THESE FILMS ARE ORGANIZED BY THE SIX PILLARS OF CHARACTER
Teachwithmovies.org is a Character Counts “Six Pillars Partner”
and uses the Six Pillars of Character to organize ethical principles.
TRUSTWORTHINESS
Be honest; Don’t deceive, cheat or steal; Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do; Have the courage to do the right thing; Build a good reputation; Be loyal — stand by your family, friends, and country.
1776
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; Citizenship; SEL: Rebellion; Subjects: U.S./1750 – 1812 & Pennsylvania; Drama/Musicals) [11+]
The Adventures of Milo and Otis
Talking and Playing for Growth
(Trustworthiness; Respect; Caring; SEL: Friendship; Courage) [5 – 8]
All My Sons
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; SEL: Crime; Marriage; Father/Son; Suicide; Subjects: U.S./1941 – 1991; Drama/U.S.) [13+]
All the President’s Men
(Trustworthiness; Responsiblity; Fairness; Citizenship; SEL: Courage; Teamwork; Subjects: U.S./1945 – 1991 & Politics) [12+]
All Quiet on the Western Front
(Trustworthiness; Respect; Citizenship; Caring; SEL: Courage in War; Subjects: World/Germany & WWI) [12+ ]
An American Tail
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; Fairness; SEL: Courage; Subjects: U.S./1865 – 1913; Diversity & New York) [9 – 10]
Animal Farm
(SEL: Rebellion; Subjects: Literature/England; World/Russia) [6+; Literary genre: Allegory]
Apollo 13
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; SEL: Teamwork; Male Role Model; Subjects: Aviation & Space Exploration; U.S./1945 – 1991) [8+]
Au Revoir Les Enfants
(Trustworthiness, Responsibility, Caring; SEL: Coming of Age, Human Rights, Friendship; Subjects: World/France & WWII (Holocaust)) [11+]
Ballad of a Soldier
(Char. Dev. Courage in War; Subjects: World/Russia & WWII) [10+]
Beau Geste
(SEL: Leadership; Families in Crisis; Brothers; Subjects: World/France) [12+]
Bend It Like Beckham
(Trustworthiness; Respect; Caring; SEL: Breaking Out; Parenting; Mother/daughter; SportsmanshipBreaking Out; Parenting; Romantic Relationships; Subjects: Sports/Soccer (Football); World/England) [13+]
Billy Elliot
(Caring, Responsibility, Respect; Trustworthiness; SEL Breaking Out, Families in Crisis, Father/Son, Courage, Grieving, Friendship, Parenting, Grandparents; GLBTQ, Education; Subjects: Dance; World/England) [12+]
Breaking Away
(SEL: Coming of Age; Parenting; Friendship; Subjects: Sports/Bicycle Racing; U.S./1945 – 1991 & Indiana) [12+]
This is America Charlie Brown
The Birth of the Constitution — Short Subject — (Trustworthiness; Citizenship; Subjects: U.S./Creating the Nation) [9 – 12; 24 minutes]
A Bugs Life
Talking and Playing for Growth
(Trustworthiness, Respect; Responsibility; Caring; SEL: Courage; Friendship; Teamwork) [5 – 8]
Carmen
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; SEL Romantic Relationships; Subjects: Music/Opera; World/France) [12+] (In French with English Subtitles)
Cars
Talking and Playing for Growth
(Responsibility; Caring; Citizenship; SEL: Sportsmanship; Teamwork; Friendship) [5 – 8]
The Civil War
(Subjects: U.S./1860 – 1865; SEL: Courage in War) [12+]
Contact
(Trustworthiness; Caring; SEL: Grieving; Father/Daughter; Subjects: Religions/Judeo-Christian; Science Fiction; Aviation & Space Exploration; Mathematics) [12+]
Cool Runnings
(Trustworthiness; Fairness; SEL: Sportsmanship; Redemption; Male Role Model; Subjects: Sports/Olympics; World/Jamaica) [8+]
The Crossing
(Trustworthiness, Responsibility & Citizenship; SEL: SEL: Courage in War, Leadership; Subjects: U.S./1750 – 1812, New Jersey & Pennsylvania) [13+]
The Crucible
(Trustworthiness; Fairness; SEL: Justice; Marriage; Subjects: U.S./1629 – 1750, 1945-1991 & Massachusetts; Drama/U.S.) (Two versions, one in French with English Subtitles) [12+]
The Dawn Patrol
(SEL: Courage in War; Subjects: Aviation; World/ WWI & England) [10+]
Dear Frankie
(SEL Disabilities, Mother/Son; Subjects: Health, Literature) [12+]
Dr. Strangelove
(SEL Leadership; Subjects: U.S./1945 – 1991) [10+]
A Dry White Season
(Trustworthiness, Responsibility; Citizenship; SEL: Courage; Justice; Human Rights; Grieving; Father/Son; Marriage; Families in Crisis; Subjects: World/South Africa) [14+]
Einstein: Light to the Power of 2
(Trustworthiness; Caring; SEL: Self-esteem; Education; Families in Crisis; Subjects: Biography; Science-Technology; U.S./1945 – 1991 & Diversity) [8 – 13]
Empire Records
(Caring; Trustworthiness; SEL: Friendship; Subjects: ELA-Writing Exercises — Empire Records is best used as a Reward Film) [14 – 17]
Europa! Europa!
