Akeelah and the Bee is probably not one of Disney’s most memorable films. That’s probably because it’s not a Disney film at all! So why is it on a blog dedicated to Disney entertainment? Because it was recently televised on the Disney Channel and it’s a prime example of Disney’s educational value.
Released in 2006, the Lionsgate/2929/Starbucks film boasts a star-studded cast which includes Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, and Keke Palmer. In the movie, Akeelah (Palmer) is a straight-A eleven-year-old seventh grader with a penchant for words. The school she attends in South Los Angeles offers little academic challenge, so Akeelah skips out on some courses that bore her and finds herself barely passing. To avoid detention for her many absences, Akeelah participates in a spelling bee and wins. Her mother (Bassett), though at first dismayed, allows Akeelah to be tutored and to continue in the program developed just for her.
Akeelah’s success and advancement in the spelling contests bring her undesired media attention that ends up uniting her community as they rally around her. Akeelah’s tutor, Dr. Larabee (Fishburne) teaches Akeelah as much as he can. He then gives her 5,000 new words to learn on her own. With the help of the whole neighborhood, Akeelah learns all the words, and makes it to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
The story exposes the dangers of letting bright kids slip through the cracks. If Akeelah’s principal had not taken creative steps to work with her, this smart little girl who enjoyed learning would have failed school.
As homeschoolers, we have opportunities daily to work proactively with our kids, our students, to spot their weaknesses and their strengths and cater to their educational needs.
I’m so glad Disney aired this film, even though it’s not one of their own productions. My six-year-old daughter loves words and books and stories. She wants so much to write sentences and paragraphs like the ones that fill the pages of her beloved fairy tales. When she saw the previews for Akeelah, she couldn’t stop talking about it. She watched the first airing. We recorded the second, and she has since watched it two more times. All day, every day now it’s, “Mommy, how do you spell [fill in the blank]?” And it’s becoming, “Mommy, I know how to spell [fill in the blank]!” This movie ignited a spark in my child, and we’re taking steps to help her achieve her reading and writing goals. Thank you, Disney Channel!
Today’s Takeaway:
Host a spelling bee in your home. Assign each child a list of twenty words to study. Pull the list from books they’ve been working with, novels they’ve read, science texts, etc. As we learn from Dr. Larabee in the film, vocabulary is not learned solely by rote memorization. The more we read, the more we learn. Coach your kids with their words. If you have several children at different skill levels, be sure to challenge them, but be considerate of their abilities. The game of Scrabble is excellent for spelling and vocabulary practice.
Check out these fun study tips and suggestions from the Scripps National Spelling Bee website:
1. For inspiration, watch the documentary Spellbound on family movie night.
2. Keep a “great words” journal for every new and interesting word that you find.
3. Designate a spelling wall in your home. Post new words to the wall each day.
4. For family game night, conduct an impromptu themed spelling bee. Use a newspaper for a current events bee or a cookbook for a cuisine bee.
5. Do like Akeelah did. Spell and jump rope!
6. Ask friends and neighbors to challenge you with great spelling words.
7. Find a good luck charm—perhaps shoelaces with a bumblebee design or a special coin.
8. Read great books. You’ll be entertained while you effortlessly improve your spelling and increase your vocabulary.
9. Scour the dictionary in search of words to stump your parents and teachers.
10. In September, check with your school principal: Ensure that you and your school are officially on track for participation in the 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee program. *See note below.
When you determine the kids are ready for a bee, designate a specific date and time. Invite grandparents or friends to be the audience. Line the kids’ chairs across the living room floor, the stage, and you or another adult judge from a desk opposite them. Have your dictionary handy and proceed with the bee! Award a special prize to the top three finishers and consolation goodies for all participants.
*Note: Some homeschool co-ops and support groups organize their own bees that can prepare children for local official competitions. Check your local organizations for information or begin one yourself. The Scripps website contains eligibility requirements and general information.SCHOOL SUBJECT: Language Arts
SKILL LEVEL: Middle Grades
SKILL LEVEL: Middle Grades
Think outside the textbook with this veteran homeschooling author & editor, and learn while you play!
We watched this for the first time when it aired on The Disney Channel. Since then, our spelling test days have taken on a whole new meaning. It's definitely one of our favortie movies now.
Unless things have changed since 2008, homeschool families can now enter the bee as a school without going through a homeschool group's bee! You'll need to contact the bee folks through http://www.spellingbee.com and ask how to enroll. They'll probably e-mail you a phone number to call. A family can pay a $10 fee instead of the $100 school fee and have their own “campus bee” at home!
Carol Beth, it has helped my kids take pride in spelling correctly. I only wish my teen had taken more notice of it when it first came out, lol!
Nan, Thanks so much for the tip! So, our very own home bee can count as an official “campus bee.” Good to know!
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