This short animated film features the sandman and the creatures he sculpts out of sand. These lively creatures build a castle and celebrate the completion of their new home, only to be interrupted by an uninvited guest. Cleverly constructed with nuance, the film leaves interpretation open to the viewer. The film took home an Oscar® for Best Animated Short Film.
Ages 5 to 11
Study Guides - Guide 1 | Guide 2 | Guide 3 | Guide 4
Arts Education - Visual Arts
Diversity - Diversity in Communities
Ethics and Religious Culture - Religious Diversity/Heritage
Who is the sandman? What beings do we recognize as having the power to create and give life? Examine social, political and other influential forces. Discuss roles in a society. Examine the diverse creatures in the film and decide how they all serve a purpose. As an experiment, students could use their class as a model for positive inclusion and assign everyone a job according to their particular abilities, without labelling anyone.