Video still: The Lincoln School Story (Bullfrog Films) ©2024

Digital natives are now moving through the educational system, and as Gen Z nears graduation and Gen Alpha fills elementary and middle school schools, multimedia continues to grow as a meaningful component of the curriculum. The shared experience of watching a video helps deliver information to students simultaneously, enriching their collective learning journey. Features like scene selection come in handy when time is short, or to help target key portions of the material. Rewind and repeat make it easy to revisit crucial points, while pause allows time to process difficult points, unpack dense concepts, or prepare students for challenging material to come. Whether the need is to deliver information in an enjoyable format, provide succinct analysis of historical events, or dispense an innovative and possibly sobering look at the future, multimedia options can fill the niche.

Elementary

A Ramadan to Remember. adapt. from the book by Marzieh A. Ali. illus. by Najwa Awatiff. narrated by Ali Nasser. Dreamscape. 2024. 15 min. ISBN 9781666639315. $17.95.
PreK-Gr 4–Their new neighborhood does not have a nearby mosque, and Ramadan is not on Zain’s school calendar. With the help of his family, Zain begins to construct a mosque from cardboard boxes leftover after the move, creating a chance to explain Ramadan to curious neighbors his own age and to young viewers watching the film. The final six minutes include a glossary and detailed instructions for making treat bags with a mosque design. VERDICT A bright and comprehensive introduction to the history and traditions of Ramadan, Eid, as well as some Muslim practices.

Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage. adapt. from the book by Selina Alko. illus. by Sean Qualls & Selina Alko. narrated by Bahni Turpin. music by Ernest Troost. Weston Woods. 2019. 10 min. ISBN 9781338200508. $64.95.
Gr 3-6–Smooth and jazzy music, enhanced by Turpin’s soothing narration, presents the people and facts involved in the Loving v. Virginia case. Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter loved each other, but since Jeter was Black, their Washington, D.C., marriage was not legal in Virginia. They were jailed, released, and eventually filed a lawsuit that went to the Supreme Court. The 1967 decision allowed them, and their three children, to live “happily and legally” ever after. This video version of the picture book portrays Jeter and Loving in their daily life, as two people in love who only expected that their marriage be recognized in the state in which they wanted to live. VERDICT An excellent resource that makes the facts and background of this important case accessible to elementary school students.

Lola at the Library. adapt. from the book by Anna McQuinn. illus. by Rosalind Beardshaw. narrated by Deanna Anthony. Dreamscape. 2023. 6 min. ISBN 9781666549249. $17.95.
PreK-Gr 2–Lola, who has brown skin and dresses in a lot of pink, walks to the neighborhood library each week with her mommy to choose a book. Afterward, they stop for a juice for Lola and a cappuccino for her mom. Soft-edged illustrations glide by, showing Lola greeting a baby in a stroller, meeting a puppy, enjoying story time, and tucked in awaiting her mother’s nightly story—the best way to end her day! VERDICT A sweet and fun picture book read along that youngsters will enjoy.

Middle School

Bread Bike. Bullfrog Films. 2023. 19 min. ISBN 1961192071. $99 Rental and streaming options avail.
Gr 7 Up–Bouncy music accompanies slightly scruffy Sam as he smiles and pedals around San Luis Obisbo, CA, delivering bread from the artisan bakery he founded with friends. Sam, Matt, and Mariah are bakers and friends foremost, and decide that a larger bakery would allow them scale their dreams to become a positive force in the community. The film follows the trio as hard work, money, and some long hours culminate in dance parties and fellowship at Bread Bike Bakery, where seasonal and local ingredients are crafted into sourdough breads and more. VERDICT An upbeat addition with topics for business, economics, and entrepreneur-themed classes.

Fixing Food 2. Bullfrog Films. 2024. 36 min. ISBN 1961192195. $99 Rental and streaming options avail.
Gr 6 Up–Four films, each just under 10 minutes, examine how innovative changes can lower the carbon footprint for producing food. In “Food From the Air,” viewers learn about AirProtein, the high tech product created by Lisa Dyson, the fourth African American woman to earn a doctorate in physics. Building on 1967 NASA research, she created protein structures from plentiful elements (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen) and modified the smells and textures to mimic appealing foods. “Seeds of Resilience” is an eye-opening look at the Indigenous use of amaranth in Guatemala, and the potential benefits if U.S. farmers and consumers embraced this nutritious and adaptable grain. The other films feature a woman-owned brewery in New Mexico that sources native hops and corn, and a farm in Rhode Island, where they practice “regenerative agriculture” to sustain a restorative cycle. Each hopeful segment stands on its own, but combinations can ignite classroom discussions about sustainability. VERDICT This four-in-one offering delves into cutting-edge science, nutrition, and sustainability, sparking discussions of how modern farms might incorporate the wisdom of the past with the innovations of the future.

