Disney Educational Films
While sometimes considered "watered down" or simplified, Disney does have some great films appropriate to explain real life historical events to children or help inspire their interest, here's a resource to help parents and teachers.
Disclaimer: I am not American so I wanted this to be a somewhat global list, so it doesn't include Johnny Appleseed etc.
Disclaimer: I am not American so I wanted this to be a somewhat global list, so it doesn't include Johnny Appleseed etc.
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- DirectorKevin HooksStarsLindsey HaunShadia SimmonsCarl LumblyA white South African girl finds herself in a difficult situation when she is sent to spend a term with a Black family in America.Focuses on the relationship between a white South African girl and a black African American girl. Deals with Apartheid and race. WARNING: The N word does appear at one point in the film, suitable for non-impressionable children and the tween age group.
- 1997–20231h 30mTV-PG6.7 (639)TV EpisodeDirectorKen CameronStarsSam WaterstonMia FarrowJustin WhalinA Danish family tries to help their Jewish neighbours escape from the Nazis.Deals with World War II and Neo-Nazism. As well as the story of families in hiding during the Nazi reign. Set in Denmark. While I have not watched this, it does have strong themes, so I'd suggest this is suitable for older children.
- DirectorEuzhan PalcyStarsPenelope Ann MillerKevin PollakMichael BeachWhen six-year-old Ruby is chosen to be the first African-American to integrate her local elementary school, she is subjected to the true ugliness of racism for the first time.Focuses on the Civil Rights movement in the United States and the true story of Ruby Bridges. Some teachers have used this as an educational tool in Grade 1 and 2. So it's certainly appropriate for young children.
- 1997–20231h 34mTV-G7.1 (592)TV EpisodeDirectorCharles BurnettStarsMackenzie AstinJurnee SmollettClifton PowellIn 1965 Alabama, an 11 year old girl (Jurnee Smollett) is touched by a speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. (Clifton Powell) and becomes a devout follower. But her resolution is tested when she joins others in the famed march from Selma to Montgomery.Rated PG. Parental Guidance is recommended for persons under fifteen years of age.
Sheyann Webb is inspired by the speech of Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech and becomes an avid follower. - 1997–20231h 35mTV-PG7.1 (1.8K)TV EpisodeDirectorNadia TassStarsAlison ElliottHallie EisenbergLucas BlackA television remake of William Gibson's classic play about Annie Sullivan's efforts to draw Helen Keller from her world of darkness, blindness, deafness and silence.Helen Keller begins her life, blind, deaf and mute, and by the age of seven is out of control in the Keller household. However, when Keller's parents hire Miss Anne Sullivan, Sullivan works with Helen, and eventually makes it possible for Helen to communicate with the rest of the world. On IMDB it says that it's M, however, I think it's more PG. It's appropriate but due to the physical struggles between Sullivan and Keller, it's best watched with a parent or guardian.
- DirectorAndrew AdamsonStarsTilda SwintonGeorgie HenleyWilliam MoseleyWhile playing, Lucy and her siblings find a wardrobe that lands them in a mystical place called Narnia. Here they realize that it was fated and they must now unite with Aslan to defeat an evil queen.While it features a great deal of fantasy, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe can be used as either a religious teaching tool, as it's based on C.S Lewis' interpretation of the bible or as a reflection of World War II and the impact it had in Great Britain. After all, the Pevensie children are sent away during WWII to the country, and are heavily impacted by their father's absence.
- DirectorRobin BuddDonovan CookStarsBlayne WeaverHarriet OwenCorey BurtonIn London during World War II, this is the story of Wendy's daughter, Jane, who is kidnapped by Captain Hook and Peter Pan must come to the rescue.Once again, another film that is set in a semi-fantasy universe, but touches on the impact of the Second World War. Jane's father is sent to war and Wendy is left to raise two children on her own in a war-torn country. As well as Jane's opposition to leaving London for safety.
- DirectorEric LaneuvilleStarsMorris ChestnutRobert AlexanderSteven AllenFollows the story of Ernest Green, one of the Little Rock Nine who were the first blacks to integrate into an all white school.Ernest Green was one of the Little Rock Nine. The movie is rated G.
- CreatorFiona McHughStarsZachary BennettLally CadeauMag RuffmanA young girl is sent to live with her late mother's relatives in Prince Edward Island. Set in the early 1900's, the series follows her adventures, as well as that of her family and the town's people as she grows up in Avonlea.Set on Prince Edward Island, Canada in the early 20th century, the film is centred around the young Montreal heiress Sarah Stanley who is sent to live with two wealthy aunts. Ideal for a Canadian lesson plan or for discussing what life was like in the early 20th century.
