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Little Pig is Flying [Lilla Grisen Flyger]

Alicja Jaworski, 2004

Little Pig is mocked for dreaming she can fly so sets off to prove everyone wrong, and along the way meets other animals who teach her to dig, jump, swim and leap across trees. She discovers that all of these skills come in handy on her travels - but still wants nothing more than to fly. Will Little Pig ever get to prove her friends wrong?

In German with English subtitles, but the simple narrative is clear without dialogue and will suit younger children.

Clip Details

Genre: Adventure

Country of Origin: Sweden

Medium/Content: Colour, Sound, Fiction, 2D Animation

Clip Length: 10:00

Age Group: P1-P4

Classroom Activities

  • When you have finished watching the film, ask the class to re-tell the story. What happened at the beginning, middle and end? What are the conflict and resolution in this story?
  • Watch the first minute of the film then discuss what the class think the story is about. Ask for reasons for their predictions (what happens or what do we see that says a particular thing). What do they think is going to happen in the rest of the story?
  • Use freeze frame to examine particular shots, discussing: what type of shot it is; whose viewpoint we see; what/who can be seen in the shot; where the camera is. Look for examples of long shots, medium shots, close-ups and point-of-view shots.
  • Screen the opening sequence (up to 01:40 minutes) and then ask your class how many shots they think there were. Compare the class’s estimate with the real number of shots. Identify each shot type and note how one shot changes into another (type of transition). Discuss why the shot changes – does it show something new?
  • Freeze the frame on an image of the farm in the opening sequence. What can we tell about the time and place setting of the story? Note how much we see and how much is left to our imagination.
  • Watch with an emphasis on the sound and music in the film. Note moments when their feelings change: what kind of sound or music is playing at that moment. How does the sound/music change and why?
  • Note any sound effects heard in the film. What effect do they have?
  • Pause when Little Pig meets each new animal. Note any connections there are between characters and settings.
  • Do we know why Little Pig wants to fly? Does it matter?
  • Which characters do you like and dislike? Why?
  • Do any of the characters remind you of other stories?
  • Does the film have a message?
  • Pause when Little Pig meets each new animal. Ask what new skills these animals could teach her.
  • Watch the film with a focus on character. Afterwards, ask your pupils to write a character profile of the main character: what she is like, what she is trying to do, how she changes throughout the story.
  • Alternatively, ask pupils to write a short one or two sentence description of each of the characters. In writing their descriptions, you might prompt your pupils to think about whether any of the characters are familiar types (e.g. a nasty wolf). See if they can find examples of behaviour that capture that character type.
  • Write/draw new scenes for the film where Little Pig meets new animals – what might they teach her?
  • Make plasticine models of the different animals in the film. Use them to make a stop motion animation.

Clip Details

Genre: Adventure

Country of Origin: Sweden

Medium/Content: Colour, Sound, Fiction, 2D Animation

Clip Length: 10:00

Education Level: First Level