(Character Dev.: Human Rights; Surviving; Subjects: World/Germany & WWII) [13+] (In German & Russian with English Subtitles)
Ever After
(Trustworthiness; Caring; Char, Dev.: Romantic Relationships; Self-Esteem; Subjects: World/France and the Renaissance; Myths & Fairy Tales) [10+]
Field of Dreams
(SEL: Grieving; Father/Son; Subjects: Sports/Baseball; U.S./1945 – 1991 & Iowa) [10+]
Flags of Our Fathers
(Trustworthiness; Citizenship; SEL: Courage in War; Subjects: U.S./1940-1945; World/WWII) [15+]
For Love or Country — The Arturo Sandoval Story
(Trustworthiness; Citizenship; SEL: Human Rights; Courage; Subjects: Music/Jazz; World/Cuba and the Cold War Era; Biography) [12+]
For Whom the Bell Tolls
(Trustworthiness; Citizenship; SEL: Courage in War; Romantic Relationships; Rebellion; Subjects: Literature/U.S.; World/Between World Wars & Spain) [12+]
Galileo: On the Shoulders of Giants
(Trustworthiness; Respect; SEL: Brothers; Education; Subjects: Biography; Science-Technology; World/Italy & the Renaissance) [8 – 13]
Gallipoli
(SEL: Courage in War; Friendship; Subjects: World/ WWI; Australia and Turkey) [13+]
Gandhi
(Trustworthiness; Respect; Responsibility; Fairness; Caring; Citizenship; SEL: Rebellion; Peace/Peacemakers; Subjects:Biography; World/India, South Africa, England & 1800s – Cold War Era; U.S./Diversity; Religions;) [10+]
Gettysburg
(Trustworthiness; Citizenship; SEL: Courage in War; Leadership; Subjects U.S./1860 – 1865 & Pennsylvania) [10+]
Ghosts of Mississippi
(Trustworthiness, Responsibility, Citizenship; SEL; Courage, Justice; Subjects: U.S./1945 – Present, Diversity, the Law & Mississippi) [12+]
Glory
(Citizenship; Trustworthiness; SEL: Courage in War; Patriotism; Leadership; Subjects U.S./1860 – 1865 & Massachusetts) [14+]
Gracie’s Choice
(Trustworthiness; Caring; SEL: Alcohol & Drug; Abuse; Families In Crisis; Mother/Daughter; Parenting; Subjects: Health; U.S./1991 – present) [10+]
Gorillas in the Mist
(Trustworthiness; Respect; Citizenship; SEL — Caring for Animals; Courage; Human Rights; Romantic Relationships; Subjects — The Environment; Science-Technology; World/Africa) [13+]
Great Expectations
(SEL Romantic Relationships; Subjects: World/England; Literature/England) [10+)
Handel’s Last Chance
(Trustworthiness; Caring; SEL: Talent; Subjects: Biography; Music/Classical; World/England & Ireland) [6-12]
High Noon
American History and Civics Classes (U.S./The Frontier & the West, 1865 – 1913 and 1945 – 1991 (the Red Scare); Cinema; SEL: Marriage; Leadership; Courage; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility; Citizenship) [11+]
High Noon
ELA Classes (Literature/Myths of the Western genre; Literary devices: symbol; motif; foil; and expository phase; SEL: Marriage; Leadership; Courage; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Responsibility; Citizenship) [11+]
High Noon
Snippet Lesson Plan
Expository Phase ELA: Expository Phase [12+; snippet: 15 minutes, 20 seconds; lesson: one to two class periods]
Hoosiers
(Trustworthiness, Responsibility, Caring; SEL: Teamwork; Alcohol and Drug Abuse; Male Role Model; Father/Son; Subjects: Sports/Basketball; U.S. 1945 – 1991 & Indiana) [11+]
An Ideal Husband
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; Caring; SEL: Families in Crisis; Marriage, Friendship, Romantic Relationships, Justice, Redemption; Subjects: Drama/England; World/England) [12+]
Ice Princess
(Trustworthiness; Respect; Fairness; Caring; SEL: Breaking Out; Parenting; Mother/daughter; Sportsmanship; Subjects: Sports/Ice Skating) [9+]
The Importance of Being Earnest
(SEL: Romantic Relationships; Subjects: World/England; Drama/England) [12+]
Inherit the Wind
(SEL: Justice; Subjects: Cinema; U.S./1913 – 1929, 1945 – 1991 & Tennessee) [12+]
The Insider
