“Joy and Heron,” Animated Short Film by Passion Pictures

This lesson plan can be used either in a classroom or online.

Plot Summary: In this short, animated film a fisherman sails out with his enthusiastic dog. They are quickly joined by a heron, who lands on the boat. At first, the dog and the heron are curious about one another, but when the heron takes the fisherman’s worm to eat the dog becomes angry. The heron returns, taunting the dog and taking more worms. Meanwhile, the fisherman reprimands the dog for making noise. When the fisherman catches the heron taking his worms, he shoos her away. The dog is satisfied until he notices the heron fly back to a nest with three hungry babies. Noticing the babies prefer worms to the fish the heron catches, the dog leaves worms for her. The heron returns the favor by dropping a mouthful of fish into the boat.