In the Children’s Film Room: 4 Short Films

Journey of the Blob, Here's My Question: Where Does My Garbage Go?, Growing Dreams, Songbird Story

Segment 1: 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Ticket Price: $5 (Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult)
Journey of the Blob
A boy makes a decision about how to dispose of a green glob he has concocted. What will happen if he dumps it into a stream? Where does water come from and where does it go? This film illustrates the water cycle and raises many questions about environmental responsibility and the consequences of our decisions. This classic, wordless film from the "Look Again" series tells a story that appeals to all ages, and is used widely in environmental education courses around the country.

Here's My Question: Where Does My Garbage Go?
We all throw out an average of 6 lbs. of garbage every day. Where does it all go? This film takes us on two fascinating trips -- to the landfill with our regular garbage, and to the recycling plant with our newspapers, cans, glass and plastic. Along the way, a plastic milk jug takes a mysterious detour with a surprising result. Children lead the way and provide commentary, along with New Yorker cartoonist Ed Koren's "furry creature," who gives us the facts. Award-winning Sesame Street songwriters provide the catchy music and lyrics.

Growing Dreams
GROWING DREAMS gives an inspirational overview of school ground greening. It shows what kids have done to transform bare pavement into dream schoolyards: growing trees for shade, flowers for butterflies, vegetables for a food bank; building a greenhouse, a rooftop garden and constructing a courtyard pond as an outdoor classroom and refuge for wildlife.

Songbird Story
Migratory songbirds, including tanagers, buntings, and orioles, are disappearing. What does it mean? Where have they gone? In our backyards in North America, the songbirds' nesting habitats are being lost to development of the land. But is that the whole story? Two young children, out for an afternoon of fun and adventure, discover some answers. In an animated dream, the children fly along with the birds on one of their migration paths to the tropical rainforest. While there they see how quickly the rainforests in Central and South America are being cut down to make way for people and development. Unfortunately, the development proceeds with little planning and is unsustainable. And without the tropical rainforests, migratory songbirds have no place to survive through winter. The decline of migratory songbirds is a complex problem with no simple solutions. But, to save the birds from extinction, the children learn that there is no time to waste.