Muzoon Almellehan with Wendy Pearlman.
▶ Learn more about The Neighborhood Storyteller Discussion Guide.

Wadjda – For grades 6-12
Includes a lesson about the Quran (for grades 9-12).
▶ Learn more about the Wadjda Curriculum Guide.

Teach about World Religions with Film: Judaism

Holocaust Education Collection – For grades 6-12, adult education, higher ed.
A curated collection of resources for teaching about the Jewish experience of the Holocaust with film.
▶ Learn more about the Holocaust Education Collection.

Resources of note in this collection for teaching about world religions include:

• The section about preserving cultural and religious traditions in the A Promise To My Father Learning Guide.
• Steven Spielberg’s behind-the-scenes story about a Passover dinner on set during the making of Schindler’s List in the Schindler’s List Curriculum Guide.

Teach about World Religions with Film: More Religions of the World

The Way Home, Confucianism
Introduces Confucianism and Confucian values.
▶ Learn more about The Way Home Curriculum Guide.

Whale Rider, Māori Traditional Beliefs – For grades 6-10
Includes lessons on Māori culture, spiritual beliefs, and Māori tā moko (traditional tatoos).
▶ Learn more about the Whale Rider Curriculum Guide.

Related Resources

Teaching Anti-Bias Education? Get more resources to teach Anti-Bias Education with film.

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How Can I Share Feedback

If you are teaching with these films, we would love to hear how they work for you and your students. Please get in touch with us by using our contact form.

How Can I Get Updates About New Resources

Don’t miss out! Get notifications about launches of new teaching tools and professional development opportunities. Sign up for our newsletter.

We are excited to announce our latest Holocaust Education Resources — new at Journeys in Film!

These Holocaust Education films and education resources can support you in teaching Holocaust education all year round. These materials are variously appropriate for elementary school, middle school and high school; they can also work well for higher education, adult education, public screenings and community group settings.

Holocaust Education Resources: New in 2026

Holocaust Education Resources: UnBroken

UnBroken presents the miraculous true story of the seven Weber siblings, ages 6-18, who evaded certain capture and death, and ultimately escaped Nazi Germany relying solely on their youthful bravado and the kindness of strangers, following their mother’s incarceration and murder at Auschwitz.  This Learning Guide includes three handouts: a primary source-rich handout focused on the Ringelblum Archive, an Empathy Map, and a Self-Care Wheel.

Learn more about teaching with UnBroken

Holocaust Education Resources: Holocaust Education Lesson Collection

Get the latest Holocaust Education Resources and new releases in our Holocaust Education Lesson Collection, newly launched in 2026! These teaching resources are designed to support you in mindfully teaching about the Holocaust with award-winning films.

Learn more about the Holocaust Education Collection.

Holocaust Education Resources: New in 2025

Holocaust Education Resources: A Promise To My Father

This short documentary film follows Holocaust Survivor Izzy Arbeiter as he travels back to Poland and Germany to honor the vow he made to his father: to survive, remember, share their story, and maintain their traditions. It’s a great tool for teaching about Holocaust Education, Healing through Recollection, and Acts of Joy and Resistance.

Subjects: Anti-Bias Education, Genocide Education, History, Holocaust Education, Religious Literacy / Religious Studies / World Religions – Judaism, Social Studies, World History, World War II History.
Lesson Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning (may be adaptable to other grades)

Learn more about teaching Holocaust Education with A Promise to my Father and get this Discussion Guide..

Holocaust Education Resources: The Fast Runner

In The Fast Runner, a young Polish girl comes of age in 1938 during the rise of the Nazi party and subsequently the Holocaust who faces a test of her beliefs. In addition to being a powerful way to introduce younger students to the Holocaust and its impact on Jewish communities, it is also a great tool for teaching about Human Rights, Media Literacy, and Resistance and Action.

Subjects: Anti-Bias Education, Civics, Community Service Learning, English Language Arts, Film Literacy, Genocide Education, History, Holocaust Education, Language Arts, Law, Media Literacy, Service Learning, Social Studies, World History, World War II History.
Lesson Grades:  6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning

Learn more about teaching with The Fast Runner and get the Fast Runner Learning Guide and Discussion Guide.

Holocaust Education Resources: Timeline of the Holocaust

This printable handout provides a brief overview of key events leading up to, during, and following the Holocaust, including the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany. It starts at 1918 and ends in 1945. It also includes additional resources.

This timeline is featured in our new Learning Guide for The Fast Runner. It also works well with out other Holocaust Education films: A Promise to My Father, Big Sonia, Defiant Requiem, Schindler’s List and Unbroken. it makes a great addition to any Holocaust Education or WWII History classes. For grades 6 and up.

Subjects: History, Holocaust Education, World History, World War II History
Lesson Grades:  6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning

Get the Timeline of the Holocaust as part of The Fast Runner Learning Guide or as a standalone download, both available on The Fast Runner film page in the Journeys in Film Resource Library.

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These new teaching tools make a powerful addition to Journeys in Film’s existing collection of Holocaust Education Resources, detailed below.

Additional Holocaust Education Resources

First-Person Stories

To help your students understand the impact, consider using a film that focuses on an individual caught in the maelstrom of Nazism.

Big Sonia

Big Sonia is about Holocaust survivor Sonia Warshawski, who was a Jewish teenager living in Poland when the German army invaded in the 1930s. She’s a woman who speaks to students and prison inmates about her story of unimaginable suffering — and she’s also a beacon of hope and resilience For grades 7 and up.

Get the Big Sonia Curriculum Guide.

Defiant Requiem

Defiant Requiem: The Film is about a unique chapter in Holocaust history when prisoners used music and the arts to sustain their spirits and resist oppression at Terezín concentration camp. For grades 6 and up.

Get the Defiant Requiem Curriculum Guide.

Schindler’s List

Schindler’s List is a powerful tool for social studies classes teaching Holocaust Education and World War Two history. This Oscar-winning film is also great for teaching Film Literacy, Film Studies and English Language Arts. Lessons include Nazism in Germany and the Building of the “Racial State”, Resistance During the Holocaust, the role of Righteous Gentiles in the Holocaust, and Antisemitism Today.

Get the Schindler’s List Curriculum Guide.

Professional Development

Anti-Bias Education Webinar

Our webinar about Anti-Bias Education: Using Media to Foster Critical Thinking and Combat Antisemitism and Islamophobia sets you up for success with Holocaust Education and Genocide education. The session provides an overview of anti-bias teaching tools and as well as strategies for dealing with difficult classroom situations around these topics. This webinar is available free and on-demand through Share My Lesson. Participants can quality for one hour of PD-credit.

Learn more about our Anti-Bias Education Webinar.

Stories That Connect: Using Film and Primary Sources to Build Belonging Webinar Series

Stories That Connect: Using Film and Primary Sources to Build Belonging is a professional development webinar series from Journeys in Film that focuses on Project-Based Learning (PBL) using primary sources, including documentary films, cultural products and Library of Congress materials. Participants will explore ways to foster belonging through compelling and engaging PBL experiences.

Learn more about the Stories that Connect webinar series.

Related Resources

Antisemitism Today

Antisemitism Today is a newly updated lesson about Antisemitism in the contemporary world. The Antisemitism Today lesson works as a standalone teaching resource and can also pair with other Holocaust and Genocide Education resources. For grades nine and up.

Download this lesson its own from our Schindler’s List page or from Share My Lesson.

Facilitation Guidelines

We also offer Facilitation Guidelines to create safe discussion spaces and lead productive explorations of difficult topics. These guidelines pair well with our film guides for classroom use. The guidelines apply to a wide range of settings and are free for everyone. For all ages.

Get the Facilitation Guidelines.

Navalny

Our Navalny Learning Guide includes a powerful lesson on online propaganda that pairs well with our Antisemitism Today lesson (above) for bringing Genocide- and Holocaust Education into the present moment. For grades 9 and up.

Get the Navalny Learning Guide.

The Music of Strangers

Our guide for The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma & The Silk Road Project features an engaging lesson on cultural preservation that is relevant to Holocaust and Genocide discussions. For grades seven and up.

Get The Music of Strangers Lesson 6: Preserving Culture in a Globalized World.

Holocaust Education Toolkit

From award-winning documentaries to tools for fostering critical discussions, our step-by-step guide on how to Teach Holocaust Education with Film can help educators teach the Holocaust authentically, inspire empathy, and honor the lessons of history.

1. Getting Ready to Teach Holocaust Education: instructional foundations & teaching tools for teaching Holocaust Education with Film.

2. Teaching with Holocaust Education Films: Award-winning films about the Holocaust with classroom-ready lesson plans.

3. Wrapping Up Your Holocaust Education Class: Tools for helping students process big feelings when you teach Holocaust Education.

Get this comprehensive Holocaust Education Toolkit at Share My Lesson: Teaching Holocaust Education with Film.

World War II Collection

Teach about World War II history using primary sources, personal stories, and the visual storytelling power of film. Featuring the codebreakers of Bletchley Park, the Tuskeegee Airmen, women at war and more, these award-winning documentary films and discussion guides work in classes across the curriculum for powerful project-based learning. They’re great for teaching History, US History, UK History, and WWII History — and also Computers and IT, Health, Psychology, Trauma and Mental Health, Women’s History / Women’s Studies, and more. For grades 8 and up.

Check out the World War II Collection.

Teach Holocaust Education with Film: Important Dates

Holocaust education remains timely and urgent. These educational resources are designed to help you teach Holocaust Education all year round. Teachers, especially history and social studies teachers, may want to teach with holocaust education films on important dates in Holocaust history, such as Kristallnacht (Nov. 9-10) when the Holocaust began. Educators may also want to teach with Holocaust education resources on the following occasions:

• Jan. 27—International Holocaust Remembrance Day
• Feb. 1-7—World Interfaith Harmony Week
• March 1—Zero Discrimination Day
• April—Genocide Awareness Month (U.S.) and Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month (Canada)
• April 23-24, 2025—Holocaust Remembrance Day or Yom Hashoah. (The date varies each year.)
• May 8—Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives During the Second World War
• June 18—International Day for Countering Hate Speech
• Aug. 11-12—Anniversary of the 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va. (This event is referenced in the Journeys in Film Antisemitism Today lesson.)
• Aug. 22—The International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
• Aug. 23—European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism
• Oct. 27—Anniversary of the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue Shooting. (This event is referenced in the Journeys in Film Antisemitism Today lesson.)
• Nov. 9—International Day Against Fascism and Antisemitism
• Dec. 9—International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime
• Dec. 10—Anniversary of the 2019 Jersey City, N.J., shooting at a kosher grocery store (This event is referenced in the Journeys in Film Antisemitism Today lesson.)

We hope these resources can support you in honoring those whose lives were lost in the Holocaust, honoring survivors and their families, and committing to education and remembrance.

Get Updates

Don’t miss out! Get notifications about launches of new Holocaust Education resources and other new materials. Sign up for our newsletter.

Celebrate stories of resistance, protest and activism with film. These award-winning documentaries about heroes, changemakers and everyday people who take a stand can inspire your students to get involved in civic participation and community service.

These real-life stories from around the world about people coming together to make a difference are also powerful tools for building community. These are empowering films for public screenings and community education.

Our free resources for these films are for grades 7-12 and higher education / adult education. The film guides include discussion questions that can stimulate engaging conversations in the classroom and public screenings.

Stories of Resistance: And So It Begins

This award-winning documentary is set amidst the Filipino elections of 2022. It follows Leni Robredo’s 2022 presidential campaign and the quirky people’s movement that rises to defend the Philippines against deepening threats to truth and democracy in a collective act of joy as a form of resistance.

The And So It Begins Learning Guide includes a powerful exploration of political corruption and civic engagement. For grades 8 and up. Available in English and Spanish.

Learn more about teaching with And So It Begins and get the And So It Begins Learning Guide.

Stories of Resistance: Crip Camp

Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution shares with insight, humor, and joy the experiences of a group of disabled teenagers at a summer camp for kids with disabilities and their journey to adulthood and activism that shaped disability rights.

The film includes footage of historic protests for disability rights that are important viewing for anyone who cares about effective activism!

We offer a Crip Camp Curriculum Guide that includes a lesson on The Strategic Use of Power, for grades 11 and up. We also offer a Crip Camp Discussion Guide for ages 15 and up that’s great for classroom use, community education and public screenings.

Learn more about teaching with Crip Camp and get these free Crip Camp film guides.

Stories of Resistance: Rebel Hearts

Rebel Hearts tells the remarkable story of the the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. From marching in Selma in 1965 to the Women’s March in 2018, they put their bodies and their vocation on the line to fight for social justice. Their bold acts of faith, defiance and activism turned the Church upside-down, helping to reshape our society in ways that continue to resonate today.

The Rebel Hearts Curriculum Guide includes a hands-on visual arts lesson on the powerful protest art of Corita Kent (aka Sister Mary Corita). The lesson invites students to express themselves through their own art projects. For grades 7 and up.

Learn more about teaching with Rebel Hearts and get these free Rebel Hearts lesson plans.

Stories of Resistance: Resisterhood

Resisterhood is a film about the power of women, hope and resistance in modern American politics. It follows six Americans from different walks of life as they fight for social justice on the streets and in the halls of power after the 2016 elections: a Muslim immigrant, an octogenarian Black civil rights marcher, the great-granddaughter of a Suffragist, a Puerto Rican power couple, and an LGBTQ activist. The stories of the six activists are great for building community and belonging. This film is uplifting, heartwarming and empowering.

The Resisterhood Learning Guide explores the stories of each activist and they different ways that they embody civic participation and working for change. It’s a powerful tool to start important conversations around voting, activism, and political engagement. For grades 10 and up.

Learn more about teaching with Resisterhood and get this free Learning Guide.

Stories of Resistance: Summer of Soul

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) is a celebration of Black Joy, Black Excellence, and Black Activism. The Oscar-winning documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson examines the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, and its line-up of iconic Black musicians and activists of the 1960s.

Our Summer of Soul Curriculum Guide introduces students to the music and musicians of the film, and explores the historical context of the festival. It also dives into how African Americans pursued social, political and economic equality. For grades 7 and up.

Learn more about teaching with Summer of Soul and get these free Summer of Soul lesson plans.

Stories of Resistance: The Crisis Scientists

The Crisis Scientists presents a present-day portrait of courageous climate activists working to galvanize policy makers and the public to save the planet. They are inspiring examples of how we all can take action within our spheres of influence to make a difference.

At seven minutes long, it’s a great teaching tool as a classroom warm-up or a prompt for reflective writing or group discussions.

The Mini Discussion Guide for The Crisis Scientists is available in two versions: for high school (grades 9-12) and for higher education / adult education. Each guide is available as a PDF and also as a Google Slideshow.

Learn more about teaching with The Crisis Scientists and get these free Discussion Guides.

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Related Resources

Teaching about Civic Engagement? Get more classroom-ready resources in our Civics and Civic Engagement Collection.

Channel your students’ enthusiasm into Community Service. Learn more about our Service Learning Lesson Plans plans for specific social impact issues like affordable housing, the environment, gender equity and more: Get Students Excited about Service Learning with Film.

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How Can I Share Feedback

If you are teaching with these films, we would love to hear how they work for you and your students. Please get in touch with us by using our contact form.

How Can I Get Updates About New Resources

Don’t miss out! Get notifications about launches of new teaching tools and professional development opportunities. Sign up for our newsletter.

We’re highlighting three films that celebrate heroes of computing to help you get students excited about computer and IT careers!

Teach about the Code Breaking Heroes of Bletchley Park

Breaking Enigma: A World War II Game Changer goes deep inside the top-secret, groundbreaking intelligence work that took place at Bletchley Park, outside London, during World War II.  It highlights the innovative computing and technology of the counterintelligence effort started in Poland, headquartered in England, and eventually including the United States, as well as the emphasis on secrecy, teamwork, and cooperation.

The film shares the stories of the ordinary men and women from all backgrounds who came together to decipher secret military messages scrambled through Germany’s complex Enigma machine. The film also draws connections to machine learning and artificial intelligence, and viewers track the long line of technological advancement brought about by war and applied in peacetime.

The Breaking Enigma Discussion Guide explores Bletchley Park’s Ecosystem of Success, Codebreaking in War and its legacy today, and Historical Spaces as Primary Sources.

Subjects: Community Service Learning, Computer Programming, Computer Science and IT, History, Social Studies, UK History, World History, World War II
Lesson Grades: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning

Learn more about teaching with Breaking Enigma and get the Breaking Enigma Discussion Guide.

Teach about the Women Code Breakers

Her War, Her Story: World War II explores how women filled vital roles in the Second World War. Viewers hear firsthand accounts from a cross section of women from the United States, England, France, and Germany — including the top secret code breakers of Bletchley Park.

The Her War, Her Story Discussion Guide includes a special focus on women code breakers. These resources make a great combination with Breaking Enigma: A World War II Game Changer.

Subjects: Community Service Learning, Computer Programming, Computer Science and IT, History, Social Studies, UK History, Women’s History, World History, World War II
Lesson Grades: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning

Learn more about teaching with Her War, Her Story and get the Her War, Her Story Discussion Guide.

Teach about the Pioneering Black Women of NASA

Hidden Figures celebrates the extraordinary determination and achievement of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, three Black women known as “human computers” at NASA in the 1960s. These women transcended the discriminatory biases of colleagues and community members to become leaders in the fields of mathematics and engineering — and send the first human beings to the Moon.

The Hidden Figures Discussion Guide explores The Women of West Computing and Career Choices in STEM (among other topics). It’s great for inspiring students of all background about pursing STEM careers. For grades 4 and up. 

The Hidden Figures Curriculum Guide features multiple STEM lessons. Of particular note is Lesson 8 on The Women of Science. Use this lesson in classes on Career Studies, History, Science, and U.S. History. This lesson is available to download on its own or as part of the full curriculum guide. Lesson 8 is recommended for grades 7-12.

Learn more bout teaching with Hidden Figures and get the Hidden Figures Educational Resources.

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Important Dates

Plan ahead to share these inspiring films with your students on the following dates:

• January 6 – National Technology Day
• February – Black History Month (Hidden Figures)
• February – Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month
• March – Women’s History Month
• April 27 – International Girls in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Day
• November 8 – National STEM / STEAM Day
• December – Computer Science Education Week

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How Can I Share Feedback

If you are teaching with these films, we would love to hear how they work for you and your students. Please get in touch with us by using our contact form.

How Can I Get Updates About New Resources

Don’t miss out! Get notifications about launches of new teaching tools and professional development opportunities. Sign up for our newsletter.

We are excited to announce our latest Environmental Studies Resources — new at Journeys in Film!

These Environment-themes documentaries and education resources remind us that we live in a beautiful and precious world to inspire learning about the environment. The lessons connect directly with key instruction areas.

Environmental Studies Resources: New in 2025

Environmental Studies Resources: Chasing Coral

Coral reefs around the world are vanishing at an unprecedented rate. In Chasing Coral, a team of divers, photographers and scientists set out on a thrilling ocean adventure to discover why and to reveal the underwater mystery to the world.

The Chasing Coral problem-based learning curriculum presents a three-part activity. Students pick an environmental studies topic that they are curious about. Then they craft a research question inspired by their chosen topic. Finally, they consider their own relationship to consumption and sustainability.

Subjects: Community Service Learning, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Human Development, Science, Service Learning
Lesson Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning

Learn more about teaching Environmental Studies with Chasing Coral and get this Curriculum Guide.

Environmental Studies Resources: Chasing Ice

In Chasing Ice, James Balog and a band of young adventurers go on assignment for National Geographic to the polar reaches of the world. They end up with something more compelling than photos when they captured the largest calving event that had ever been caught on film.

Chasing Ice is a powerful tool to engage the next generation in discussion around solutions to climate crisis. The Chasing Ice Discussion Guide is available in three different versions, appropriate for use in for middle school, high school, and higher education.

Subjects: Community Service Learning, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Science, Service Learning, Visual Arts
Lesson Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning

Learn more about teaching Environmental Studies with Chasing Ice and get this Discussion Guide.

Environmental Studies Resources: Chasing Time

In the sequel to Chasing Ice, Chasing Time follows photographer James Balog as he brings the 15-year Extreme Ice Survey project to a close. This 30-minute film spotlights the power of mentorship and the intergenerational effort to inspire hope and action toward a sustainable future.

The Chasing Time Discussion Guide and Learning Guide are powerful tools to engage the next generation in discussion around climate crisis solutions.

Subjects: Career Studies, Current Events, English Language Arts, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Film Literacy, Geography, Media Literacy, Science
Lesson Grades: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning

Learn more about teaching Environmental Studies with Chasing Time and get these educational resources.

Environmental Studies Resources: The Wild

The Wild tells the story of a race against time to save wild salmon. Fisherman/filmmaker Mark Titus returns to the wilds of Alaska where the people of Bristol Bay and its storied wild salmon runs face devastation if a massive copper mine is constructed. At stake is the survival of a keystone species that feeds 137 different creatures — including us — in a wild place that is the last of its kind on Earth.

The film introduces students to stunning visuals of the pristine wilderness that is the Bristol Bay watershed and to those who survive and thrive on the bounty of this salmon run. They also learn of the real and immediate threat to this unique place, exploring the issues and perspectives of a variety of stakeholders. By taking action, students can play a vital role in preserving this rare and valuable resource, as well as the lives of those who depend on the return of this healthy salmon run.

Subjects: Civics, Community Service Learning, Current Events, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Geography, History, Human Development, Media Literacy, Political Science, Service Learning, Social Emotional Learning, Social Studies
Lesson Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Learn more about teaching Environmental Studies with The Wild and get this Curriculum Guide.

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These new teaching tools make a powerful addition to Journeys in Film’s existing collection of Environmental Education Resources, detailed below.

Additional Environmental Studies Resources

Teaching about Oceans and Life Below Water? Check out our lesson on Whales and Echolocation in the Whale Rider Curriculum Guide. This lesson includes a fun class activity! For grades 7-10.

Elementary & Middle School Educators: If you’re looking for lessons for Grades 3-7 about the Wonders of Living Creatures check out our Celebration of Nature Lessons.

Elementary, Middle School Educators & High School Educators: If you’re looking for more Environmental Studies Lessons, check out Environmental Studies Collection.

Social Studies Educators: If you’re looking for creative ways to bring environmental lessons into your social studies classroom, we recommend: Teaching Climate Change in Social Studies.

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How Can I Share Feedback

If you are teaching with these films, we would love to hear how they work for you and your students. Please get in touch with us by using our contact form.

How Can I Get Updates About New Resources

Don’t miss out! Get notifications about launches of new teaching tools and professional development opportunities. Sign up for our newsletter.

We are excited to announce the Mood Classroom Mental Wellness Program — new at Journeys in Film!

These new mental wellness resources make emotional well-being a priority, so your students can thrive inside and outside the classroom.

Mood Classroom Mental Wellness Program FAQ

What is the Mood Classroom Mental Wellness Program

Mood Classroom is an innovative and engaging mental wellness program that empowers tweens and teens to manage big feelings with engaging music, animation and Mood Tools they can use every day.

At the core of the lessons are innovative mood tools, simple emotion regulation skills to help kids better understand and manage their emotions.

Why Use the Mood Classroom Mental Wellness Program

Each session is relatable, practical, and backed by proven psychological techniques, offering your students fun, engaging ways to handle a range of emotions—from small frustrations to bigger challenges.

What’s in the Mood Classroom Mental Wellness Program lessons

The Mood Classroom Mental Wellness Program lessons are in a Google Slideshow format. They are built around super short, entertaining videos. The videos are created by a team of educational animators who are experts in reaching this audience. The videos capture attention and reinforce messages with memorable, original music, created by Grammy-winning singer-songwriters.

The colorful illustrated lesson slides also include fun facts, affirmations, and discussion prompts.

In addition, the lessons include teacher notes with helpful info and tips for engaging students. No training or prep is needed.

What are the Mood Tools in the Videos

Mood Tools are are practical coping skills that are easy to understand and use. These effective, practical techniques  can be utilized daily to help control challenging emotions. They are straightforward skills that can be easily learned and repeatedly applied to alleviate intense feelings. These proven strategies are designed to help tweens & teens bring their feelings down to size. They were developed in partnership with child psychiatrists, educators, parents, and a team of teen ambassadors who are instrumental in making the tools current, relatable, and easy to use.

How can I use the Mood Classroom Mental Wellness Program in my classroom

You can use these short, easy exercises at the start of classes, to bring calm and focus to your classroom. You can also use them as classroom management first aid! Choose what fits your students’ needs and works best in your learning environment.

What Grades Is the Mood Classroom Mental Wellness Program For

Mood Classroom is created specifically for students in grades 3–8.

How long are the Mood Classroom Mental Wellness Program lessons

Each lesson is 20 minutes, to fit seamlessly into your day.

Is the Mood Classroom Mental Wellness Program backed by Science

Yes! The Mood Classroom Mental Wellness Program harnesses clinically proven emotion regulation modalities and simplifies them for better understanding and application. Mood Tools focus on three primary therapeutic approaches:

1. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) 

   DBT helps manage intense emotions and improve interpersonal skills with strategies including mindfulness, emotional regulation and distress tolerance.

2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

   CBT aids individuals in recognizing and adjusting inaccurate or negative thought patterns to approach complex situations more rationally and respond more effectively.

3. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

   ACT teaches individuals to cease avoiding or fighting their emotions. Instead, it encourages acknowledging and dealing with distressing feelings in a healthier way.

Where can I get the Mood Classroom Mental Wellness Program

Get free Mood Classroom lessons from the Mood Classroom page in the Journeys in Film Resource Library and learn more about supporting your students with this engaging mental wellness program.

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About Mood

Mood is a privately funded nonprofit organization based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its mission is to put free, fast, and effective emotion regulation tools in the hands of every kid — while equipping the adults who love and guide them to offer support, with clarity and confidence.

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How Can I Share Feedback

If you are teaching with this resource, we would love to hear how it works for you and your students. Please get in touch with us by using our contact form.

How Can I Get Updates About New Resources

Don’t miss out! Get notifications about launches of new teaching tools and professional development opportunities. Sign up for our newsletter.

Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with film plus our free educational resources! Combine classroom-ready lesson plans and discussion guides to make learning about world Indigenous Peoples part of your curriculum on special dates like Indigenous People’s Day (October 10) and all year round.

We are pleased to offer free teaching resources for these critically-acclaimed films.

Films to Teach about World Indigenous Peoples

New in 2026! Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with Film: Tough Old Broads

Tough Old Broads follows three trailblazing women broke barriers in their time and continue to pursue their passions to this day, including Inuit leader Siila Watt-Cloutier, who dedicated her life to fighting climate change. Her work at the U.N. resulted in the banning of toxic chemicals internationally through the Stockholm Convention. In 2005, she was the first person to launch an international legal action against the U.S. for its contribution to global warming, arguing that it violated the human rights of the Inuit. She was nominated for a Nobel Prize in 2007 for her work framing climate change as a human rights issue. Now 72, Siila continues speaking out to save her people and the planet.

This Discussion Guide  covers themes of Climate Change, Environmental Racism, Environmental Studies, Indigenous History, Intersectionality, Media Responsibility, and Women’s History. It works well for classes in Environmental Studies, Gender Studies, Indigenous Studies, Race Studies, and US History.

For grades7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning

Learn more about teaching about World Indigenous Peoples with Tough Old Broads and get this Discussion Guide.

Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with Film: My Music with Rhiannon Giddens / Teaching the American Railroad

My Music with Rhiannon Giddens Season 2 features Pulitzer Prize and Grammy winner Rhiannon Giddens hosting a series of musical performance and conversation with multicultural musicians in the Silkroad Ensemble’s American Railroad project. The project presents a musical exploration of the cultures that were first connected by the building of America’s Transcontinental Railroad.

American Railroad Instructional Guide

The American Railroad Instructional Guide brings accurate historical information regarding the development of the Transcontinental Railroad. The guide address the impact of the railroad’s progress on individuals and groups vital to the success of this national endeavor. Lesson 5: Native Americans, the Buffalo, and the Transcontinental Railroad explores the impact the railroad had on the Great Plain Tribes.

This lesson works well for classes in Geography, History, Indigenous History, Social Studies, and U.S. History.

For grades 6, 7, 8

Learn more about using these resources to Teach American Transcontinental Railroad History.

Get the American Railroad Instructional Guide to teach about World Indigenous Peoples from the My Music with Rhiannon Giddens / Teaching the American Railroad and get this lesson plan.

Teach with My Music with Rhiannon Giddens and Pura Fé

My Music with Rhiannon Giddens Season Two Episode Six features Native American vocalist and lap steel guitarist Pura Fé, who has both Tuscarora and Taino blood in her veins and generations of ancestors in her voice. She shares her personal background and musical journey in an episode that culminates in a Silk Road Ensemble performance of her song “Mahk Jchi”.

The Episode Six Learning Guide for My Music with Rhiannon Giddens Season Two Episode Six with Pura Fé can help you teach about about:

• Creativity and Curiosity
• Community and Creative Support
• Cultural Preservation and Reclamation
• Social and Scientific Constructions of Memory
• Language, Art, and Accessibility
• History of the American Transcontinental Railroad and Native Americans
• History through Music
• Music Lessons

This lesson works well for classes in Geography, History, Music, Social Studies, and U.S. History.

For grades 6, 7, 8

Learn more about using these resources to Teach with My Music with Rhiannon Giddens and Pura Fé.

Get the Episode Six Learning Guide to teach about World Indigenous Peoples from the My Music with Rhiannon Giddens / Teaching the American Railroad and get this lesson plan.

Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with Film: River of Gold

This documentary film chronicles the clandestine journey of two war journalists and their guide into Peru’s Amazon rainforest to uncover the savage destruction of pristine jungle in pursuit of illegally mined gold. The world’s largest and most diverse uncontacted or isolated cultures are centered in the Amazon. Lesson 5: Indigenous Amazonia of the River of Gold Curriculum Guide introduces students to the Indigenous Peoples of of Peru, Colombia, and Brazil.

In this lesson, students explore the complex relationship between indigenous Amazonia and modern South America. They will begin by learning more about the uncontacted tribes of Peru, Colombia, and Brazil such as the Mashco Piro, the Ticuna, and the Tupi peoples. The lesson includes a hands-on visual arts activity and a report project where students exercise  their research skills and write a report that outlines the emerging threats to uncontacted peoples and offer policy suggestions to move toward solutions that amplify voices and validate all people and experiences. The lesson also includes two printable worksheets and an answer key for teachers.

This lesson works well for classes in Anthropology, Biology, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Geography, World History.

Lessons for teaching with River of Gold are available in English, Portuguese and Spanish.

For grades 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning

Learn more about teaching about World Indigenous Peoples with River of Gold and get this lesson plan.

Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with Film: Searching for Amani

Set in a Kenyan conservancy facing extreme drought, documentary film Searching for Amani follows a 13-year-old’s pursuit of truth as he uncovers the invisible forces of climate change threatening his home and future. Climate change affects Indigenous communities, impacting practices, identities, and ways of life. The conflict between environmentalists and Indigenous people, in this case Kenyan pastoralists, lies at the heart of the film’s story. The Searching for Amani Climate/Environment Lesson explores issues raised by the film around Biodiversity, Climate, Colonialism, Economic Justice. Indigenous Peoples, and Human Rights.

In Part 1 of this lesson, students explore the complexity of the conflict through the eyes of  the film’s main character Simon, whose efforts to investigate his father’s death lead to frustration but also to a new understanding of the difficulties of pastoralists. Part 2 of this lesson helps students place current realities within the context of the colonial past. Part 3 of this lesson sheds further light on the challenges faced by Indigenous communities striving to maintain their traditional ways of life in the face of environmental crises driven by a shifting climate. Students navigate the complexities of these conflicts using a case study model.

This lesson features extension activities and five printable handouts, including a Settler Colonialism and Indigenous Peoples Worksheet and Teacher Answer Key, and an Indigenous Peoples and Climate Justice Worksheet.

This lesson works well for classes in Community Service Learning, Environmental Science, Social Studies, and World History.

For grades 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Note: This lesson was created with International Baccalaureate (IB) students in mind.

Learn more about teaching about World Indigenous Peoples with Searching for Amani and get this lesson plan.

Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with Film: The Wild

The Wild tells the story of a race against time to save wild salmon. Fisherman/filmmaker Mark Titus returns to the wilds of Alaska where the people of Bristol Bay and its storied wild salmon runs face devastation if a massive copper mine is constructed. Bristol Bay, Alaska is the last fully-intact wild salmon system left on Earth. It is also home to the worlds’ last functioning salmon culture. The Yupik, Dena’ina, and Alutiiq Peoples have thrived here since time immemorial because of Bristol Bay’s abundance of wild salmon.

Lesson 2: Saving Bristol Bay – Understanding Different Perspectives in The Wild Curriculum Guide invites students to develop a deeper understanding of the issues faced by the Indigenous Peoples of Bristol Bay and along with other stakeholders presented in the film.

This lesson works well for classes in Civics, Current Events, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Geography, Human Development, Political Science, Science, and Service Learning.

For grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

Learn more about teaching about World Indigenous Peoples with The Wild and get this lesson plan.

Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with Film: Whale Rider

Whale Rider is a narrative feature film that tells the story of a Māori girl who challenges generations of cultural tradition and assumptions about gender. Introduce students to the Māori Indigenous People of Aotearoa / New Zealand with lessons and class activities across the curriculum.

The Whale Rider Curriculum Guide features multiple lessons exploring Māori traditions and culture:

• Who Are the Māori (Geography, Human Geography, Social Studies, World History)
• Traditional Māori Beliefs (English Language Arts, Religious Literacy, Religious Studies, Social Studies, World History, World Religions)
• Māori Roles and Relationships (English Language Arts, Visual Literacy)
• Insights into Māori Culture (Film-Specific Cross-Cultural Understanding)
• Markings of the Māori: Ta Moko (Art, Studio Arts, Visual Arts)

Bonus: For a film-book pairing, teach the Whale Rider movie with the book it was based on, The Whale Rider by Māori writer Witi Ihimaera.

For grades 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

Learn more about teaching about World Indigenous Peoples with Whale Rider and get these lesson plans.

Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with Film: Sugarcane — Coming Soon to Journeys in Film

Award-winning documentary Sugarcane follows a ground-breaking investigation into abuse and death at an Indian residential school.

Learn more about teaching about World Indigenous Peoples with Sugarcane.

Teaching resources for this powerful film are coming soon to Journeys in Film! To be the first to hear when we launch new educational resources for Sugarcane and other films, sign up for our newsletter.

Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with Film: Important Dates

These educational resources are designed to help you teach about World Indigenous Peoples all year round. Educators may find these materials are particularly useful on the following important dates:

• 2022–2032 International Decade of Indigenous Languages
• March 24 International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims
• June National Indigenous History Month (Canada)
• June 21 National Indigenous Peoples Day (Canada)
• July Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Mental Health Awareness Month
• August 9 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
• September 22-26 Truth and Reconciliation Week (Canada)
• October Native American Heritage Month
• October 10 Indigenous People’s Day
• November Native American/Alaska Native Heritage Month
• November (day after Thanksgiving) Native American Heritage Day

Related Reading

Learn how Indigenous storytelling is essential to counter erasure and reclaim history in Sugarcane co-director Julian Brave NoiseCat’s article for The Walrus: How Media Can Help Bring Indigenous Traditions Back to Life.

Related Resources

Teaching about Community, Inclusion, and Anti-Bias Education? Get more resources to teach Anti-Bias Education with film.

Get Updates

Don’t miss out! Get notifications about launches of new additions to this resource collection and other new materials. Sign up for our newsletter.

This article was updated November 2025.

We’re pleased to introduce our collection of Majority Rules Teaching Resources, new at Journeys in Film!

Majority Rules is a documentary that asks: What if changing the way we vote could change everything?