- DirectorGeoff BurrowesStarsTom BurlinsonSigrid ThorntonBrian DennehyYoung Jim Craig returns to his home in the Australian high country. He finds that things are not as he left them - his girlfriend, Jessica, is being pursued by another man, and her father, Harrison, doesn't want him back into her life.The Man from Snow River is a famous Australian poem and became an incredibly iconic symbol in Australian history. Ideal for an Australian lesson plan.
- StarsBob DoroughJack SheldonLynn AhrensA series of shorts illustrating various songs that teach multiplication tables, grammar, science, American history, computers, economics, and environmentalism.Schoolhouse Rock is a Disney TV series with a lot to offer despite it's age. They deal with multiplication, grammar, money, science etc. I would avoid the grammar section if you are a British or Australian teacher as grammar and pronounciation obviously varies from nation to nation.
- DirectorLes ClarkJoshua MeadorWolfgang ReithermanStarsJane FowlerPaul FreesClarence NashDonald's goes on an adventure in which it is explained how mathematics can be useful in real life. Through this journey it is shown how numbers are more than graphs and charts, they are geometry, music and magical living things.While old Donald in Mathmagic Land shows the connections between mathematics, music and art. Done in Walt Disney traditional format, it first aired back in the late 1950s, and people are still talking about it!
- DirectorDanny KaplanStarsAsa KalamaHow did the Imagineers create a realistic looking snow-capped mountain in Florida for Animal Kingdom's Expedition Everest? They started with a design process and models. Using real theme park rides and attractions, like Radiator Springs Racers and Toy Story Midway Mania, students will see how design and models are used to put things together and make them function. They will learn the steps of the engineering design process as well as how both physical and computer aided design models are useful.
- DirectorDanny KaplanStarsAsa KalamaNot all of the science that the Walt Disney Imagineers do goes into the creation of wild rides. When designing Disney's Animal Kingdom and each animal's habitat, they had to take into consideration each animal's unique adaptations. Join Imagineer, Asa Kalama, as he meets the animal experts at Disney’s Animal Kingdom to take a look at some animal adaptations in action. Students will discover the two primary types of adaptations – behavioral and physical – that help animals survive, and they'll get to see, and listen to, a variety of animal communication types. Now, that's wild!
- DirectorDanny KaplanStarsAsa KalamaHow do the Imagineers make elephants fly? Actually, it's simple... simple machines, that is! Here, the Imagineers give a new look at how levers and pulleys were utilized to create attractions such as Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Soarin' Over California. Students will see how levers and pulleys make work easier by either multiplying or redirecting the effort we put into them. They will identify the two forces involved in using a machine and learn to calculate mechanical advantage, given effort and resistance.
- DirectorDanny KaplanStarsAsa KalamaWhat powers some of the brightest attractions at Disney's theme parks? Electricity! From lighting the half million bulbs in Magic Kingdom's Spectromagic parade to transmitting electricity through water for the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Disney Imagineers show students how electricity brings some of their favorite rides to life. Students will learn the definitions of source, load, conductor, watts, as well as static electricity and its connection to lightning rods aboard the Disney Magic cruise ship.
- DirectorDanny KaplanStarsLauren EttaJosh GorinAsa KalamaWhat scientific principle is at work in every theme park ride the Imagineers create? It's Energy. The Imagineers reveal the role energy plays in popular theme park attractions such as Epcot's Test Track and the Mad Tea Party. Students will learn that energy is the ability to do work and that energy is constantly being transferred from one thing to another. They will also identify the difference between potential and kinetic energy and be able to establish examples and benefits of renewable energy.
- DirectorDanny KaplanStarsAsa KalamaWhat bit of science do the Imagineers turn to when they want to make a splash? Fluids! In this DVD, the Imagineers demonstrate how they use fluids to their advantage in constructing rides and attractions like Grizzly River Run and The Seas with Nemo and Friends. Students will learn that a fluid is any substance that flows or moves easily due to its molecular make-up. They will also discover how fluid dynamics help us learn how fluids move and behave and also how fluids can be used to create mechanical advantage.
- DirectorDanny KaplanStarsAsa KalamaDo Walt Disney Imagineers encounter resistance in their work? Of course they do... when it comes to friction! Here the Imagineers showcase how different types of friction- static, kinetic, and rolling - come into play when they're designing Disney's theme park rides and attractions. From rollercoaster wheels for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to the shape of a Disney Cruise Line ship's hull, the Imagineers can use tribology (the study of friction) to find ways to reduce drag. Students will learn the different types of friction as well as the roles that gravity and Newton's First Law play.
