Hillary Chybinski: How a Movie Can Inspire Learning

Friday, February 03, 2012

How a Movie Can Inspire Learning

We had the opportunity (thanks once again to Jersey Family Fun) to see the premiere of Big Miracle.


If you are not familiar, Big Miracle stars Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski, and is the story about a family of whales trapped beneath the ice in Alaska. The movie is inspired by a true story.

The movie is rated PG - for language. There is a lot of "hells, shits and damns" and you can hear them quite clearly. I chose not to bring Owen as his attention span for 2 hours is not that great still, so it was a movie date for Ryan and I.


Despite an independence mishap, we both really enjoyed the movie and had a wonderful time.

Ryan was full of questions when we got int he car.  He was truly interested in the fact that something like this really happened.  He asked me if I remembered it. . .and sadly, I don't.

So, we looked it up. It would seem that in October of 1988, an Inuit hunter discovered three grey whales trapped in the ice in the Beaufort Sea near Point Barrow in Alaska. Just like the movie. The movie deviates from true life in many of the other aspects - creating a more entertaining story. The end result is that the Soviet Union DID help free the whales. The efforts cost the US approximately $1 million and was criticized by some scientists. Two of the three whales made it out of the ice into open water.

As for the movie - there is plenty of drama, some romance and a happy ending. The cast is well done, the scenery is gorgeous, and it brings a whole new way of life to light.

What I loved the most, was that this movie inspired my child to learn. To learn more about whales,  to find the original book the movie was based on, and to learn about the facts the movie was based on.  Sometimes a movie is more than just entertainment.


If you see Big Miracle (and I HIGHLY suggest you do), stop by and tell me what you thought!

catch you soon -

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