Now that you have watched Whale Shark Jack, you are going to take time to reflect on your response to the film and explore the ideas, moments and choices that have stayed with you. You will develop vocabulary for talking about the film, consider what makes particular moments significant, and begin to identify ideas that you will return to throughout your study.

Reflect

Take a moment to think about your first impressions of Whale Shark Jack. Consider what stood out to you, what you discovered, and what questions you still have after watching the film.

Complete these sentence starters, writing each idea on a separate sticky note (or scrap of paper):

• Something that stood out to me was...
• I was surprised that...
• One thing I learned was...
• I still want to know...

Place your notes in a box. Your teacher will read a selection aloud.

As a class, discuss:

• ideas that came up more than once.
• responses that surprised you.
• different ways people responded to the film.
• questions that remain unanswered.

Finish by turning to a partner and sharing one moment from the film that you think you'll remember most, and explain why it stood out.

Reflect

The words we choose can help us communicate our ideas about a film. In Activity 1, you shared your first impressions of Whale Shark Jack. Look back at the ideas you shared. Think about the words used to explain your responses.

With a partner, choose one idea from Activity 1 and discuss:

• What words could we use to describe this idea more precisely?
• What other words could help us explain what we noticed?
• Are there words that describe not just what happened, but how the film presented it?

Record words and phrases that help you explain and expand your idea.

Explore

Now explore the vocabulary that could be used to describe different aspects of Whale Shark Jack.

In small groups, build a word bank for each of these areas:

• Story – what happens to Sarah, the challenges she faces and how her experiences change her.
• Characters – Sarah, her family, the people she meets and Jack.
• Adventure – the challenges, discoveries and exciting moments.
• Setting – the ocean, Exmouth and the Ningaloo Coast.
• Mood – how the film feels at different moments and how the mood changes.
• Film techniques – the way the story is presented through images, sounds, camera work and underwater scenes.  

As you build your word bank, challenge yourselves:

• Can you find a more precise word?
• Does this word describe something specific in the film?
• Could you use this word to explain an idea later?

Create

Combine your group’s ideas into a vocabulary bank that you can use throughout your study of Whale Shark Jack.

Share your word bank with another group.

• Which words appear more than once?
• Which words are the most precise or interesting?
• Which words help you describe something specific about the film?
• Which words might help you explain or analyse the film later?

Add useful words from the other group to your own vocabulary bank.

Keep adding to this vocabulary bank throughout your study of Whale Shark Jack. You will use these words in later activities when describing and analysing the film.

Create

Design a visual response to Whale Shark Jack for someone who has not seen the film. Create six frames that capture significant moments, images or ideas.

For each frame, include:

• a short caption.
• one or two words from your vocabulary bank.
• a question or idea that the frame raises.

Explore

Your six frames show what you think is important about Whale Shark Jack. As a class, compare your visual responses to identify recurring moments, images and ideas. As you share, discuss:

• the moments, images and ideas that appear more than once.
• connections between the different responses.
• what these choices suggest about what is important in Whale Shark Jack.

You will return to your responses at the end of your study of Whale Shark Jack to reflect on how our understanding of the film has developed.