Teaching with Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is the first full-length cel animated movie produced by Walt Disney Productions. It was released on December 21, 1937, and is based on the German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. Thoughtco.com has an excellent article about German Fairy Tales. Teaching with Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be a fun way to engage children in the learning process.

OVERVIEW OF MOVIE AND STORY:

• The Brothers Grimm version of the fairy tale was published in 1812 by brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.
• Many of the same elements in both the short story and the Disney movie.
• Walt Disney took a very short story and turned it into a classic that is loved by old and young alike
• Both follow a similar plot line.
• A beautiful young girl with dark hair, fair skin and ruby lips lives with her evil stepmother.
• The stepmother is The Queen and has a magic mirror that she gazes upon and asks, “Who is the fairest of them all?”, to which the mirror replies, “You, my Queen, are the fairest of them all”.

DISNEY’S SNOW WHITE MOVIE

In the Disney movie:

• Snow White is a little older than the story version
• The Huntsman is ordered to bring back her heart which the Queen keeps in a box
• The peasant woman only appears to Snow White one time with a poisoned apple
• The Dwarfs chase the peasant woman up a mountain and she falls off to her death
• The Prince comes and kisses Snow White
• The couple rides off into the sunset

RECOMMENDATIONS for VIEWING

This movie may be scary for some children. The Queen orders the huntsman to kill Snow White; while Snow White is running through the forest, the trees grab her, there is scary music, and Snow White is obviously afraid; the evil Queen turns herself into a scary peasant woman; when the Queen pulls the apple out of the poison brew, there is a skull on the apple; a skeleton of a person is on a sidewalk; in the scenes with the ugly peasant woman, there is sinister music; Queen has a black crow; vultures in the forest; and the peasant woman falls off the edge of a cliff and vultures are seen circling.

USE OF SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS THROUGHOUT THE THEME PARKS

RIDES:

Snow White’s Scary Adventures in Disneyland, CA-A similar ride closed in Walt Disney World in 2012.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opened in Walt Disney World in 2014.

CHARACTER MEET AND GREETS:

Snow White is found in several venues in both the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland, CA. She also makes appearances at Cinderella’s Royal Table in Disney World, in Germany at Epcot, and at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Norway.
The Seven Dwarfs make appearances at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party which are both held at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
The Queen can occasionally be found at Hollywood Studios, FL, and at Disneyland, CA.

Educational/Homeschool tie-ins: 

Geography: Germany

The setting is believed to be a German forest.

Science: Geology

The dwarfs are mining for diamonds, but they have to remove other rocks to mine the diamonds.

Music:

Whistling (Whistle While You Work), yodeling, and the Dwarfs play musical instruments which include clarinet, organ, drum, lute, concertina (similar to an accordion), and double bass. Great opportunity to teach about the orchestra and different instruments.

Health:

Strangers and not taking food from strangers. Food/candy may look good, but still can be bad.

English:

Define fairy tale. 

Snack:

Make mini pies like Snow White makes for the Dwarfs.

For a more in-depth study, please see THE INTRODUCTION FOR HOMESCHOOLING WITH DISNEY’S SNOW WHITE MOVIE

Thanks for visiting

Patty @ A Mother’s Random Thoughts

Sources: Disney.wikia.com Snow White.