Up
- Grades: 6 to 9
- Common Sense Media: read the review
- CS strength: 1 out of 5
- SEL strength: 4 out of 5
- Rotten Tomatoes: 98% critics
What happens
Carl Fredricksen is an old man who has lost his wife, Ellie, and is about to lose their home. He ties thousands of balloons to the house and floats away to Paradise Falls, the place they always wanted to see together. Russell, an eight-year-old Wilderness Explorer, is stuck on the porch. They meet a giant bird, a talking dog named Dug, and a famous explorer who is not what he seems.
Why we watch it
Up is about grief, moving on and finding people to care about when you thought your adventure was over. The opening ten minutes are a sad, wordless story of a marriage, and some students will find it hard, so it is worth knowing ahead of time. The worksheet is all reflection, with no computer science.
Standards alignment
Answer key and teacher notes
- B What adventure do Carl and Ellie dream about as kids and promise to take?
- B How does Carl make his house fly?
- A Who is stuck on the porch when the house takes off?
- B What does Dug's special collar do?
- A At the end, what does Carl give up to save his friends?
Questions 1 to 3 are plot comprehension (use the order of the film). Question 4 and 5 read social situations.
CASEL focus by question:
- Self-Awareness: attachment, loss and what matters
- Social Awareness: noticing a lonely person
- Responsible Decision-Making: Muntz as a warning about obsession
- Relationship Skills: honoring a relationship and moving on
- Personal Connection: self-reflection
Content note: Rated PG. The opening montage includes Ellie’s death and Carl’s grief, which is hard for students who have lost someone. The dogs chase and threaten the main characters and Muntz is dangerous. Fine for grades 6 to 9, with a heads up about the opening.