Whenever the classroom lights went out and the projector was lit up, kids in school knew they were about to have a good day. Watching movies in school is one of the simple joys in life. Sometimes, visual media can be easier for kids to understand, and many programs were created for that very reason. The best part is arguably just that the room is dark, but it's also a treat that there will be no work and no teacher speaking.
The film, of course, has to be educational in some way. Usually, it would be the film adaptation of whatever book was just read for the class, but it could also be a movie about historical events, or it could have some sort of life lesson that kids should be able to learn in school.
This article contains mentions of violence and abuse.
10 Osmosis Jones Is Health Made Easy For Kids
Warner Brothers made Osmosis Jones in 2000, and it was released in 2001. It features animation as well as live-action sequences. Bill Murray plays Frank, a man who just lost his wife and is coping by not taking care of basic hygiene. Osmosis Jones is a white blood cell that lives in Frank's body and has to protect him when his unhealthy choices cause him to contract a virus known as La Muerte Roja. With this virus comes the villain of the story, Thrax. Jones and his friends need to fight him if they want to save Frank.
Osmosis Jones was most likely shown in fifth grade, or even middle school and high school since it truly simplifies the role of white blood cells in the body. The movie didn't do well at its initial release, but it has since gained popularity in science classes and with kids of the 90s. Osmosis Jones is available to watch on Netflix.
9 Sarah, Plain And Tall Is Different From Little House On The Prairie
Sarah, Plain and Tall is a novel that came out in the late 60s and was written by Patricia MacLachlan. It had sequels written later, but the book could certainly be a stand-alone. It's very similar to Little House on the Prairie, but it's shorter and sweeter, dealing with the positivity of change: perfect for the transition from elementary to middle school. It's about a widowed father of two who puts out an ad in the paper for a "mail-order bride."
Sarah travels to the Midwest to meet her new family, and they are happy to have her, but the daughter, Anna, isn't so sure. The film adaptation of Sarah, Plain and Tall follows the same plot. It stars Glenn Close and Christopher Walken, and the film adaptation is great at building suspense.
8 Shiloh Is Another Classic Dog Story
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor won the Newberry Medal and had a movie adaptation made in 1996. Oftentimes, films based on books aren't very good, but it was praised by education boards. It's an elementary school book, although it does have themes that may be difficult for younger readers.
Shiloh is about a beagle, Shiloh, with an abusive owner, Judd, who runs into a young boy named Marty, who instantly bonds with the dog. Marty's dad won't let him keep the dog, but Marty keeps him anyway. Judd ends up blackmailing and fighting Marty, then kidnapping Shiloh. Eventually, Judd lets the dog return to the boy.
7 Stone Fox Is A Book & It's Even More Heartbreaking To Watch
John Reynolds Gardiner's 1980 book Stone Fox was extremely popular when it came out, and received a lot of praise from notable sources like The New York Times and 100 Best Books for Children. The film came out in 1987 as a television film on NBC. It was directed by Harvey Hart and in association with Hanna-Barbera.
Stone Fox follows the adventures of a boy named Little Willy, who enters his dog, Searchlight, into a bobsled race for which he can win $500. The only thing standing in the way is Stone Fox, a Native American who has been undefeated. By the end of the race, Searchlight's heart explodes and he dies. Stone Fox sees the boy crying and stops all the other racers so that Willy can carry his dog's corpse across the finish line and win.
6 Holes Is Shown In Every School Across The Country
Holes is a book that is usually read in elementary school, but it could be in middle school, too. It's a young adult book that isn't usually a requirement to read, but many teachers recommend it. It won the 1999 Newberry Medal and other awards as well. It is a fantastic book that focuses on people of color and incarceration.
The movie adaptation of Holes was released in 2003 and stars Shia LaBeouf. Stanley Yelnats is suspected of theft and sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile correction facility. The story switches from the present to the past, establishing Stanley's history and why they're digging holes. Not every kid will read the book, but the movie will be played in the classroom one way or another.
5 Too Soon For Jeff Is A Health Class Staple
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Too Soon for Jeff is actually based on a novel of the same name by Marilyn Reynolds. The movie, however, is what is referred to as "an after-school special." It stars Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jessica Alba as Jeff and Christy, a couple in high school who just found out they're pregnant.
Christy is planning on keeping the baby, but Jeff has plans for his future that this baby could interrupt. Too Soon for Jeff is a TV movie that is perfect for health classes during the sex education unit. It promotes safe sex and portrays the consequences realistically.
4 The Boy In The Striped Pajamas Is Shown In Sixth Grade
The Boy In The Striped Pajamas is a historical novel that is read in middle schools. It takes place during WWII and focuses on the Holocaust, specifically the children during the time, who were just doing what they were told. Bruno and Shmuel are 8 years old, but Bruno is the son of a Nazi commander, and Shmuel is a Jewish prisoner in an internment camp.
Bruno and Shmuel become friends, talking to each other through a barbed-wire fence, and it's truly heart-wrenching. The Boy In The Striped Pajamas is one of the best films from 2008.
3 FernGully: The Last Rainforest Kidsplains Deforestation
FernGully: The Last Rainforest was made in 1992 and follows fairies and other magical woodland creatures who are fighting to save their rainforest home from deforestation. It stars Robin Williams and Christian Slater as the creatures being affected by the cutting of trees and the use of large machinery. Tim Curry portrays the villain, Hexxus, who is just the oil and pollution created by humans.
FernGully: The Last Rainforest is shown in biology classes everywhere. It's also sometimes shown in elementary schools, depending on the U.S. region. Multiple science classes are offered in high school, but whether it's environmental or advanced biology, there is a deforestation unit where this movie falls into place.
2 The Fault In Our Stars Came Out At The Perfect Time
The Fault In Our Stars was wildly popular upon its release in 2012. John Green is known for his YA novels, and although it was never required reading, many knew the ending by the time the movie came out in 2014. It was perfect timing for many 2000s kids since that would be middle school age.
In The Fault In Our Stars, Hazel and Augustus both have cancer, and they fall in love. The film adaptation stars Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, and Nat Wolff. The title comes from Julius Caesar: "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, / But in ourselves, that we are underlings."
1 The Twilight Zone Was Perfect For Filling Time
The Twilight Zone has been around since the 60s, so it will always be shown in school. The eighth grade has a short-story unit that compares perfectly to the 25-60 minute episodes of this show.
"The Hitch-Hiker" is an episode of The Twilight Zone that is the most likely to be shown in class. It's about a woman who keeps driving past the same man on a seemingly endless road. The most well-known episode that might be shown would be "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet," in which a man thinks he sees a creature on the wing of a plane.