Crow The Legend is a phenomenal animated short film. It features an all-star cast, is beautiful, and teaches a great lesson.
Crow The Legend
What’s Included
- Video Links
A page with links for finding the film and discussion questions - Three Activities
- The first is an organizer for students to list character traits for each animal plus the sun and the moon.
- On the next organizer, students summarize the story.
- Finally, students determine two themes and must provide proof from the story.
- Answer Keys
- Google Slides Version
You will also find a link to the Google Slides version of the organizers.
360 Degree VR Version
The video Crow can now be experienced in 360 VR. Use your mouse to move the film around to see it at all angles.
The Problem
The story begins with a narrator who tells the viewer how there was a time when it was always summer. Life for the animals was peaceful and worry-free.
Moth and Skunk hear Crow singing. Skunk is infatuated with Crow. She slides down the bank and accidentally releases a smell. She runs away, embarrassed because she “can’t let him smell her like this.”
The narrator then tells the viewer that one day winter came changing the lives of the animals.
The Journey
Owl tells Turtle, Moth, and Skunk that the solution to the cold weather is to send one of them to fly past Moon and Sun to the place where the stars live. The animal must convince the creator to “unthink” the cold and make it warm again. The animals convince Crow to go. Crow flies by Moon, Sun, Saturn, and sees himself in one of the constellations.
Back on Earth, Skunk tells the others she thinks something has happened to Crow, so Moth decides to fly up and check on him.
Crow finds the palace of The One Who Creates Everything by Thinking, the source of the universe. He wakes her up by singing. One Who Creates Everything by Thinking gives Crow a burning stick and returns him to Earth. As he flies away, she says, “Let’s see what you are made of.”
Meanwhile, Moth flies by Sun, who fusses at him for looking directly at him. As Moth is fighting his attraction to Sun, Crow rescues Moth. Crow then sticks the burning stick in an asteroid and tells Moth about the fire. The fire catches Crow’s wing on fire. Crow fans his wing to put out the fire, accidentally putting it out.
The Solution
Upset, Crow flies away from the other animals. Skunk follows him. Crow apologizes to her for “being a jerk.” When Crow remembers the words of The One Who Creates Everything by Thinking, who tells him, “Let’s see what you’re made of,” it becomes summer. His black feathers have some color in them. His smoke-damaged new voice is a hoarse version of his previous voice, but Skunk likes his new sound.
Moth tells Crow he can’t give up. Skunk believes in him. Crow flies close to the sun to relight the stick. Even though he is successful, his actions are not without consequences. Crow’s beautiful feathers are blackened, and his voice is hoarse.
Activity – The Music in Crow The Legend
Ask students to explain how the music in Crow The Legend adds to the story’s meaning. The music enhances the story and creates a mood for the audience. The music is composed by Lorne Balfe and features a mix of traditional Native American music and modern music.
In the beginning, the music sets a peaceful and harmonious tone, with the sound of the drum and the flute creating a sense of tranquility. As the story progresses, the music changes to reflect the tension and conflict in the plot. For example, when the villain, the monster of darkness, first appears, the music becomes ominous and menacing, with deep and dark tones that increase the sense of danger.
The music also helps to convey the characters’ emotions, particularly the protagonist, Crow. When Crow struggles to find his voice and purpose, the music is more melancholy, reflecting his sadness and uncertainty. When Crow finally finds his voice and uses it to defeat the monster of darkness, the music becomes triumphant and uplifting, combining traditional and modern themes that celebrate his victory.
Click this button to get the printable activities plus links to the Google Slides version.
More Samples from the Teaching Writing with Animated Shorts Series
- Comparing Two Shorts with the Animated Short Distracted and Dear Alice
- Literature Skills with Crow: The Legend
- Problems and Solutions + Inference with the Animated Short On the Same Page
- Setting and Comparing a Short Film to the Novel Refugee with the Short The Box
- Character Change and Mood with the Animated Short One Small Step
- Details from the Story with the Animated Short Broken: Rock, Scissors, Paper
- Problem and Solution Chain and Theme with the Animated Short The Catch
- Your Course of Action + Comparing Two Films with the Animated Short Coin Operated
- Summarizing and Comparing Two Films with Miyako and The Monster Under My Bed
Check out all six products in the Reading and Writing Series. Units are also available as bundles.
Reading Series
