Big Sonia Product Description
What begins as a young aspiring journalist’s search for answers to his father’s death becomes a powerful coming-of-age story. Set in a Kenyan conservancy facing extreme drought, 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.
Film runtime: 56 minutes
Film rating: Not rated, appropriate for ages 13+. The film does reference violence and the murder of a family member.
This film will be available on the PBS app through July 7, 2025 and available on YouTube through June of 2029.
Searching for Amani Learning Guide
This guide is flexible. Key Learning Sections include a driving question, personal reflections, discussion questions, extension activities, additional resources and, in some cases, cross connections between sections. This makes the guide useful for classroom settings, hybrid learning, homeschooling, community learning groups, after-school film clubs, university discussions and more.
The guide includes:
Facilitation Guidelines
Letter from the Film Team
Communities and Climate Change
Reflection
Additional Resources
Handouts: Climate Crisis Timeline, Research Examples, Interview Tips
Searching for Amani Discussion Guide
- Facilitation Guidelines
- Letter from the Film Team
- Impact of Climate Change on Kenya (Environmental Science/Studies, Geography)
- Pastoral, Agriculture, and Urban Life (Geography, Social Studies)
- Conflict and Conservation (Geography, Social Studies)
- Role of Investigative Journalism (Journalism)
- Reflections
- Making A Difference (Service Learning)
- Resources for Further Study
Searching for Amani Climate Lesson
Climate, Indigenous People, Human Rights, Economic Justice, Colonialism, Biodiversity
Handout 1: Characters | Actions | Motivations (Film Viewing Guide)
Handout 2: A History of Climate in Crisis
Handout 3: Settler Colonialism and Indigenous Peoples
Handout 4: Indigenous Peoples and Climate Justice
Teacher Resource 1: Characters | Actions | Motivations (Prompt Sheet)
Teacher Resource 2: Settler Colonialism and Indigenous Peoples (Suggested Answers for
. Handout 3)
Searching for Amani Journalism Lesson
This Land is Your Land? Journalism Lesson
Handout 1: Native Land Research
Handout 2: Tips on Interviewing
Historical Context and Timeline for Kenya
This three-page handout features a map of Kenya as well as a brief timeline for recent Kenyan history (1885-present)
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Related Resources
Teaching about Africa? Check out our resources for teaching with Disney’s Queen of Katwe (Uganda) and The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind (Malawi).
Teaching about Climate and Farming? We also recommend Greener Pastures and The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind.
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Sustainable Development Goals
Journeys in Film supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more about teaching with UN SDGs. This curriculum guide connects to the following SDGs.