How Does Water Move Around?: A Book About the Water Cycle. adapt. from the book by Madeline J. Hayes. illus. by Srimalie Bassani. narrated by Tara Sands. Dreamscape. 2023. 30 min. ISBN 9781666640625. $14.99.
Gr 4-7–In this video, youngsters of varying skin tones and hairstyles explore details of the water cycle and its vocabulary, such as condensation and the names of cloud types, through simple, vibrant illustrations and occasional photos. Though some questions may strike older students as silly (is rain from crying giants?), they serve as a humorous introduction to more sophisticated concepts including the makeup of water molecules and the changing states of water. The final 10 minutes covers the importance of water conservation, a review of the spotlight terms, a project, and a glossary. VERDICT Illustrations and narration will appeal to young students, while concepts and vocabulary target older elementary and middle school.

Stars of the Night: The Courageous Children of the Czech Kindertransport. adapt. from the book Caren Stelson. illus. by Selina Alko. narrated by Helen Laser. Dreamscape. 2023. 34 min. ISBN 9781666640694. $17.95.
Gr 4-7–Somber tones of gray draw viewers into 1930s Czechoslovakia, where five children and their families navigate the tense years leading up to World War II. The children join the Kindertransport, where their rosy cheeks and green, orange, and blue sweaters are bright spots in an increasingly gray and black world. References are made to a man, unknown at the time, who helped coordinate a safe evacuation to London for 669 children, most of whom were Jewish. The second half includes details of the Kindertransport, the rescuer Nicholas Winton’s life, a time line, and a narration explaining what happened to each of the five children portrayed in the story. VERDICT Moving and inspiring, this video version of the book honors Winton’s lifesaving intervention, and the idea that individual action can make a difference.

The Lincoln School Story. Bullfrog Films. 2024. 27 min. ISBN 1961192128. $99. Rental and streaming options avail.
Gr 7 Up–Despite nationwide laws being passed to mandate desegregation in 1954, the city of Hillsboro, OH, still required Black students to attend a substandard and structurally unsafe Lincoln Elementary, rather than an equally close school attended by white children. Five Black mothers banded together and presented a petition, which later became a lawsuit. As the suit made its way through courts, a group of Black mothers and children marched to Webster Elementary every school day for two years, where they were refused entry. This documentary includes powerful interviews with historians and now-grown adults who marched as children, film clips, photos, and time lines. The context for Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education will help hold interest. Signage from the times (“no coloreds”) and some language may be worth discussion with students prior to viewing. VERDICT A moving and inspiring history of perseverance that highlights how a community peacefully stood up for fairness and necessary change.

High School

Greenwood: A Dreamland Destroyed. Good Docs. 2022. 44 min. ISBN unavail. $79. Streaming options avail.
Gr 9 Up–Greenwood, a section of Tulsa, OK, was a thriving Black community of about 11,000 people and included schools, businesses, a hotel, a hospital, the Dreamland theater, and its own newspaper. In 1921, a white mob looted homes and killed citizens. In less than a day, most of Greenwood was burned to the ground. Taped interviews with survivors, archival film footage, postcards, and photos provide tangible context for students. Actors portraying business leaders and other community members help transport viewers to the Oklahoma territory, from the end of the Civil War through to post-war growth of the Greenwood district. The powerful narrative and sometimes painful visuals (including some charred bodies briefly shown) are combined with shorter passages of dance, poetry, and song. In the concluding minutes, teen students ask questions that remain unanswered: “Who let this happen?” “What else do we not know?” That poignant conclusion relates the 1921 Tulsa race massacre to current social justice concerns. VERDICT Though at times difficult to watch, the acted narratives and survivor interviews help frame the events and provide information about an atrocity that was, for many years, left out of Oklahoma and U.S. history.

