Things we can learn through cinema

Data de publicació: Feb 14, 2016 1:28:36 PM

ith our English Time students at INS Cendrassos, we have gone through an exciting experience.  Once we finished learning types of film and TV programmes in our English classes, we decided to do a cross curricular activity together with Science and Music. 

We learn about John Williams, a great soundtrack composer who has been working with Steven Spielberg during many years, composing most of Spielberg’s film soundtracks. 

In English, we had a competition.  In groups, our students had to listen a soundtrack, and they had to guess the type of film and, if known, the name of the film.  They really enjoyed the game, actively participating in this activity and learning how different sorts of music can be linked to a type of film.  The winners received a fantastic Award, a recognition to their motivation, participation and good mood.

In Science, and through the famous Star Wars soundtrack, they studied the light speed.  They could see that in Science Fiction films, not everything we see is true.  They watched the part of the film where a spacecraft was supposed to take the light speed.  If a spacecraft really took that velocity, what our eyes would see would not be the stars moving the way they show in the film.

In addition, they realized that a laser sword might not exist, since a laser light is infinite, not finite.

These experiences have been of great value to all of us.  We have learnt new vocabulary and, above all, we have learnt who John Williams is plus some of his great compositions.