Entering the Spider-Verse

Overview

In this first lesson of a ten-lesson unit, students establish routines for studying film and respond to a short opening sequence from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. They activate prior knowledge, distinguish plot from theme, and begin a shared vocabulary wall while making predictions about identity, belonging and responsibility.

Learning intentions

• WALT use film-study routines to record observations and questions.
• WALT distinguish between plot events and possible themes.
• WALT use narrative and film vocabulary accurately.
• WALT make and explain predictions using visual and spoken evidence.

Success criteria

• I can record specific details about what I see and hear.
• I can separate an event in the story from an idea or message.
• I can use words such as plot, theme, character, setting, audience and identity.
• I can make a prediction and explain which evidence supports it.

Curriculum links

• Crafting Texts — Audience and purpose: selecting and adapting planning strategies to improve clarity and coherence.
• Visual and digital texts — Practices: developing detailed planning to enhance the coherence and depth of visual texts.
• Visual and digital texts — Practices: combining language, structural and stylistic features deliberately for purpose, audience and mode.
• Working with texts: participating in discussion, responding to texts, and building meaning from visual and written features.

Lesson structure (50 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and prior knowledge. Teacher displays a striking image of a masked superhero and asks, “Can someone be more than one version of themselves?” using the opening question slide; students silently jot one idea, then share with a partner and identify what they already know about Spider-Man stories or superhero films.

2. 5–10 min · Establish film-study routines. Teacher explains that students will pause, observe closely, avoid calling out plot details, and support interpretations with evidence; introduce the class routine “notice, name, explain” using the film-study routines slide. Students copy the three-part routine into the film-study observation and prediction sheet and practise it with a still image.

3. 10–20 min · Focused viewing. Teacher previews the purpose and plays a suitable three-to-five-minute opening extract from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, pausing once to model an observation about camera angle, sound, colour, character or setting; students record three precise observations and one question on the film-study observation and prediction sheet. Remind students that observations should describe what is present before they explain its possible meaning.

4. 20–29 min · Plot or theme? Teacher defines plot as what happens and theme as a larger idea explored through what happens, then models the distinction with a neutral example on the plot-and-theme teaching slide. In pairs, students sort their notes into “plot event”, “film feature” or “possible theme”; they justify one choice using the sentence frame, “I think ___ because I noticed ___.”

5. 29–39 min · Vocabulary wall and collaborative meaning-making. Teacher introduces the terms narrative, plot, theme, character, setting, audience, identity, belonging and responsibility, adding student-friendly definitions to the shared vocabulary wall slide and a visible class display. Groups receive two or three terms, write a definition in their own words, and add an example or question from the extract; groups teach their terms to the class. Accept spoken, written or sketched explanations.

6. 39–47 min · Prediction discussion. Teacher displays the prompts “Who might this story be about?”, “Where might the character belong?”, and “What responsibility might become important?” using the prediction discussion slide. Students complete one supported prediction on the film-study observation and prediction sheet using “I predict ___ because ___”; students ready for extension make two contrasting predictions or explain how the audience is positioned to respond.

7. 47–50 min · Exit reflection. Teacher revisits the learning intentions and asks students to complete the final box on the film-study observation and prediction sheet: “One film-study word I can now use is ___; one question I have is ___.” Students hand in sheets or photograph their completed work for the next lesson.

Resources

• Screen, speakers and a pre-selected short opening extract from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
• the introduction and film-study routine deck
• the film-study observation and prediction sheet
• Whiteboard or shared digital vocabulary wall
• Markers or digital sticky notes
• Still image from the film’s opening
• Timer
• Headphones or a quiet viewing option for students sensitive to sound

Assessment

• During viewing, check whether students record specific observations rather than unsupported opinions.
• Listen to pair and group explanations for accurate distinction between plot, film features and theme.
• Use the prediction and exit reflection to identify vocabulary understanding, evidence use and questions to revisit in Lesson 2.

Differentiation

• Provide a word bank, icons, sentence frames and a partially completed example on the film-study observation and prediction sheet for students who need literacy support or are learning English.
• Allow students to respond through drawing, labelled notes, oral rehearsal or speech-to-text before writing.
• Pair students strategically and give groups clearly defined vocabulary roles: reader, recorder, evidence finder and speaker.
• Challenge confident students to explain how colour, sound, camera movement or framing shapes the audience’s expectations.
• Offer a quieter viewing position, volume adjustment and advance warning before pauses for students who are sensitive to sensory input.