In Search of Resolution. Video Project. 2023. 76 min. ISBN unavail. $99. Streaming options avail.
Gr 9 Up–The use of nuclear weapons has always been a possibility, but as the devastation in 1945 recedes from collective memory, the United Nations convenes to develop the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons—an enforceable agreement to not develop, test, or use nuclear weapons. Viewpoints come in the form of interviews with professors, diplomats, and representatives from peace-seeking organizations, along with historic speeches by Putin and other political leaders worldwide. The film blends current interviews and news coverage from the last 40 years, interspersed with occasional clips from the 1940s. Several minutes of grim footage from the aftermath of Hiroshima and Nagasaki make the point that there is no “limited” nuclear war. The film ends with a hopeful appeal that leaders look to the promise of constructive alliances, rather than developing destructive weapons to ensure security. VERDICT A good resource for negotiation and political science topics, and a reminder to students that atomic weapons are not just something from “back then,” but could potentially be used today.

Inspire Me. Good Docs. 2022. 11 min. ISBN unavail. $79. Streaming options avail.
Gr 9 Up–Slyly funny, tongue-in-cheek Australian filmmaker Madeline Stewart asks why it is the duty of disabled people to inspire others? Stewart, who is missing one arm at the elbow, is both the writer and star of her humor-filled documentary where she interviews real-life Paralympians, presents facts about disabilities, and ponders what it means to be a “better example” of a disabled person. Stewart infuses the documentary with young adult irreverence and humor, delivering a “Be Yourself” message in an approachable and powerful way. But she doesn’t shy away from tougher topics, such as basing pay scales, expectations, or friendships on perceived physical limitations. VERDICT With charming humor every step of the way, this documentary palpably conveys Stewart’s underlying message of encouraging others to celebrate themselves as individuals, embracing both their strengths and weaknesses.

Manufacturing Chaos. Video Project. 2023. 45 min. ISBN unavail. $89. Streaming options avail.
Gr 10 Up–A compelling analysis of how society’s increased use of the internet, particularly with social media, has influenced significant events such as Brexit, Gamergate, the 2016 U.S. election, responses to COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine. Featuring interviews with a civic journalist, a disinformation specialist, educators, a cultural historian, and a political philosopher, the film distinguishes between misinformation—misleading information without malicious intent—and disinformation—knowingly and calculatedly false information. Students will be eager to discuss the expert opinions and research presented, and explore how they support or diverge from their own experiences. The film examines the personal and societal effects of constant connectedness, driven by algorithms described at one point as “crack for the brain.” Mesmerizing and occasionally profanity-laced visuals include social media posts, marches, YouTube clips, and news footage. VERDICTAn important examination of the internet’s role in promoting extremism, mistrust, and disharmony worldwide, and what it could mean for the future of democracy.

Regenerating Life. Bullfrog Films. 2023. 137 min. ISBN 1961192047. $99. Streaming options avail.
Gr 9 Up–In three 40-minute sections, filmmaker John Feldman (Symbiotic Earth) approaches climate change from varying directions: the vital role of water, the interconnectedness of all life forms, and the value of small farms. The overarching idea is that there must be a new understanding of climate change that doesn’t blame a single factor or propose a single solution. Scientists, farmers, and activists worldwide explain their theories and present evidence of how human shortsightedness and the pursuit of profit has disrupted the natural world’s cycles, and how restoring soil health and living in harmony with nature can rebalance the ecosystem. Most of the film’s extras are clips of various points from the film. An optional bleeped audiotrack is included, primarily to mask colorful language in a few clips featuring comedian George Carlin. VERDICTAll three segments of the film harmonize around the central takeaway that rebalancing natural processes will restore the biosphere, and is an achievable path forward.

Wade in the Water. Video Project. 2023. 62 min. ISBN unavail. $89. Streaming options avail.
Gr 9 Up–This energetic and upbeat film explores the world of Black surfers and surfing, from roots in coastal Africa through to current day. Home videos from the 1960s and footage of surfers on California beaches in the 2000s are woven throughout. Sections such as Origins, Pioneers, Challenges, and The Future mark broad topics, providing a comprehensive overview of the subject. Spirituality is also covered, highlighting the surfers’ profound connection to the ocean, described as a “homecoming.” While examples of prejudice are acknowledged, including references to the n-word, the interviews, historic footage, testimonials, and music mainly convey joy and a desire to share the life-changing impact of surfing on Black lives. VERDICTAmple surfing footage and interviews will engage teen viewers, while topics surrounding slavery, discrimination, social justice, lifting up others within a community, and personal confidence offer curricular connection.

Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX.