Soul Surfer Movie Guide

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

This resource helps teachers use the inspiring story of Bethany Hamilton to demonstrate the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity and find purpose beyond life's challenges.

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:

"My SEL students loved watching the film and the questions were great!"

-Kaitlin H. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"This was a great packet to go with the movie."

-Deanna T. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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 Soul Surfer 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. Soul Surfer Movie Guide PDF
2. Soul Surfer Answer Key for Movie Guide
3. Soul Surfer Fillable PDF Movie Guide
4. Soul Surfer Google Form Movie Guide
5. Soul Surfer 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

Soul Surfer is based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a teenage surfer from Hawaii. The film follows Bethany, a 13-year-old surfing prodigy with a deep love for the ocean and a strong Christian faith, who lives an idyllic life on Kauai with her supportive family.

On October 31, 2003, while surfing with friends, Bethany is attacked by a tiger shark, which bites off her left arm just below the shoulder. Rushed to the hospital, she survives the traumatic injury, but her dreams of becoming a professional surfer seem shattered.

With unwavering determination and the encouragement of her parents, her youth pastor, and her community, Bethany relearns to surf with one arm. She faces physical challenges, self-doubt, and the emotional toll of her changed body, but her resilience shines through.

Returning to competitive surfing, she struggles in her first event, nearly quitting, until a trip to Thailand to aid tsunami survivors reignites her purpose.

Inspired, Bethany re-enters competition at the National Championships, where she doesn’t win but earns a wild-card spot—and the respect of her peers—for a stunning final ride. The film celebrates her courage, faith, and unbreakable spirit, ending with real footage of Bethany surfing professionally, showing how she turned tragedy into triumph.

Movie Rating

PG
Movie Run Time

1 hour, 46 minutes
Grade Levels

6th-12th
Ideal Classes

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

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

Resilience and Determination:

The central theme revolves around Bethany's remarkable resilience and determination to overcome the challenges posed by the shark attack. Her refusal to be defined by her disability serves as an inspiration.
Family and Support:

The film emphasizes the importance of family and support systems during times of adversity. Bethany's family, particularly her parents, plays a crucial role in helping her navigate the physical and emotional challenges of her journey.
Faith and Belief:

Bethany's deep faith is a recurring theme in the movie. Her unwavering belief in God and her spirituality provide her with strength and guidance as she faces the difficulties of her new reality.
Self-Discovery:

The film explores Bethany's journey of self-discovery as she redefines her identity and purpose after the shark attack. It delves into her evolving understanding of herself beyond being a surfer.
Inspiration and Role Modeling:

Soul Surfer is a story of inspiration, showing how Bethany's resilience and achievements become a source of hope and motivation for others facing challenges.