- DirectorDanny KaplanStarsAsa KalamaWhat is the force that puts the thrill in thrill rides? Gravity, of course! One of the biggest challenges for Imagineers in designing theme park attractions, like Disney's Rockin' Roller Coaster and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, is figuring out the best way to work with-and sometimes against-gravity's constant 1G force. Students learn to define gravity and explain the relationship between gravity, mass, and distance. Best of all, they will be able to apply an understanding of forces to explain the feeling of weightlessness on a rollercoaster ride. Cool!
- DirectorDanny KaplanStarsAsa KalamaWhich attractive force propels the launch of Rock n' Rollercoaster® at Disney's Hollywood Studios? Magnetism! In this DVD, the Walt Disney Imagineers demonstrate how they use magnets of all types throughout Disney's theme parks. From magnetic connectors that direct guests through attractions like The Seas with Nemo and Friends to playing back sound through audio speakers in Pirates of the Caribbean, Imagineers employ the forces of magnetism in a variety of ways. Students will learn about the attraction and repulsion of opposite poles, magnetic fields and domains, and electromagnets.
- DirectorDanny KaplanStarsMichael O'Shea BurkeTaylor Gray BurkeAsa KalamaNewton’s Three Laws of Motion are at work in virtually every Disney theme park ride and attraction. The Walt Disney Imagineers demonstrate how they use Newton’s Three Laws to create some of the most exciting ride experiences possible. From the thrilling rockets of California Adventure's Golden Zephyr to the wild twists of California Screamin', students will learn to define acceleration, friction and motion. Best of all, they'll be able to see first-hand the relationship between the motion of objects and the forces that act on them.
- DirectorDanny KaplanStarsAsa KalamaWhat scientific principle keeps coming up...and up...when designing Disney's theme park attractions? Trajectory! The Imagineers demonstrate how forces and motion play a leading role in creating rides like California Adventure's California Screamin' and Toy Story Midway Mania. Students will learn the definitions of projectile and trajectory, see how Newton's First Law of Motion relates to these principles, and how to apply the physics of motion to predict and control the trajectory of a projectile.
- DirectorDave BossertStarsBruce LanoilErnie Sabella
- DirectorDave BossertStarsBruce LanoilErnie SabellaTimon and Pumbaa learn they need more than a computer or a game console to surf the web - they need safety smarts! Our friends learn the importance of protecting their personal information, how to be responsible digital citizens, and what to do if they are bullied. Abstract concepts like the Internet, information permanence, and anonymity become easy to understand when our favorite safety ambassadors lead the way. Now, that's Safety Smart!
- DirectorDave BossertStarsBruce LanoilErnie SabellaTimon and Pumbaa go through the meaning of saving their environment, going green, and recycling
- DirectorDave BossertStarsBruce LanoilErnie Sabella"Get down, get out and stay out!" That's just one of the lessons Timon and Pumbaa share to help students understand what to do in a fire emergency. From smoke alarms, fire escape plans, and preventative measures such as not playing with matches, Timon and Pumbaa review their Safety Smark Checklist full of valuable and life-saving fire safety information.
- DirectorDave BossertStarsBruce LanoilErnie SabellaTimon and Pumbaa show students how to be healthy and fit with their germ-free philosophy. From the importance of hand-washing to making healthy food choices, Timon and Pumbaa's Safety Smart® Checklist is brimming with valuable kid-friendly lessons on how to prevent the spread of germs and maintain overall well-being. Now, that's Safety Smart!
- DirectorDave BossertStarsBruce LanoilErnie SabellaTimon and Pumbaa visit a water park as they go through everything there is to be safety smart about being in and around though water
- DirectorDave BossertStarsBruce LanoilErnie SabellaTimon and Pumbaa teach us all about being safety smart in our day to day lives.
- CreatorBill NyeJames McKennaErren GottliebStarsBill NyePat CashmanMichaela Leslie-RuleScientist/comedian Bill Nye explores various aspects of science for young viewers.With more than 16 Emmys® to its credit and legions of fans, it's easy to see why the "Bill Nye the Science Guy" show is one of the most popular educational series of all time. Beloved by teachers and students alike, Bill Nye and his unique brand of Way Cool Science make complex science principles accessible for all learners.
- DirectorPeter ZuccariniStarsJohn CorbettAn underwater adventure through the volcanic islands of the Pacific Ocean and the rich marine life living there.
