- Suggested for children under 12
- Adult ideas for discussion |
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Journeys - the Circle of Life
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Why a circle? Draw a circle, a
square, a rectangle, a triangle and an oval on the blackboard.
What words or feelings would you use to describe each of them?
What does "Circle of Life" mean to you?
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The word "community" comes from
the Latin word "communis" meaning "common."
What do you have "in common" with those in your
"circle"? Weve been describing inclusive circles,
like the circles of your community or your classroom. But what
about exclusive circles - circles that keep others out, i.e. a
club that excludes women or minorities. How strong are these
circles? Have you ever been excluded from a circle? Can you
describe it? How did you deal with it? How can diversity, as
well as unity, help to strengthen the Circle of Life?
The Circle of Life symbolizes both the
interrelationships between individuals and nature and the
connections between individuals and their society. How can you
improve your connection to the natural world around you? How can
you improve your relationship with your community?
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Journeys
- Characters
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Nala
Why does Nala leave the Pridelands? Imagine
you are Nala - write a letter to your family, explaining why you
have to leave.
Scar
As a leader, Mufasa sees himself in a cycle
of time - he honors the past in the form of his ancestors, he
respects the present by protecting the Circle of Life, and he
protects the future in the form of his son. Compare Mufasa and
Scars vision of the past, present and future.
Imagine you are Scar being interviewed on
TV, or for a newspaper. How would you defend your actions?
Timon
and Pumbaa
What does Hakuna Matata mean to you? What
would be a "Hakuna Matata" day for you? Imagine if
your motto was "Hakuna Matata." Sounds great? Make a
list of all the things you do during the day - how would they
change if everyones motto was "Hakuna Matata"?
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Responsibility
Family Circle of Life Love
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With these ideas, create a real debate
between the two sides. How do their opinions differ? How are
they the same? Can the two sides be reconciled? Which does the
best job to convince "Simba"?
Compare the song "Hakuna Matata"
with "Circle of Life": how do they explain different
philosophies of life?
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Journeys
- Parents and Children
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Write a scene with your class about a
parent scolding a child about going into a dangerous
neighborhood, like Simba going into the hyenas lair. How does
the parent tell the child the right thing to do? How does the
child react? How can they come together?
How does the theme of Parents and Children
connect with The Circle of Life? How do parents and children
create a "circle" within a family? How is that circle
broken, and re-created, in 'The Lion King'?
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Journeys -
Anthropomorphism
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Read the names of these animals out loud:
lion, warthog (pig), hornbill (parrot), mandrill (baboon),
meerkat (mongoose), hyena, mouse, duck, elephant, wolf, lamb,
goat, cow, fox, cat, donkey. With each creature, give one word
that describes the animal. Write all the words. Which
characteristics are "real" and which have we learned
from stories?
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African and Jamaican folklore tells of Anansi, the Spider. Many legends call Anansi the first tale
"spinner" who brought the idea of telling stories to
the earth. These stories compare the spider web with a story.
How is a web like a story? Think about Circle of Life game - if
one "strand" of the story is dropped, what happens to
the rest of the web?
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