(Trustworthiness, Responsibility, Citizenship; SEL: Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Families in Crisis, Marriage, Crime, Courage; Subjects: U.S./1991 – present, the Press and the Law) [13+]
The Invention of Lying
(ELA: Social Satire; SEL: Romantic Relationships; Moral-Ethical Emphasis: Trustworthiness) [13+]
The Jackie Robinson Story
(Trustworthiness, Respect, Citizenship; SEL: Male Role Model; Subjects: Biography; Sports/Baseball; U.S./1945 – 1991 & Diversity) [8+]
James’ Journey to Jerusalem
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; Respect; Fairness; SEL: Friendship; Father/Son; Subjects: World/Israel; Religions) [12+]
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Talking and Playing for Growth
(Trustworthiness; Respect; Responsibility; Caring; SEL: Coming of Age; Talent; Friendship; Courage) [5 – 8]
The King and I
(Trustworthiness; Respect; SEL: Courage, Education Subjects: Drama/Musicals; World/Thailand; U.S./1860 – 1865; Dance/Performance) [8+]
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
(Respect; Caring; Trustworthiness; Citizenship; SEL: Ambition; Families in Crisis; Female Role Model; Friendship; Subjects: U.S./1929 – 1941 (the Great Depression) [6-12]
Lawrence of Arabia
( SEL: Courage in War; Subjects: Biography; World/England, Middle East & WWI) [12+]
The Life of Emile Zola
(Trustworthiness; Fairness; SEL: Justice; Talent; Subjects: Biography; World/France; Literature/France) [10+]
The Lion King
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; SEL: Grieving; Redemption; Friendship; Ambition, Running Away; Subjects: The Environment; Science/Technology) [8 – 11]
The Long Walk Home
(Trustworthiness; Respect; SEL: Female Role Model; Breaking Out; Subjects: U.S./1945 – 1991, Diversity & Alabama) [12+]
A Man for All Seasons
(SEL: Courage; Male Role Model; Subjects: Biography/Thomas More; World/England & the Renaissance; Religions/Christianity; Drama/England) [12+]
Matewan
(Trustworthiness and Respect; SEL: Male Role Model; Fighting; Subjects: U.S./1913 – 1929, Diversity & West Virginia; Religions/Christianity) [12+]
Michael Collins
(Trustworthiness; Respect; SEL: Peace/Peacemakers; Courage in War; Breaking Out; Rebellion; Subjects: World/Ireland; Biography) [14+]
Midway
(SEL: Courage in War; Subjects: U.S./1941 – 1945; World/WWII; Seafaring) [10+]
Mrs. Miniver
(SEL: Families in Crisis; Female Role Model; Courage in War; Subjects: World/England & WWII) [10+]
Modern Times
(Trustworthiness; Caring; SEL: Surviving; Subjects: Cinema; U.S./1929-1941) [8+]
Much Ado About Nothing
(Trustworthiness; Fairness; SEL: Romantic Relationships; Brothers; Subjects: Drama/England) [10+]
The Music Man
(SEL: Romantic Relationships; Subjects: Drama/Musicals; U.S. 1865 – 1913; Dance/Performance) [6+]
The Official Story
(SEL: Parenting; Human Rights; Subjects: World/Argentina) [14+]
The Odyssey
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; SEL: Humility; Surviving; Marriage; Subjects: World/Ancient Greece; Mythology; Literature & Literary Devices; Seafaring [14+ for the movie; 11+ for the book. Literary devices analyzed: simile, metaphor, flashback; symbol]
A Passage To India
(Trustworthiness; Respect; SEL: Friendship; Romantic Relationships; Justice; Subjects: World/India & England; Literature) [12+]
Paths of Glory
(Subjects: World/France & WWI) [10+]
The Old Man and the Sea
(Trustworthiness; Caring; SEL: Friendship; Subjects: Literature/U.S.) [12+]
The Outsiders
(Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Caring; SEL: Brothers; Coming of Age; Courage; Fighting; Friendship; Peer Pressure; Redemption; Subjects: Literature/U.S.; U.S./1945 – 1991) [11+; Literary devices analyzed: expository phase; flashback; symbol; foreshadowing; Bildungsroman; irony; protagonist/antagonist confusion and theme]
