Ivan the Incredible: Being Good at Something

Ivan is a marvelous character. His conflicts are so real and current. Every parent should see it. It will surely teach a lesson about respecting differences and accepting their children the way they are.

I. Complete the list with three three things that you are good at and three other things that you are bad at.

I am good at: _____________________________________________________________

I am bad at: ______________________________________________________________

II. Pair up with another student. 

1. Compare your lists. What do you both have in common? What don't you have in common?

2. What can you tell about your partner, based on his/her list?

3. Think about two things that you would like to be good at, but that you are not.

III. Read the list below and write 1 to 5 in the parentheses. If you think you are really good at it, mark 5. If you believe you are lousy at it, write 1.

( ) Computers

( ) Sports

( ) Math

( ) Languages

( ) Saving money

( ) Charity

( ) Writing

( ) Dancing

( ) Drawing

( ) Studying hard

( ) Reporting information you hear or read from other sources (people, news, stories etc)

( ) Understanding other people's problems

( ) Acting

( ) History

( ) Knowing about different countries and cultures

( ) Cooking

( ) Memorizing

( ) Remembering faces

( ) Remembering names

( ) Remembering dates

( ) Forgiving other people

( ) Admiring art

( ) Creating art

( ) Sewing

( ) Fashion

IV. Now circle all the items you wrote 4 or 5 and underline all the activities you marked 1 or 2.

V. Walk around the class and try to find the person with most similar choices as yours. Who circled the same (or most of the) items as you? Who underlined the same (or most of the) items as you?

VI. Was the result a surprise to you? Why?

VII. Watch the movie segment and answer the questions:

1. What did Ivan use to be good at?

2. How did he feel about that?

3. Why did he decide to be good at everything?

4. Was his father right to blame him for not being good at anything?

5. What is he good at now? Name at least 8 things.

6. How will he probably feel when the magic ends? Explain it.

7. If you could choose only one thing to be outstandingly good at, what would it be?

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - IVAN THE INCREDIBLE