'True Spirit' Lesson Plan & Worksheets | Grades 5 - 11

True Spirit Movie Study | True Story, ELA, Geography, Media Literacy, STEM & Growth Mindset Activities | Grades 5–11

Inspire students with the incredible true story of courage, perseverance, and determination in this engaging True Spirit Movie Study! Based on the Netflix film about Australian sailor Jessica Watson, this resource helps students explore themes of resilience, goal setting, risk-taking, media influence, and personal growth while strengthening reading comprehension, geography, critical thinking, writing, STEM, and media literacy skills. Through 30 meaningful activities, students follow Jessica’s remarkable solo voyage around the world and discover what it takes to achieve a seemingly impossible dream.

What's Included

• 30 student activities

• Printable student workbook

• Comprehensive teacher guide

• Complete answer key

• Reading comprehension questions

• Vocabulary and context clues activities

• Shades of meaning exercises

• Multiple-meaning word practice

• Geography and mapping activities

• Oceans, continents, latitude, and longitude lessons

• Conflict analysis activities

• Primary vs. secondary source activities

• Media literacy and headline bias exploration

• Counterargument writing tasks

• Risk versus reward discussions

• SMART goal-setting activities

• Speed, distance, and time math problems

• Data analysis activities

• Double-line graph interpretation

• Histogram and percentage practice

• Ship’s log writing

• News report writing

• Speech writing activities

• Creative reflection projects

Students will explore:

• Courage and perseverance

• Goal setting and achievement

• Risk and reward

• Resilience during challenges

• Media influence and bias

• Personal growth

• Decision-making

• Determination and grit

• Exploration and adventure

• Following your dreams despite obstacles

How It Works in the Classroom

This True Spirit movie guide is designed for flexible classroom use and works well for:

• English Language Arts lessons

• Geography units

• Media literacy instruction

• STEM enrichment activities

• Growth mindset lessons

• Independent work

• Homeschool learning

• Substitute plans

• Small-group discussions

• Cross-curricular learning

Students complete activities before, during, and after viewing the film. Lessons include vocabulary development, mapping activities, conflict analysis, media literacy tasks, mathematical problem-solving, creative writing, and reflective goal-setting opportunities. The included teacher guide provides a complete 90-minute lesson plan with differentiation ideas and extension opportunities.

Standards & Learning Goals

Students will:

• Strengthen vocabulary and language skills using context clues

• Locate places using maps, latitude, and longitude

• Analyze different types of conflict in literature and film

• Distinguish between primary and secondary sources

• Evaluate media bias and perspective

• Construct evidence-based arguments and counterarguments

• Solve real-world math problems involving speed, distance, and time

• Interpret graphs, histograms, and percentages

• Develop creative and informational writing skills

• Set meaningful SMART goals and reflect on perseverance

Supports instruction in:

• English Language Arts

• Geography

• Media Literacy

• STEM Education

• Mathematics

• Critical Thinking

• Writing Skills

• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

Why Teachers Love It

✅ No-prep printable resource

✅ Includes teacher guide and complete answer key

✅ Based on an inspiring true story

✅ Strong growth mindset and perseverance focus

✅ Integrates literacy, geography, STEM, and media literacy

✅ Encourages critical thinking and evidence-based reasoning

✅ Teaches real-world map and navigation skills

✅ Includes engaging goal-setting and reflection activities

✅ Flexible for classroom, homeschool, and enrichment settings

✅ Helps students connect perseverance and preparation to personal success

Teachers love how this resource transforms an inspiring true story into a powerful educational experience. Students build literacy, geography, STEM, and critical-thinking skills while exploring important lessons about resilience, courage, preparation, and pursuing ambitious goals despite obstacles and criticism.

Add this True Spirit Movie Study to your classroom today and help students explore perseverance, courage, resilience, and goal setting through an inspiring true story that encourages them to dream big, work hard, and never give up on their goals.