- DirectorLouie SchwartzbergStarsMeryl StreepAn intimate look at incredible-and increasingly threatened-creatures that a third of the world's food supply depends upon.
- DirectorAlastair FothergillKeith ScholeyAdam ChapmanStarsJohn C. ReillyA documentary that follows an Alaskan bear family as its young cubs are taught life's most important lessons.
- DirectorAlastair FothergillMark LinfieldStarsJames Earl JonesPatrick StewartAnggunFeature-length version of the documentary TV series Planet Earth (2006), following the migration paths of four animal families.
- DirectorJacques PerrinJacques CluzaudStarsPierce BrosnanPedro Armendáriz Jr.Jacques PerrinAn ecological drama/documentary, filmed throughout the globe. Part thriller, part meditation on the vanishing wonders of the sub-aquatic world.
- DirectorAlastair FothergillMark LinfieldStarsTim AllenMeet adorable young chimp Oscar and his fellow mayhem-creating buddies, who see the world as their playground. Full of curiosity, joy and a love for mimicking others, these are some of the most extraordinary personalities in the jungle.
- DirectorKeith ScholeyAlastair FothergillStarsSamuel L. JacksonPatrick StewartMeet Mara, an endearing lion cub striving to be like her mother; Sita, a cheetah and single mother of five; and Fang, a proud leader of the pride who must defend his family from a rival lion.
- StarsBen KingsleyHannah Taylor GordonBrenda BlethynThe life of Anne Frank and her family from 1939 to 1945: pre-war fears, invasion of Netherlands by German troops, hiding in Amsterdam, deportation to the camps, return of Anne's father.
- DirectorDaniel PetrieStarsJason RobardsTalia ShireR.H. ThomsonDorothy Quick, a young girl, befriends the famous writer, Samuel "Mark Twain" Clemens, during the final years of his life.
- DirectorLara ShapiroMark HennWilfred JacksonStarsJames Earl JonesAlfre WoodardGeoffrey JonesConsists of new narration by James Earl Jones, which is interspersed with the Disney shorts John Henry (2000), Johnny Appleseed (1948), Paul Bunyan (1958), and The Brave Engineer (1950).
- DirectorLouie SchwartzbergStarsGeorge WoodardCharles Jimmie Sr.The Vasquez BrothersFilmmaker Louis Schwartzberg hits the road to capture America's people and its natural beauty.
- DirectorMartin RittStarsCicely TysonPaul WinfieldKevin HooksThe oldest son of a loving and strong family of black sharecroppers comes of age in the Depression-era South after his father is imprisoned for stealing food.
- DirectorJohn Kent HarrisonStarsKatie StuartDavid DorfmanGregory SmithA young girl and her genius kid brother are aided by three curious witches in their search for their missing scientist father, captive of an omnipotent otherworldly villain simply called 'It' whose evil is slowly infecting the universe.
- DirectorEric LaneuvilleStarsMorris ChestnutRobert AlexanderSteven AllenFollows the story of Ernest Green, one of the Little Rock Nine who were the first blacks to integrate into an all white school.
- StarsCameron BancroftErin CottrellKyle ChavarriaLittle House on the Prairie is a TV miniseries based on the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
- DirectorDebbie AllenStarsKeshia Knight PulliamPhylicia RashadDorian HarewoodAn orphan tries to use gladness to unite the people in a small southern town.
- 1997–20231h 40mTV-G6.6 (284)TV EpisodeDirectorLee GrantStarsKimberly EliseTina LiffordNicole Ari ParkerA disabled young girl from a disadvantaged home setting develops self esteem and success in life through Special Olympics competition. Based on the true story of Loretta Claiborne.
- DirectorGeorge MillerStarsLouis Gossett Jr.Chris SarandonChantal ContouriThis movie is the inspiring true-life drama of seventeen-year-old Niki Janus. After fleeing persecution in Greece, Niki and her family immigrate to West Virginia and begin living the American Dream. Among their friends is Big John Creed, a wise and helpful handyman. But Niki's friendship with him and her belief in freedom unwittingly bring the wrath of the Ku Klux Klan to her doorstep. Full of courage and passion, Niki challenges the powerful Klan and, at the same time, must overcome her own fears to help the townspeople survive a horrible flu epidemic.
- 1954–19971h 30mUnrated7.1 (236)TV EpisodeDirectorSimon WincerStarsWayne RogersMary Kay PlaceKieu ChinhA Cambodian family is given sponsored immigration to the United States where one daughter becomes a spelling bee champion.