Films pour enfants

Debate around the smartphone

Moral and civic education6-11 years old

Educational activity around the short film Seen

Expected end of activities

Exercise critical thinking skills to build your judgment.

Listen to others and justify a point of view during a conversation, debate or dialogue.

Seen

Seen © Katie Sung Lee

TitleSeen

ThemeFriendship

Genre & keywordsComedy, photography, meeting

Age (for film)6-11 years old

Duration01 min 30 s

DirectorKatie Sung Lee

MusicBrady Heyen

ProductionCalarts (United States, 2014)

Educational activities

The place of the smartphone in our society.

The characters in the short film are represented as “cyclops photographers”. It is quite easy to establish a link with our society and the smartphone. This short film will allow us to begin a real reflection around the use of the smartphone as an extension of ourselves. The debate is not so much whether this is a good or bad thing, but rather how and whether this tool has become essential to us.

The two characters discover the world and take photos automatically. This is their means of communication.

In class, we can propose a debate to the students around these three questions: 1- Why, nowadays, do we take a photo? (to keep track, to set a time, to share information...) and what tool do we use for this? (camera or smartphone). 2- What place does the smartphone take in our society? What is it for? 3- Is it essential to own a smartphone? Can we do without it?

The idea is not to give your adult point of view on these three questions but to be able to let the students express themselves and argue around these points.

We can broaden the debate around screens in general. When are they essential? When do they become optional?

What does the 4 step rule mean? No screens in the morning. No screens during meals. No screens before going to sleep. No screens in the child's room. For more information, the 4-step rule on Sabine Duflo's website...

Extensions possible

In literature,

  • “The screens,” Catherine Dolto and Colline Faure-Poirée, 2019.
  • “The screens” (My little questions collection)”, Audrey Guiller and Marie Mignot, 2017.
  • “Rue des amis: I’m addicted to screens”, Sylvaine Jaoui and Annelore Parot, 2016.
  • “10 days without screens”, Sophie Rigal-Goulard, 2015.
  • Another short film from the platform on smartphones: “Sisters”, Anchi Shen, 2014. A little girl comes to give a gift to her big sister who, unfortunately, has little time to devote to her...

Activity sheet written by: Dgedie. Discover the blog L’école des Juliettes...

children and smartphones. Pxhere CC0