Get these new educational resources now from the Majority Rules page in the Journeys in Film Resource Library — or keep reading to learn more!

Majority Rules Teaching Resources FAQ

Why Use Majority Rules Teaching Resources In Your Classroom

Majority Rules illustrates how voters can reclaim power and bring about fairer, more representative elections, through the lens of Alaska’s groundbreaking election reforms. At a time when confidence in democracy is at historic lows, this award-winning documentary offers a clear, compelling look at a real solution.

What Ages Is This Film For

Majority Rules is not rated. We recommend it for ages 13 and up.

What Kind of Majority Rules Teaching Resources Are Available

1. Majority Rules Teaching Resources: Learning Guide

The Learning Guide encourages students to explore this driving question: What do you want from your government?

The printer-friendly guide features Key Questions, Useful Terms, and Extension Activities. It is available in PDF and Google Slideshow formats.

Subjects: Civics, Current Events, Government, Political Science, Social Studies.
Designed for: Grades 8-12.

2. Majority Rules Teaching Resources: Discussion Guide

The Discussion Guide includes:

• Background information on primary elections and ranked choice voting in comparison to traditional voting.
• Maps and graphics related to ranked choice voting.
• Discussion questions.

Subjects: Government, Political Science.
Designed for: International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced Placement (AP) Government Classes, Higher Education, and Community Learning Environments

3. Majority Rules Teaching Resources: Candidate Memo Assignment | Assignment / Student Activity

In this assignment, students write two candidate memos. Each memo outlines a strategic plan for a hypothetical candidate running in the primary for a U.S. Senate. The memos will analyze the Race Overview, Target Voters, Messaging, and Tactics.

The first memo should be written for a candidate running in a traditional primary where the candidate is only competing against members of the same political party. The second memo should be written for a candidate running in a system like they have in Alaska (i.e. a top-4 primary that will be followed by a general election that uses ranked choice voting).

The PDF includes the Student Assignment and Instructor Grading Rubric.

Subjects: Government, Political Science.
Designed for: International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced Placement (AP) Government Classes, Higher Education, and Community Learning Environments

4. Majority Rules Teaching Resources: Essay Question | Assignment / Student Activity

This essay assignment asks students to consider how implementing the Alaska system (i.e., a top-4 primary combined with ranked-choice voting in the general) could change how campaigns for Congress are run in their state.

This critical thinking and writing exercise can work as an in-class student activity or a take-home writing assignment.

The PDF includes the Student Assignment and Instructor Grading Rubric.

Subjects: Government, Political Science.
Designed for: International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced Placement (AP) Government Classes, Higher Education, and Community Learning Environments

Who Should Teach with Majority Rules Teaching Resources

These resources are best for Grades 8-12, International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced Placement (AP) Government Classes, higher education and adult learning communities. They are also great for after school clubs, community education, service learning spaces and public screenings.

What Classes do the Majority Rules Teaching Resources Work In

These resources are suitable for classes in: Civics, Current Events, Government, Political Science, Social Studies, including International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced Placement (AP) Government Classes.

Tell Me More About Majority Rules

Majority Rules asks: What if changing the way we vote could change everything? With America’s democratic experiment mired in division and dysfunction, the state of Alaska votes to revolutionize their election system. The surprising results spark new alliances, a growing call for election reform, and fierce pushback from political parties. Could changing how Americans vote also change politics for the better?

How Long is Majority Rules

Two versions of Majority Rules are available for screening.

1. The original theatrical release of  Majority Rules is 89 minutes.
2. Majority Rules 101 is a special 30-minute version for educational use.

Where Can I Get the Majority Rules Teaching Resources

Get your free copy of these teaching resources from the Majority Rules film page in the Journeys in Film Resource Library and learn more about teaching with this powerful film.

Where Can I Watch Majority Rules

Get the latest information on where to watch this film from the Majority Rules film page in the Journeys in Film Resource Library.

What Other Films Can I Combine With This Film

If you’re teaching about US Campaigns and Elections, Majority Rules makes a powerful combination with Dark Money and Resisterhood.

Where Can I Get Related Resources

Check out our related resource collections on Civics and Civic Engagement Collection plus our Student Election Class Activity.

Important Dates for Teaching With This Resource

• Election Season
• September 16th – Voter Registration Day
• October 27 – National Civics Day
• March – Civic Learning Week (dates vary)

How Can I Set Up Community Screenings

Small grants (up to $2,500) are available to support nonpartisan organizations, community groups, and academic institutions in hosting local screenings of Majority Rules.

Organizations can use this grant to:

• Cover venue rental and A/V costs
• Promote the event to your community
• Offer free tickets or refreshments
• Host post-screening panels or community discussions
• Spark civic engagement around electoral reform
• Leverage the film for fundraising for your organization

Get the grant application from the the Majority Rules film page in the Journeys in Film Resource Library.

What if I’m New to Teaching With Film

Check out our Teacher Toolbox to make teaching with film fun, easy and effective.

How Can I Share Feedback

If you are teaching with this film, we would love to hear how it works for you and your students. Please get in touch with us by using our contact form.

How Can I Get Updates About New Resources

Don’t miss out! Get notifications about launches of new teaching tools and professional development opportunities. Sign up for our newsletter.

Majority Rules