Cool Runnings Movie Guide

A complete lesson plan with discussion questions, writing activities, and leadership worksheets

This resource helps teachers use the engaging story of the underdog Jamaican bobsled team to teach their students what it truly means to be a winner.

WARNING

This is a DEEP LEARNING lesson plan to help students employ a LEADERSHIP approach to SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL LEARNING

Included in this leadership movie guide:

Time Stamps
Answer Key
Fillable PDF Version
Google Form Version

What educators are saying:

"Engaging and easy resource to use in conjunction with movie! Thank you!"

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"Most students had never seen this movie before, but they LOVED it!! The guide was really helpful to point out parts of leadership that was shown."

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"There is a lot to work with here. I've always liked this movie and it's old enough to be "new" to the students. Thanks for the resource."

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Movie Guide Activities

Each of our leadership movie guides includes the following activities:

Reflection: allows students to journal about one of the movie's themes prior to watching.
Analysis: questions and prompts to analyze the movie's characters, plot, and climax.
Practice & Discussion: a partner/group activity that takes the principles of the movie and asks students to take action and grow in their own lives.
Extension: a RAFT (Role-Audience-Format-Topic) writing prompt to help students apply their new knowledge.
Lead for Impact: challenges students to pinpoint how the hero of the story exhibited The 12 Fundamentals of Impact and then synthesize how they can apply the lessons to writing their own story.

The activities in Cool Runnings Movie Guide will challenge students to move closer to mastery in the following life skills:

leadership
cooperation with others
creativity
critical thinking
emotional intelligence
problem-solving
judgement and decision-making

1. Cool Runnings Movie Guide PDF
2. Cool Runnings Answer Key for Movie Guide
3. Cool Runnings Fillable PDF Movie Guide
4. Cool Runnings Google Form Movie Guide
5. Cool Runnings Video Preview
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Social Emotional Learning Competencies

These leadership activities are designed to help students meet the following Social & Emotional Learning Competencies as outlined by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL):

Develop SELF-AWARENESS and SELF-MANAGEMENT skills to achieve school and life success.
Use SOCIAL-AWARENESS and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS.
Demonstrate DECISION-MAKING skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school, and community contexts.

Movie Synopsis

The allure of being the best in the world and being showered with fame appeals to many of us. But what is the real value of a gold medal?

Cool Runnings is a heartwarming sports comedy based on the true story of the Jamaican national bobsled team's journey to compete in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada. The film follows a group of four Jamaican athletes from various backgrounds who, after failing to qualify for the Summer Olympics, decide to pursue their dreams of Olympic glory in the unfamiliar sport of bobsledding.

Led by the determined former sprinter Derice Bannock and his loyal friend Sanka Coffie, the team recruits a disgraced former bobsleigh champion, Irv Blitzer, to coach them. Despite facing skepticism and ridicule from both their own community and the international bobsledding establishment, the team perseveres through rigorous training and numerous setbacks.

As they navigate the challenges of adapting to the icy conditions and mastering the technical aspects of the sport, the Jamaican bobsled team earns the respect of their competitors and spectators alike with their indomitable spirit, camaraderie, and unwavering determination.

Cool Runnings is a tale of underdogs defying the odds, friendship, and the triumph of the human spirit, leaving audiences inspired and uplifted by the team's remarkable journey to the Olympic stage.

Movie Rating

PG
Movie Run Time

1 hour, 38 minutes
Grade Levels

6th-12th
Ideal Classes

Leadership, Character Education, Life Skills, Youth Groups, Sports Teams, Career Development, English Language Arts

Cool Runnings Movie Guide provides activities to help students become better leaders by focusing on the following themes:

Overcoming Adversity:

The Jamaican bobsled team faces numerous challenges, including skepticism from their own community, lack of resources, and prejudice from their competitors. Despite these obstacles, they persevere with determination and resilience.
Friendship and Camaraderie:

The members of the Jamaican bobsled support and encourage each other through difficult times, forming strong bonds that help them overcome their individual shortcomings.
Belief in oneself:

The characters in Cool Runnings learn the importance of believing in oneself and one's dreams, even when others doubt them. They demonstrate that with hard work, dedication, and self-confidence, almost anything is possible.
Unity and Teamwork:

The men come from diverse backgrounds but learn to work together towards a common objective, realizing that their collective effort is stronger than individual talents.
Perseverance and Resilience:

They refuse to give up on their dreams, even when the odds seem insurmountable, teaching audiences the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity.
They refuse to give up on their dreams, even when the odds seem insurmountable, teaching audiences the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity.

Through their determination and success, the Jamaican bobsled team proves that talent knows no boundaries and that anyone can excel with the right opportunity and support.