Gnomeo & Juliet - Film Education

Directed by: KellyAsbury

Certificate: U(containsmildthreatandinnuendo)

Running time: 84minsRelease date: 11February2011

Synopsis:BasedonWilliamShakespeare’sfamousplayofasimilarname,thisanimatedfilmtellsthefamiliarstoryoftwostar-crossedloverscaughtinthemiddleofafamilyfeud.Thekeydifferencebeing,ourheroesaregardengnomeswhocomealivewhenhumansturntheirback!GnomeoandJulietfallinloveatfirstsightbuttherivalrybetweentheblueandredgnomesmeanstheirloveisforbidden.sCantheytopersuadetheirclanstocallatrucesotheycanbetogether?

These Study Notes are suitable for KS1/2 History, Literacy, Numeracy and DT.

Gnomeo & JulietStudy Notes

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Before watching the film

1. UsebooksandtheinternettoresearchWilliamShakespeare,whoseplay‘RomeoandJuliet’providesthestoryforthefilm.Findtheanswerstothefollowingquestions:

z WhatdidShakespearelooklike?z DuringwhichperiodofBritishhistorydidShakespearelive?z WhichKingsandQueensruledduringShakespeare’stime?z Whatyeardidhewrite‘RomeoandJuliet’?z Whatarethenamesofsomeofhisotherplaysandwhichofthemhaveinspiredfilms?Lookoutforaspecialappearancefromtheplaywrightduringthefilm!

2. FindoutwhatgardenswerelikeinShakespeare’stimeandhowtheyhavechanged.Gardeningishardworkandthereisalottodotokeepagardenlookingnice.It’snotjustpolishinggnomes!Whatdoplantsneedtokeephealthy?Makealistofallthejobsagoodgardenerneedstodoandwriteaninstructionmanualforsomeonesotheycanlookafterarealorimaginarygarden.

3. InascenewhereJuliethastosaygoodbyetoGnomeo,shesays,“Parting is such sweet sorrow”.ThisisalinefromShakespeare’sRomeoandJuliet.Whatdoyouthinkitmeans?Howcansadnessbegood?Thephrase‘sweetsorrow’ isanoxymoron,when twoverydifferentwordsareused together todescribecomplicated feelings.Shakespeareusedmanymoreinhisplay,including:

z lovinghatez coldfirez honourablevillain

Useadictionaryorthesaurustofindsomeoxymoronsofyourown.Canyouusealliterationinone,justlike‘sweetsorrow’?

After watching the film

1. Shakespeare’splaysaredividedintothreegenres;histories,tragediesandcomedies.ThehistoryplaysareabouthistoricalfiguressuchasKings.Thetragediesareaboutdoomedromanceanddeath.Theyhaveverysadendings.Thecomediesareromantic,funnyandendhappily,oftenwithawedding.WhatkindofstorywouldyousayGnomeoandJulietis?Findoutwhatgenre‘RomeoandJuliet’was.

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©Film Education July 2011. Film Education is not responsible for the content of external websites.

www.filmeducation.org www.nationalschoolsfilmweek.org

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©Film Education July 2011. Film Education is not responsible for the content of external websites.

www.filmeducation.org www.nationalschoolsfilmweek.org

2. Designadreamgardenforanareawithinyourschool.Measurethespaceavailablefirst.Youcouldincludegnomes,waterfeatures,birdtables,flowersetc.Drawabird’s-eye-view,scalediagramofyourgardenwithpencil.Thenyoucanbuildascalemodelofyourgardenusingcard,tissuepaperandothermaterials.

3. Thefeudinggnomefamiliesarestubbornandcompetitive.Writealettertotheheadgnomes,LadyBlueberryandLordRedbrick,topersuadethemtoendthefeudbetweenthebluesandreds.Thinkofthebestarguments.Whatwouldthebenefitsbeofcallingatruce?

Written by Matthew Poyton