The Pirates of Penzance
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; SEL: Romantic Relationships; Subjects: Drama/Musicals; World/England) [8+]
Quiz Show
(SEL: Ambition; Father/Son; Subjects: U.S./1945 – 1991 & New York) [11+]
The Red Shoes
(Trustworthiness; Citizenship; SEL: Talent; Work/Career; Subjects: Dance; Music/Classical) [12+]
The Rookie
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; Caring; SEL: Talent; Subjects: Sports/Baseball; U.S./1991 – present) [9+]
Ryan’s Daughter
(Trustworthiness; Respect; Caring; SEL: Trustworthiness, Respect; Caring; Subjects: World/Ireland & WWI) [15+]
Sarafina
(Trustworthiness; Citizenship; SEL: Rebellion; Human Rights; Subjects: World/South Africa) [13+]
Sayonara
(Trustworthiness; Respect; SEL: Male Role Model; Friendship; Romantic Relationships; Subjects: U.S./1945 – 1991 & Diversity; World/Japan) [12+]
The Scarlet Letter
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; SEL: Redemption; Romantic Relationships; Revenge; Subjects: U.S./1629 – 1750 & Massachusetts; Religions/Christianity; Literature/U.S.) [12+]
Schindler’s List
(Trustworthiness; Respect; Caring; SEL: Courage; Rebellion; Subjects: Biography; World/WWII) [15+]
Seven Days in May
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility: SEL: Rebellion Subjects: U.S./1945 – 1991) [12+]
Shiloh
(Trustworthiness; Caring; SEL: Caring for Animals; Father/Son; Mother/Son, Parenting; Subjects: U.S./1945 – 1991 & West Virginia) [10+]
This is America Charlie Brown
The Smithsonian and the Presidency
Short Subject — (SEL: Disabilities; Subjects: U.S./1750 – 1810, 1860 – 1865; and 1929 – 1941) [7 – 11; 25 minutes]
Stand and Deliver
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; Citizenship; SEL: Education, Male Role Model; Self-esteem; Subjects: U.S./1941 – 1996, Diversity & California) [12+; Literary devices analyzed: character, symbols, subplot, foils, and irony]
The Sound of Music
(Trustworthiness; Caring; SEL: Parenting, Romantic Relationships; Subjects: Drama/Musicals; World/ WWII & Austria) [6+]
To Kill A Mockingbird
(Trustworthiness; Respect; Responsibility; Fairness; Caring; Citizenship; SEL: Justice; Male Role Model; Courage; Mental Illness; Parenting; Disabilities; Subjects: U.S./1929 – 1941, the Law & Diversity; Literature/U.S. & Literary Devices) [11+; Literary devices analyzed: symbol; flashback; irony; humor]
Tora! Tora! Tora!
(SEL: Courage in War; Subjects: U.S./1941 – 1945; World/Japan & WWII; Seafaring) [10+] (Portions in Japanese with English subtitles)
Toy Story
Talking and Playing for Growth
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; Respect; Caring; SEL: Friendship; Teamwork) [5 – 8]
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
(Trustworthiness; Fairness; SEL: Friendship; Subjects: Science-Technology; World/Mexico) [12+] (Some dialogue is in Spanish)
War of the Buttons
Using Characterization in Literary Analysis
(Trustworthiness; Caring; SEL: Fighting; Friendship; Leadership; Parenting; Subjects: ELA: characterization; World/Ireland) [10+]
White Nights
(Trustworthiness; Respect; SEL: Breaking Out; Courage; Subjects: Dance; World/Cold War & Russia; U.S./Diversity) [13+]
The White Rose
(Char. Dev,: Rebellion; Courage; Subjects: World/Germany & WWII) [13+]
Winslow Homer: An American Original
(Trustworthiness; Responsibility; SEL: Talent; Grieving; Mental Illness; Subjects: U.S./1861 – 1913; Visual Arts; Medicine-Psychiatry; Biography) [8 – 12]
The Witness
(Respect; Caring; SEL: Caring for Animals; Breaking Out; Subjects: U.S./1991 – present & New York) [13+]
The Wizard of Oz
(Trustworthiness, Respect, Caring; SEL: Self-esteem; Friendship; Taking Care of Yourself; Breaking Out; Subject: Drama/Musicals; U.S./1865-1913; Cinema) [5+]